This week, Rabbi David Woznica reflects on the meaning and importance of a specific mitzvah: the mezuzah.
The Mezuzah: A Good Luck Charm? Not Exactly
Do you see the mezuzah on your doorpost as a lucky charm or an amulet? I confess, there are times I do and I suspect I am not alone. The great Rabbinic scholar Maimonidies, also known as Rambam (1135-1204), cautions against that idea with rather harsh words. “Those fools not only fail to fulfil the mitzvah itself, but they have taken a great mitzvah, which involves the Oneness of God and the reminder to love Him and worship Him, and treat it as though it were an amulet designed to benefit them personally…” (Hil. Mezuzah 5:4)
Before we express indignance toward Maimonidies, we should acknowledge that a very large percentage of Jews are not aware of what is written on the parchment inside the mezuzah (see yesterday’s kavanah) and may have lost the central meaning of the mitzvah.
While I tread gingerly and respectfully while taking issue with one of the greatest scholars of Judaism in history, I think there can be compromise. We can hope that affixing a mezuzah to our door will bring “good luck” (better, many blessings) to our home. At the same time, I’m grateful to Maimonides for making sure we focus on the greater task, to reaffirm the “Oneness of God” and to love and worship God. In doing so, we bring blessings to others and to our homes as well.
If you are moving, does your mezuzah move with you or stay put? For some guidance, read tomorrow’s Daily Kavanah.
— Rabbi David Woznica | [email protected]