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Not only is every synagogue a mini-Temple, but every Jewish home is as well, in a sense. The mezuza expresses this idea. It is a parchment on which a scribe has written two biblical passages: Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4-9) and Ve-haya Im Shamo’a (ibid. 11:13-21). These passages are fundamental to our faith and part of our daily prayers (21:16-17 and 22:3-4 below). The mezuza parchment is rolled up at the entrance of every room in a Jewish home. It is customary to wrap the parchment in plastic and place it in a case before putting it up, to protect it and keep it from getting ruined.
Because a home provides protection, the inhabitants may forget that God is the One Who gives us life and protects us. The mezuza reminds us of this. Thanks to the mezuza's presence, the members of the household reconnect with the Source of life and are blessed with living to a ripe old age. In the words of Ve-haya Im Shamo’a, “so that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied” (Deuteronomy 11:21).
The mezuza serves an additional purpose. People split their time between inside (the home) and outside (the world). The home cannot supply people with all their physical needs. They need to go out to bring food home. From a spiritual perspective too, a home cannot supply all that people need. They need to go out and be exposed to new ideas, which they can continue to digest at home. The entrance or threshold represents the transition between inside and outside. It is in this very place the Torah commands us to put up a mezuza. The hope is that people will remember the fundamentals of faith mentioned in the mezuza when they find themselves in this liminal space. Upon coming home, they will assess which ideas should come in with them; upon leaving, the mezuza will remind them to avoid the alien philosophies found outside.
