mezuzah

E3233

A mezuzah is a small parchment scroll inscribed with Hebrew verses from the Torah, traditionally placed in a decorative case and affixed to the doorposts of Jewish homes as a sign of faith and divine protection.


Statements (48)
Predicate Object
instanceOf Jewish ritual object
religious symbol
containsText Deuteronomy 11:13–21
Deuteronomy 6:4–9
Shema Yisrael
containsTextFrom Torah
hasCaseMaterial ceramic
glass
metal
wood
hasCustom touching and kissing fingers
hasEtymology Hebrew word for doorpost
hasInscriptionOnBack Shaddai
hasLanguage Hebrew
hasLegalStatusIn Conservative Judaism
Orthodox Judaism
hasMaterial parchment scroll
isAffixedTo doorposts
entrances of Jewish homes
isAssociatedWith Jewish home identity
mitzvah of dwelling
isAttachedWith adhesive
nails
screws
isCommandedIn Deuteronomy 11:20
Deuteronomy 6:9
isInspected periodically for damage
isNotRequiredFor temporary booths
isObservedBy Jews
isPlacedIn decorative case
isPlacedOn right side of the doorpost
isPositioned slightly slanted
upper third of the doorpost
isRelatedTo Jewish home rituals
Shema
tefillin
isRequiredFor permanent dwellings
isSubjectOf Jewish law (halakha)
isUsedBy many Reform Jews
many secular Jews as cultural symbol
isUsedIn Judaism
isWrittenBy qualified scribe
mustBe handwritten
written on kosher parchment
written with special ink
requiresRole sofer
symbolizes Jewish faith
divine protection

Referenced by (1)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
Judaism
usesRitualObject

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