Spiritual Protection

Mezuzah parchment: sample only, not valid as a kosher mezuzah.

When things go very wrong in life, the (Lubavitcher) Rebbe always told people to "check tefillin and mezuzot".  Just lately several people have told me about sick children, and in all the cases I ask them if they have checked their mezuzahs..... and the answer has been that they don't have any (!!)   Personally, I couldn't even sleep in a house without mezuzahs.  But a lot of people still don't understand this mitzvah.

Basically, a mezuzah is spiritual protection.  It guards the family both in and out of the home.  A mezuzah should be on every door in the house, except the bathroom.  Just as you make sure you have home and contents insurance, you must also realise that your real insurance comes from Hashem - and the mezuzah is the "security guard" on your door.

It makes no difference whether or not you are a "orthodox" Jew - if you want protection from Above, you need mezuzot.

The mezuzah has the effect of guarding the house and its inhabitants from any harm. The Beth Yosef calls this an open miracle.

Ibn Ezra writes:

In time of trouble, G‑d saves those who serve Him out of fear. However, G‑d protects those who serve Him out of love, from encountering trouble.

The Mezuzah, a sign of eternal love between Israel and the Creator, therefore prevents any trouble from entering a Jewish home.

The Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, explains that, unlike other mitzvoth, such as honoring one’s parents, for which the Torah promises longevity, the protection afforded by the mezuzah is not a reward for the mitzvah but rather an immediate and essential result of its observance, as the Sages teach us that:

The very purpose of mezuzah is the protection of the house and its inhabitants.

The principal book of Kabbalah, the Zohar, states that if a Jew affixes a mezuzah to his or her door, the Almighty denies harmful and destroying agents (mazikin) any access to the home, even at a time when the Destroying Angel is let loose.

For a complete guide to the Mezuzah and how, when, where.... go to: The Complete Mezuzah Guide