The Mezuzah Message
“It was not with our ancestors that God made this covenant but with us, the living, every one of you that are here today.” Deuteronomy 5:3
“And you shall inscribe them on the doorposts (mezuzot) of your house and on your gates.” Deuteronomy 6:9
Naomi Grossman, Our Home, 2024. Wire, mixed media, parchment scroll; 60” x 36” x 30”
Seventeen imaginative artists have created meaningful and remarkable contemporary designs for the mezuzah, an object of biblical origin that affirms our covenant with God.
The mezuzah (meaning doorpost) is a case bearing a klaf (hand-lettered parchment scroll) with words from Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and 11:13-21. It contains the Shema prayer, “Hear O Israel! Adonai is our God, Adonai is One,” and continues with instructions on how to love God, keep God’s commandments, and teach them to one’s children.
The mezuzah is affixed on the right side, at the top third, of a doorpost as one enters a Jewish home, a Jewishly-purposed edifice, and rooms within that have two doorposts and an overhead lintel.
These works serve as a powerful symbol of our commitment to our tradition and pride in our Jewish faith to the larger world.
Phyllis Freedman, Curator