B”H
Why check your Mezuzahs?
Mezuzahs need to be checked by a sofer (certified scribe) twice every seven years according to Torah law. This is to see if they have been affected by adverse weather conditions, cleaning solutions, paint, or by folding and placing too tightly in the case (which can cause cracks in the letters), or if any other defect has occurred from bugs eating the parchment, or if the mezuzahs fell out or were stolen. Mezuzahs which are on the outside of a building more often are affected by sun and rain.
There is an ancient custom practiced by people diligent in mitzvot to have their mezuzahs checked once a year, during the Jewish month of Elul, the month prior to the High Holidays. The Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, created a Mezuzah campaign and directs us to have mezuzahs checked once every year! The Rebbe often helped people suffering from life threatening health problems by instructing them to have their Mezuzahs checked. More stories are now available on video with the wonderous instructions to check the Mezuzas as the Rebbe insists that there is a need to check the mezuzah when there is a health problem.
In the written Torah, we are guided to place mezuzas to “have a long life for you and your children.” (Shema Prayer)
The infiltration of fraudulent mezuzahs in the marketplace present further cause for checking to determine the authenticity of the mezuzah.
In addition, the correct placement of the Mezuzahs on the door must be determined by a Sofer who is knowledgeable of the many laws of placing mezuzahs. An expert Sofer determines which door, which side of the door, which height, depth and angle to place the Mezuzah.
Mezuzahs can now be additionally scanned by a computer for textual errors in addition to the visual check required by Torah law. For this reason, in addition to having the mezuzah checked by a scribe, ask the scribe to check it also via scanning the mezuzah into the computer.
Utilization of computer techniques has brought serious fraud to light of the fraudulent mezuzahs in mass production. Investigation revealed that the source was merely reproducing mezuzahs on parchment using a raised-ink printing process. Fraudulent Mezuzah factories discovered in Israel were shut down and people were arrested.
Sofrim have called attention to the fact that previously checked mezuzahs with missing words or letters had been resubmitted with those errors corrected. Such a mezuzah is invalid, as it was written "out of order." (Torah law requires that a mezuzah and Tefillin be handwritten with all letters and words in the proper order, when a letter is missing during the writing it cannot be added later.)
It has come to light in recent years, that mezuzahs and Tefillin which were put into shaimos for being Posul, (not kosher and not repairable according to Torah law) were retrieved by unscrupulous individuals, renovated and recirculated in the marketplace. (May G-d help us!!!)
It is the responsibility of Sofrim to help prevent abuse of posul invalid STAM. (Sefer Torahs, Tefillin and Mezuzos)
Mezuzahs can be sent to STAM Center L.A. in the mail, brought to STAM Center Los Angeles or checked by a Sofer in your home.
To have your Mezuzahs and Tefillin properly checked, contact STAM Center L.A.
under the auspices of Sofer Avrohom Dovid Wolffe.
www.koshersofer.com
soferhelp@gmail.com
213-706-9118
What’s app +972544289367 (PST)
