The Mezuzah

While visiting at my house, my friend Rebekah noticed Mezuzah's in the doorframes of the many rooms of this hundred year old Brooklyn brownstone.  Though they have been painted over, their casing are still very visible.  How wonderful to find out a bit of history of the place that I'm living in, to know that this was once a Jewish home.  One of the many, many delights I have of living in this city is learning about different cultures, religions and lifestyles.

Here is information on the Mezuzah, according to a website on Judaism, http://www.jewfaq.org/signs.htm:

Mezuzah

And you shall write [the words that I command you today] on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. -Deuteronomy 6:9, 11:19

On the doorposts of traditional Jewish homes (and many not-so-traditional homes!), you will find a small case like the one pictured at left. This case is commonly known as a mezuzah (Heb.: doorpost), because it is placed upon the doorposts of the house. The mezuzah is not, as some suppose, a good-luck charm, nor does it have any connection with the lamb's blood placed on the doorposts in Egypt. Rather, it is a constant reminder of G-d's presence and G-d's mitzvot.