5 Interesting Aspects of Mezuzah Cases Through History

The earliest mezuzot date back to the 1st century CE, when Jews wrote or etched prayers directly onto doorposts, a practice possibly borrowed from a similar Egyptian tradition.

As the practice evolved in the Middle Ages, Jews started placing inscribed prayers on a scroll of parchment, which was then placed inside a case, often made of wood, metal, or reeds.

The mezuzah is of biblical origin. The words of God are to be inscribed and must be hand-lettered by a kosher scribe qualifying for the task. In the 11th century, Rashi, a French rabbi, said the mezuzah should be hung vertically.

His grandson, Rabbenu Tam, wrote that a mezuzah should be fixed horizontally as the Ten Commandments were kept horizontally in the Temple. 150 years later, Rabbi Jacob Ben Asher suggested splitting the difference, affixing the mezuzah at a slant. Mezuzahs are often still affixed at a slant today.

The mezuzah is affixed to the right of a door as one enters a room. It is generally at about eye-height for someone six feet tall, at the lower part of the top third of a doorpost. The case is securely attached at its top and bottom, rather than hanging by a nail.

The Traditional Shin

The Hebrew letter Shin (ש) is the 21st and penultimate letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It appears on many mezuzah cases. The letter stands for “Shaddai”, one of the names of God.

Historical examples from European Jewish communities show the letter incorporated into mezuzah cases, often as the central decorative element. Rabbinic texts confirm the practice dates back to at least the medieval period.

Geographic Designs

Different Jewish communities developed distinct mezuzah case styles based on their locations. In the realm of luxury Judaica, Yemenite Jewish mezuzah cases feature documented examples of intricate silver filigree work, a technique that became a hallmark of their metalworking tradition.

Geometric patterns were common in Moroccan Jewish communities, with many examples preserved in museums and private collections. In Jerusalem, stone cases were common due to the local availability of materials.

Materials through time

Mezuzah cases have been made from a wide range of materials.

The Jewish Museum in New York houses mezuzahs made from silver cases from 18th century Germany, brass examples from 19th century Eastern Europe, olive wood cases from Jerusalem from the 1900s, and hand-painted ceramic cases for pre-war Poland.

The Israel Museum houses several precious metal cases owned by prominent Jewish families.

Size Variations

Archaeological findings and museum collections demonstrate significant variation in case sizes.

The Israel Museum collection includes a 2nd-century clay case measuring 4 centimeters in length, medieval stone cases averaging 10-15 centimeters, and synagogue doorway cases measuring up to 30 centimeters.

The parchment scroll (klaf) inside mezuzah cases usually measures 10 cm square, although other sizes exist. Indeed, the size is not seen to be important, which may explain the variety of sizes throughout history.

One more important aspect is the immediate, or near-immediate, fixing of the mezuzah: one should put it up no later than 30 days after moving in.