Chabad of Dallas hosted sofer (scribe) Rabbi Yosef Y Liran of Brooklyn, New York from Sunday, Aug. 28 through Thursday, Sept. 1. During his time in Dallas Rabbi Liran checked 167 mezuzahs, 52 pairs of tefillan and repaired six Torah scrolls. 

Rabbi Liran’s visit brings to mind the importance of placing a mezuzah on the doorposts of Jewish homes and businesses. Mezuzahs fulfill the commandment, the biblical commandment: “You shall write them upon the doorposts of thy house and upon thy gates” (Deuteronomy 6:9). They also distinguish a Jewish home from others.

On Aug. 4, Marc Stanley, U.S. Ambassador to Argentina, and his family hung a mezuzah, on the ambassador’s residence in Buenos Aires. The Bosch Palace has served as the ambassador’s residence since 1929. This is the first time it bears a mezuzah. Joining Ambassador Stanley were his wife Wendy, daughter and son-in-law Daryl and Marshall Sosland and their son Jed; and Jabad Palermo Nuevo (Chabad of Buenos Aires) shluchim Rabbi Mendy and Faigie Grunblatt.

The Texas Jewish Post headquarters in North Dallas hung its first mezuzah in its 75 years of publication on Aug. 31, thanks to Chabad of Fort Worth Rabbi Dov Mandel. Early in the day Rabbi Mandel phoned TJP Editor and Publisher Sharon Wisch-Ray and asked, “did you ever put a mezuzah up.” She told him she had not, and he said he would be right over, reminded of the earlier exchange when he was at Chabad of Dallas and observing Rabbi Liran repairing and checking mezuzahs, tefillin and Torahs.

Rabbi Mandel shared the experience on Facebook, later that day.

“Mitzvahs cause more mitzvahs. Twelve years ago, Sharon Wisch-Ray called to offer some equipment for our school. At the time, I promised to bring a mezuzah for her office. Due to being a member of the procrastination nation, I never made it, but lived with the guilt for 12 years. Sharon publicized the sofer coming to Dallas in last week’s paper. When I came to visit the sofer this morning I grabbed a mezuzah and made a beeline to her office. Of course, if there’s no picture it never happened,” posted Rabbi Mandel.

“I am touched that Rabbi Mandel remembered his promise. Seventy-five years is way too long for the TJP offices to have gone without a mezuzah. I have been smiling about fulfilling this mitzvah ever since,” said Wisch-Ray.

What you need to know about hanging a mezuzah

• A kosher mezuzah contains a parchment scroll on which the Shema is handwritten by an expert scribe, known as a sofer.
• On the outside of one’s home, a mezuzah is always hung on the right side of the door post. However, when hanging a mezuzah on the inside of one’s home, the right side of the door post is determined by which way the door opens. The direction the door opens into is considered the primary room and the mezuzah is hung on the right side when entering that room.
• The proper placement of a mezuzah is on the top third of the doorway and is hung slanted with the top of the mezuzah pointing toward the inside of the room and the bottom pointing toward the outside of the room.
• When hanging a mezuzah, recite the following blessing: Bah-rookh ah-tah ah-doh-noi eh-loh-hay-noo meh-lekh hah-oh-lahm ah-sher ki-deh-shah-noo beh-mitz-voh-tahv veh-tzee-vah-noo lik-boh-ah meh-zoo-zah. Blessed are You, L rd our G d, King of the Universe, Who has made us holy with His commandments and commanded us to affix a mezuzah.
• Mezuzahs should be checked twice every seven years by a sofer to make sure they have not been affected by adverse weather conditions and that there are no defects in the lettering on the parchment.