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What's inside and on the outside of the Mezuzah?

by Rabbi Naftali Silberberg

  

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Inside the Mezuzah case is the actual Mezuzah. 

The Mezuzah is a rolled up scroll of parchment containing two passages from the Torah: the Shema1 and Vehayah.2

These portions can be found in your prayerbook (available at your local Judaica store or, with English translation, at www.kehotonline.com), as these sections are part of the daily morning and evening prayers. Click here to view these passages online.

On the outside of the mezuzah scroll is written G-d's name, "Shadai," which is an acronym for "ShOmer Daltot Yisroel," the 'Guardian of the doors of Israel'. (Hence the Hebrew letter 'shin' also appears on many mezuzah holders, as an inital of G-d's Name written inside.)

Footnotes

  • 1. Deuteronomy 6:4-9.
  • 2. Deuteronomy 11:13-21.

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Torah
Torah is G–d’s teaching to man. In general terms, we refer to the Five Books of Moses as “The Torah.” But in truth, all Jewish beliefs and laws are part of the Torah.
Mezuzah
A rolled up scroll containing certain verses from the Torah which is affixed to the right-hand doorpost of doorways in a Jewish home.
Omer
Starting from the second day of Passover, we count forty-nine days. The fiftieth day is the holiday of Shavuot. This is called the “Counting of the Omer” because on the second day of Passover the barley “Omer” offering was offered in the Holy Temple, and we count forty-nine days from this offering. [Literally, "Omer" is a certain weight measure; the required amount of barley for this sacrifice.]
Shema
The most fundamental Jewish prayer, recited twice daily. This prayer, of Biblical origin, professes the belief in G-d's absolute unity.
G-d
It is forbidden to erase or deface the name of G-d. It is therefore customary to insert a dash in middle of G-d's name, allowing us to erase or discard the paper it is written on if necessary.