A GLASS MEZUZAH

QUESTION:

An artisan made a mezuzah case of spun glass. In this case the written mezuzah was inserted and rolled in such a way that the writing of the text is visible. Is this type of mezuzah in accordance with the law and the tradition? (Asked by Vigdor W. Kavaler, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.)

ANSWER:

THERE IS NO law that would forbid a mezuzah case made of glass. As a matter of fact, the Shulchan Aruch indicates that the case may be of any material. In Yore Deah 289:1 it is stated that the written text be placed in a case of reeds or any material.

Nor is there any basic objection if part of the writing in the mezuzah is visible through the glass. As a matter of fact, it is a long-established custom to have one or two inscriptions on the back of the text, and these inscriptions should be visible. There is, first of all, the custom that the word Shaddai, “The Almighty,” should be visible (see Yore Deah 288:14). And also there is a coded phrase which is also meant to be visible. The phrase is Kuzu b’muchtsas kuzu. These words have no meaning in themselves but are a coded form of the words in the mezuzah, Adonoi Elohenu Adonoi. The key to the code is a simple one. The words are made up by using the next letter of the alphabet. Instead of the Yod of Adonoi, the next letter in the alphabet, Kaf, is used; instead of the next letter, Hey, of Adonoi, the next letter of the alphabet, Vav, is used; and so on to produce the coded formula. This coded phrase, together with Shaddai, is meant to be seen. So there can be no general objection to words being visible through the glass.

But in the case of this specific mezuzah there is a strong objection. The mezuzah text in this glass case is rolled in a way that the text of the Biblical passage used in the mezuzah is on the outside. This is absolutely wrong. The two phrases mentioned above that are to be seen are on the back, the blank side, of the text. The text itself must be rolled so as to be inward and not visible. It must be rolled up beginning at the back of the lines and rolled toward the front so that only the blank back, except for the two phrases mentioned, is visible. To roll it as in this mezuzah with the text outside is absolutely wrong (see Yore Deah 288:14).

I must reexamine the glass mezuzah to see whether or not the glass is fused in such a way as to seal the mezuzah inside the case so that it is immovable. If that is the fact, then this mezuzah is wrong on this second count also; because it is a rule that Sefer Torahs and tefillin and mezuzahs must be regularly inspected. A mezuzah must be inspected at least once in seven years ( Yore Deah 291:1). If a mezuzah is not removable from the case, it cannot be inspected, and therefore the law is violated in this regard.

To sum up, then, there is no objection to the mezuzah case being of glass. If the mezuzah is rolled properly— namely, with the writing of the text inside, and not visible from the outside—and if the case is so constructed that the text can be removed for periodical inspection, then this mezuzah is quite proper for use.