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Parashat Re'eh

"The Meaning of the Mezuzah"

Rabbi Geri Newburge

 Earlier in Deuteronomy we read the instruction to "write them upon the doorposts of your house and upon your gates" (Deuteronomy 6:9). These words immediately follow the Shema, and the rabbis understood them as the source of the commandment to affix a mezuzah to our homes. Understanding this to mean we are obligated to hang mezuzot containing the Shema, the rabbis of the Talmud debate the implications of what that means in different scenarios. They determine mezuzot, in addition to being hung on homes, should also be affixed to the “gates” of cities and towns.

The rabbis extended this discussion beyond private homes. They even debated whether a mezuzah should be affixed to a room occupied only temporarily or involuntarily. In particular the debate addresses the High Priest who dwells, by requirement, in the Parhedrin, a room within the Temple in Jerusalem. Ultimately, the rabbis ruled that the room required a mezuzah so that no one would conclude the High Priest was being confined like a prisoner rather than preparing for sacred service.

These discussions reveal that the mezuzah is more than a ritual object; it signifies the sanctity of a place. That idea helps illuminate the opening of this week's parashah, Re'eh. In the opening verses Moses instructs the Israelites “But look only to the site that YHWH your God will choose amidst all your tribes as His habitation, to establish His name there. There you are to go.” According to Jewish tradition, this points toward the central importance the Temple would come to hold in the religious life of our people.

Modern biblical scholars have revisited this assumption, asking whether Deuteronomy envisioned the Temple as the exclusive center of Israel's religious life. Israeli scholar Moshe Weinfeld argued the central cult of the Temple and its sacrifices is not the focus of Deuteronomy. He argues the covenant between God and Israel is sustained primarily through Israel's faithfulness to God's laws, while worship at the Temple serves a supporting role.

It is impossible to deny the Temple’s paramount status in Jewish text and thought over the centuries. We recently commemorated the destruction of both Temples with the observance of Tisha B’Av, and a longing to have the Temple restored is part of Jewish theology. Yet there is also no denying the central role the home plays. After all, our homes are considered a mikdash meh-at, small sanctuaries. 

Although the Temple no longer stands in Jerusalem, our mikdash me'at has always remained. Our homes are where we sanctify the meals we share, observe sacred rituals and holidays, nurture relationships, and bring holiness into everyday life.

A sanctuary is a consecrated place, a place of refuge and protection. We place mezuzot on our doors to sanctify our homes. The ritual is not empty or simply performative. It is intended to create a place where we can breathe deeply and know we can find respite.

How we hang the mezuzah is also an indication of this. Most of us (other than Sephardic and Mizrahi communities) hang the mezuzah on an angle. This is a result of a disagreement from almost a thousand years ago. The great Jewish scholar Rashi (1040-1105) ruled the mezuzah should be hung vertically. On the other hand, Rashi’ s grandsons ruled the mezuzah should be hung horizontally. So, a compromise was reached and the custom became to hang the mezuzah at an angle. Every time we cross our threshold, we are reminded that holiness often requires humility, compromise, and a commitment to shalom bayit —peace within the home. At the same time, pursuing peace should never come at the expense of the safety or well-being of those who live there.

In an increasingly divided world, we need people and places that offer sanctuary. This does not mean retreating into echo chambers that simply reinforce our own opinions. Rather, we need spaces where we can catch our breath, regain perspective, and renew our spirits. As we pass the mezuzah upon entering our homes, may it remind us that true sanctuary is found where holiness, compassion, and peace dwell together.

Rabbi Geri Newburge serves as the senior rabbi at Main Line Reform Temple-Beth Elohim..