(Parashat Vaetchanan contains the first paragraph of the Shema prayer, in which the mitzvos of both tefilin and mezuzah are found.)
Rabbi Hiya said, whoever wishes to observe his ways [and not be injured]
must not pass waste water before the door, because a certain demon lies there
between the two doorposts facing the door. It sees whatever is done in the
house. One must not spill water between the two doorposts. Rabbi Yitzhak said,
Clean water is not forbidden [to spill between the two doorposts], but it
must not be spilled with contempt [which would nourish the external forces].
What is the reason? It is because [that demon] has permission to cause
harm. Moreover, it turns its head towards the house and whatever it beholds
becomes cursed.
It has 365 servants, as the number of the days in the year, and it rules over
them. They all go out with a person when he goes out the door of his house.
Rabbi Elazar said, all this transpires because G-d wished to guard Israel
[from the external forces] and established His Holy Name above, which is the
Torah (written in the Mezuzah for our protection). The whole Torah is
one Holy Name, and whoever is occupied with the Torah is occupied with His Name.
Come and see, man should imprint the Holy Name [in the two paragraphs of the
Mezuzah, for the Torah is composed of Names of G-d], which is the universal
faith on the door of his house, for wherever the Holy Name abides there are no
types of evil, and they cannot bring charges against him, as written, "No
evil shall befall you." (Psalms 91:10)
The place where the door of the house lies is a reflection of the higher. The
place where the door of the supernal house rests is called "Mezuzah" [the
opening of the door of the World of Atzilut, is the gate for all supernal
crowns, the gate for all who connect to the Holy Name], which brings the
house and the door of the house to a state of completion [as well as to the
house of Atzilut].
Agents of the law [the external forces] flee that Mezuzah, and the
prosecutors cannot dwell before it. Correspondingly below, when a man affixes a
Mezuzah at the door of his house, and this Holy Name is imprinted
with its letters [and the Holy Name Sha-dai], that man is adorned
with his Master's crowns and the types of evil do not come near the door of his
house.
BeRahamim LeHayyim: Why did the Ari and Chida include this
section? What do they want us to learn?
A mindful life takes the mundane and finds sacred
connection. Like the simple door jam which links two different
environments both within and without. Inside we have the safe
private place of unity with those we are either related to or have hung out
together because of some common purpose or liking. Outside is the place of
diversity, unpredictable and chaotic. Between the two, we Jews are
commanded to write passages of Holy words to Safeguard the Doors of Israel/Shomer
Daletot Yisrael--whose initial letters of Shin Dalet Yud stand for
the Divine Name Sha-DaY, praised for its protective powers.
This mezuzah is placed on the left side of the door, the place of
restriction, sweetened by the parchment with the sacred writing.
As we make the transition from safe to precarious, we are to hesitate briefly
and make the moment special, and in fact holy, the source of the custom to
touch one's finger tip to the Mezuzah and to kiss it.
Live in the moment when you leave your homes, as well
as all day, until you return to the Mezuzah of your welcoming shelter.
What does the above mean to you, and why is it being
revealed to you now?
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