[To better understand this passage, one needs to know that the Mezuzah parchment is rolled with the written torah portions inside and the Holy name Shin-Dalet-Yud written on the outside. The first two letters of this name is the same as that of a damaging spirit, which are rectified by the final letter Yud that is Holy and changes the character of the first two letters from negative and impure to positive and Holy.]
Rabbi Aba continued, it is written, "G‑d shall guard your going out and
your coming in from this time forth, and for evermore". (Ps. 121:8) "preserve
your going out" is correct [because you need protection when
you leave, since all roads are considered dangerous] but what is meant by, "[guard] your
coming in"? For whoever enters his house is not afraid.
But only the one who places the holy mark on his house [by affixing a mezuzah on his gate and doors] with the words of the
Supernal Name [since the Mezuzah contains writings from the Torah, that is all one Holy Name] is guarded from all [damage and fear].
When that man goes out of his dwelling place, the [damaging spirit/sheyd] that dwells at the gate of the house lifts up
his eyes, sees the holy mark [of the Name Sha-dai that also contains the word sheyd within it] stamped on the gate. When that man leaves, it [that spirit]escorts and guards him. When that man enters back home, it
pronounces before him, Take care of the honor of the King's image image [the image of Elokim in which man is made. It announces this because it has turned from being a cause of damage to being a friend.] All this
because of that mark of the Holy Name [Sha-dai] that is marked on
his door.
Not only is a man guarded [by these spirits] while in his house, but also the Holy One,
blessed be He, guards him when he comes and goes out [meaning He protects him at all times from all mishaps, illnesses, and bad events] as
written, "G‑d shall preserve your going out and your coming in for
eternity." Fortunate are Israel in this world and in the World to Come.
Come and see, woe to the man who does not know how to beware of the evil spirit
that lies between his doorposts, and does not mark the entrances to his house with the
holy Supernal Name [Sha-dai in the Mezuzah] to be with him. For
that evil spirit has 365 evil accusers [corresponding to the 365 days of the
year] as each serves on its day. They are all present with him throughout
the days of the year and denounce him above and below. They are all with him day
and night. They accuse him by day and by night distress him in his dreams.
When a person goes out of his house, they are ready to denounce him; when he enters [his house], they
put their hands on his shoulders and say to him, Woe to so and so who left his
Master's domain. Woe to so and so in this world and in the World to Come. For
this reason, the faithful should be marked in every way, marked with their
Master's imprint [with the tzitzit on their garments, the Tefilin
on their heads, and the mezuzah on the doorpost] so every aspect of the evil
forces shall fear them and so they will be guarded in this world and in the
World to Come. Fortunate is the lot of Israel. It is written of them, "Your
people also shall be all righteous. They shall inherit the land for ever"
(Isaiah 60:21)
BeRahamim LeHayyim: Why did the Ari and Chida include this section?
What do they want us to learn?
This relatively simple article of religious faith has tremendous potential.
The outsider/external forces have permission to rule over areas beyond your
private home. Who is guarding the door? None other but the
Shechinah, the Divine Presence. Talk about a heavy hitter, the Bouncer
of all bouncers, that force which took us out of Egypt with an outstretched arm
in lightening fashion, so fast that the dough did not have time to rise.
When we write these holy words on the doorposts of our gates and our houses,
we bring Her Divine Presence to dwell there. Always watching your back
for the bad dudes mentioned in the above Zohar.
No, this is not to scare you. Rather it is to open your consciousness to the
power of making a mundane area sacred. On pretty much every door, save a
bathroom or a closet, we need this sacred marking. To not have one means
that She--Shechinah--hasn't been invited in. And Her awesome
protective powers accordingly are absent. May your comings and goings
always be blessed, for with a Mezuzah, "G‑d shall command his angels to
protect you in all your ways" (Ps. 91)
What does the above mean to you, and why is it being revealed to you now?
Bracketed annotations from Metok Midevash and Sulam commentaries
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