The Mezuzah Scrolls sold at MezuzahMaster.com and around the world are hand written by specially trained scribes, who use a feather and ink to write the holy words on parchment.

Did you know that many scribes first write a Megillah? The reason is that since G-ds name is not mentioned in the Megillah, it does not have the same level of sanctity as a Mezuzah, and can have mistakes or corrections made. In fact, it can also have vowels and punctuation too, but that is very uncommon.

Check out this video of a scribe hard at work!

After reciting blessings in Hebrew, Rabbi Yona Metzger, Chief Rabbi of Israel, placed a mezuzah, the parchment prayer scroll that marks a Jewish home, at the entrance of the modest but comfortable room where members of the Jewish faith can now find solace at University of Miami Hospital. Stuart Miller, UM trustee, had the honor of cutting the ribbon that spanned the entranceway of the bikur cholim room on the eighth floor.

The simple ceremony, applauded by several rabbis, members of the local Jewish community, Dean Pascal J. Goldschmidt, M.D., and other Miller School and UHealth-University of Miami Health System leaders, celebrated the January 25 grand opening of a special place created for members of the Jewish faith who visit relatives or friends admitted to the hospital.

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Did You Know?

A Mezuzah can last for many years when well protected, however, it does need to be inspected. Temperature and weather changes as well as age may cause the ink to fade and crack, thereby invalidating the Mezuzah. Each Mezuzah should be examined by a reliable scribe at least twice every seven years.

Outdoor Mezuzah’s should have a waterproof case, and extra attention should be given to any mezuzah that is on an external wall as well. Remember, a well protected mezuzah means a well protected home!

When Much Shelist  principal Steven P. Blonder heard that residents at Shoreline Towers Condominiums ran into trouble when hanging mezuzahs in their doorways, he wanted to get involved. “What intrigued me, first, in this day and age, was that a condo association would prohibit the hanging of a mezuzah,” he said. “From a common sense perspective, you say, ‘What are they doing?’ And from a legal standpoint, where do people have the right and freedom to practice religion and where does that intersect with the property rights of the association and its members?”

Blonder and fellow Much Shelist principal Anthony C. Valiulis represented residents Debra Gassman and Lynne Bloch, who first filed complaints of religious discrimination with city and state agencies and then worked with The John Marshall Law School Fair Housing Legal Clinic to file a federal lawsuit against their condo association for removing the mezuzahs — small pieces of parchment inscribed with Torah verses and affixed to doorposts as a sign of faith. Blonder and Valiulis prepared the pro bono case for a jury trial, but settled on the courthouse steps in July. Now, the city protects the residential hanging of religious objects.

“Because of this case, the law was changed,” Blonder said. “It is clear now that residents in any condo association are free to hang a mezuzah. From our view, that was always the case, but now it’s the status quo.”

Blonder, chairman of his firm’s pro bono committee, said he recruited his fellow equity partner to help with the multiyear case, because they believed in the cause.

“Opportunities like this don’t come along every day, and when an opportunity presents itself to do pro bono work in an area of interest, people should grab it,” he said. “It’s fulfilling and reminds us that practicing law is a privilege.”

On behalf of Mezuzah Hangers everywhere – Thank You! Kol HaKavod!!

Oprah Visits Hassic Brooklyn

In Oprah’s next chapter on the Oprah Winfrey Network, the world reknowened TV personality shares her experience of visiting the close knit hassidic community in Brooklyn. In this interview, the celebrity talks about one of the things that she found most meaningful on her visit, the Mezuzah. Oprah’s visit to hassidic brooklyn, Oprah talks about the Mezuzah.

Since December, the sneaky thief has ripped off 10 of the $60 mezuzahs, encased Jewish sacred scrolls secured to door frames — on the 15th, 18th and 19th floors of the Ocean Parkway building, police sources said.

Always make sure to check that your mezuzah’s are securely fashioned to your wall.

Mezuzah decision in Texas

Legislation currently on the desk of Texas Governor Rick Perrywould protect the freedom of Jewish homeowners to follow the Torah’s injunction to “write [these words] upon the doorposts of thy house and on thy gates.”

Perry’s office has not indicated how exactly the governor will decide on the issue, but if he signs the bipartisan bill into law, homeowners associations would be forbidden from prohibiting the display of a mezuzah – the box-encased scroll of parchment affixed to doorposts in keeping with a positive commandment mentioned twice in the Book of Deuteronomy – or other religious item.

“This bill is very much important,” said Rabbi Yosef Levertov, director of Chabad-Lubavitch of Austin. “Now people can keep this aspect of the Torah without any fear of interference from their neighbors.”

First drafted in 2009 as H.B. 3025, H.B. 1278 comes in response to the case of a Houston husband and wife who in 2007 were asked to remove their mezuzah from their apartment’s entryway or face fines. The condominium association claimed the display was against regulations.

They brought suit, and after a failed hearing in a U.S. District Court, their lawyer contacted their state representative, Garnet Coleman.

“When I looked at the situation, I immediately said it’s wrong,” the legislator told the Jewish Herald-Voice in 2009. “Our country is founded on religious freedom, the freedom to practice the religion of your choice without impediments.”

While the word “mezuzah” is not mentioned in the bill’s text, it allows for one or more religious items of no more than 25 square inches – large enough for a typical mezuzah – to be displayed on the entry door or doorframe.

“I filed this bill to extend religious freedom in situations where it may not exist,” explained Coleman.

State Sen. Kel Seliger, who sponsored the bill, said his choice to get involved was a simple one.

“Religious expression is a cornerstone of our freedom and American citizenship,” he said. “If we do not respond to the infringement of the rights of one family, we endanger the rights of all families.”

State Reps. Scott Hochberg and Debbie Riddle joined Coleman in authoring the current bill. It passed both the State House of Representatives and the Senate and is now waiting to be reviewed by the governor.

“The governor thoroughly reviews every bill that he receives,” said Perry spokeswoman Lucy Nashed. “He will make a decision when he reviews the bill.”

Similar legislation became law in Illinois and Florida in 2007 and 2008 respectively.

Coleman was optimistic his bill would likewise be signed into law.

“Thanks to this family’s courage and willingness to share their story,” he said, “other Texans will not have to go through a similar experience.”

May 22, 2011  (JTA)

The Texas state Senate has passed a bill that would require homeowner associations to permit religious displays on their doors, including mezuzot.

Under the bill passed late last week, the religious item must be under 25 inches and remain in the doorway, according to the Dallas Morning News.

The bill will return to the state House of Representatives for a wording amendment.  In 2008, Florida’s state Legislature passed a similar bill.

Mezuzah

by Molly Resnick

Last week, I heard a truly touching story. Of all the exploits of Lubavitcher shluchim,         the following one does not rank in the top tier. But it’s a true testament to the                         movement and     the vision of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, that an inspiring story like            the following is almost unremarkable – that small miracles have almost become the            norm.

This story takes place in Lusaka, Zambia. A son of one of my very close friends – all of 22 years old - Dovid Kotlarsky, was sent to this city in the middle of Africa and with the help and guidance of the Chabad shliach in the Congo, Rabbi Shlomo Bentolila, conducted a Seder and celebrated Pesach with the Jews in the area. (This was part of a project of the Lubavitcher educational arm – Merkaz L’Inyonei Chinuch – that sent out over 650 rabbinical students this year to share Pesach with Jews all over the U.S. and the world.)

Dovid, together with fellow shliach Yaakov Yosef Raskin, arrived in Zambia a few days before Pesach and, armed with Haggadahs, shmurah matzah, and wine, they took advantage of their “free” days to visit various Jews in their homes and offices and offer to put tefillin on their arms and mezuzos on their doors.

One of the places they visited was a Zambian government company where a few Israeli Jews work. As Dovid was standing in the lobby, a white man was coming down the stairs (in Zambia white faces are the exception) and he figured he must be one of the Israelis. And yet, as the man passed the black-hat, bearded, smiling young Lubavitcher, he completely ignored him. Before Dovid could gather his wits, the man suddenly turned around and said, “Shalom. Listen, you’re not going to get anything from me,” and promptly walked away.

Well, Lubavitchers, like all idealists, are used to rejection. So the young shliach overcame the encounter and continued his work.

On erev Pesach the two went back to the same company for another visit. Figuring he had nothing to lose, Dovid stopped by the office of the gentleman who had spurned him the other day. Surprisingly, he acted nice. He disclosed that he used to work in the Israeli Consulate in Manhattan, where Lubavitchers also used to try visiting him. “But I would never go to see them,” he told Dovid in a typical Israeli tone “I’m a chiloni (secular), I don’t put on tefillin, and I don’t say any berachot.”

“That’s fine,” Dovid replied. “I really came by to say hello and wanted to ask you if you would like us to put up a mezuzah on your door just like we did with your colleagues upstairs.” To his surprise, the man said, “OK.”

Not only that, he even agreed to put it up himself. As Dovid rushed to put a yarmulke on his head the man recoiled. “I don’t do that,” he said.

“Fine, no problem,” Dovid responded, as he affixed the mezuzah on the office doorpost while explaining its significance.

That night Dovid and Yaakov Yosef helped prepare what they were later told was the largest Seder in Zambia since the 1970s, with close to 100 people attending. And among the guests, who should appear but the gentleman from the office? Nor did he come alone. He brought along a non-Jewish black woman, whom they learned was his girlfriend.

Dovid honestly didn’t think he had made that much of an impression on the fellow who seemed to have exhibited mixed feelings about his visit to his office. And so it came as a surprise when the man approached him at the Seder and thanked him for his visit, and then requested another mezuzah to place on his home door. “Even in my father’s house in Israel, there is no mezuzah,” he said.

“Today, in the morning, I must tell you, it was the first time in my life that I ever did something religious. And then with great emotion, he said, “Today you saved a soul in Israel.”

Dovid was truly shocked at the man’s words and responded, “I haven’t saved! I only reconnected. A Jew only needs to be reconnected because every Jew is really a diamond. All one needs to do is shake off some of the dust.”

The man looked at the young Lubavitcher and said quietly, “It’s only because of people like you, that people like me are around today!”

Miraculous? Not necessarily. The man, as far as we know, is not wearing a streimel today nor is he living in Yerushalayim. He quite likely still has a non-Jewish girlfriend. But he was touched. His Jewish neshamah was sparked. He put mezuzos on his office and home and attended a Seder. Who knows what the future will bring?

Lubavitch boasts thousands of miraculous, hair-raising, amazing stories of hashgacha, transformation and courage. But it’s the small stories like these – perhaps above all – that makes the movement so special, and will surely help to hasten our geulah.

From: http://www.jewishpress.com/pageroute.do/48257