Ashkenazi (אַשְׁכְּנַזִּי, of Ashkenaz) and Sephardi (סְפָרַדִּי, of Sepharad) name the two largest families of Jewish custom: Ashkenazim trace their roots to the Jews of medieval Germany and later Central and Eastern Europe, and Sephardim to the Jews of Spain and Portugal. Both share the same Torah and the same core Jewish law, and the difference that matters when buying a mezuzah (מְזוּזָה, doorpost scroll) or tefillin (תְּפִלִּין, leather boxes with handwritten Torah passages, worn at weekday morning prayer) is minhag (מִנְהָג, family custom): the Ktav (כְּתָב, script) of the scroll, the way a mezuzah hangs, and small details in how tefillin are made and worn.
You meet these words most often on product pages, where scrolls and tefillin are labeled by community. Our Ashkenazi mezuzah scrolls help buyers choose lettering that follows their family's tradition. The Sephardic mezuzahs collection is sorted the same way, with Chabad listed as its own option. Choose kosher mezuzah scrolls by your family's script and a size within your case's listed Scroll Fit.
What Do Ashkenazi and Sephardi Mean?
Ashkenaz is a name from the Bible (Genesis 10:3) that medieval Jews used for the German lands. The plural is Ashkenazim, and the adjective is often written Ashkenazic. Sepharad appears in the book of Obadiah (1:20) and became the Hebrew name for Spain. The plural is Sephardim, and you will see Sephardic, Sefardi and Sefaradi as well.
After the expulsion from Spain in 1492, Sephardim settled in North Africa, the Ottoman lands, the Netherlands and beyond. Today "Sephardi" is often used loosely for Jews of the Middle East and North Africa, who are also called Mizrahi (מִזְרָחִי, Eastern) Jews and largely follow similar customs. Historically, Ashkenazim spoke Yiddish and Sephardim spoke Ladino. In Jewish law, Sephardim generally follow the Shulchan Aruch (שֻׁלְחָן עָרוּךְ, the Code of Jewish Law) of Rabbi Yosef Karo, and Ashkenazim follow it together with the glosses of Rabbi Moshe Isserles, known as the Rema.
Chabad is a Chassidic movement of Ashkenazi origin with its own customs. Many Chassidim pray in a rite called Nusach Sefard (נוּסַח סְפָרַד, the Sefard prayer rite), which borrows from Sephardi prayer but does not make a family Sephardi.
Ashkenazi and Sephardi Customs for the Mezuzah
The words inside every kosher mezuzah are identical. What differs is the shape of certain letters. Ashkenazi scrolls are usually written in Ksav Beis Yosef (בֵּית יוֹסֵף, House of Joseph), named for a work by Rabbi Yosef Karo. Many Chassidim use Ksav Ari, based on the teachings of Rabbi Yitzchak Luria, and Chabad uses Ksav Alter Rebbe, following the founder of Chabad, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi.
Sephardi scrolls are written in Ktav Velish (also spelled Vellish). A properly written scroll is a genuine kosher scroll in its own script, and the right script for your home follows your family's custom, so ask your rabbi if you are unsure. Our article why there are different kinds of mezuzah scrolls makes the same point about custom and about price.
The angle is the second difference. Ashkenazim hang the mezuzah on a slant, with the top leaning into the room, as a compromise between Rashi, who held it should stand upright, and his grandson Rabbeinu Tam, who held it should lie flat. Sephardim hang it straight up and down. The placement is discussed in Yoreh Deah 289 on Sefaria. Our article on why the mezuzah is slanted explains the debate in full. The case itself carries no community label: the custom lives in the scroll and in the way it hangs.
The Main Customs at a Glance
| Custom | Ktav of the Scroll | Who Follows It |
|---|---|---|
| Ashkenazi | Ksav Beis Yosef | Jews with roots in Central and Eastern Europe |
| Chasidic | Ktav Ari | Some Chasidic families of Ashkenazi origin |
| Sephardi | Ktav Velish | Jews with roots in Spain, Portugal, North Africa and the Middle East |
| Chabad | Ktav Alter Rebbe | Chabad Chasidim |
If your family follows a different practice, ask your rabbi which script to choose.
Ashkenazi and Sephardi Scrolls Available to Order
Each scroll below is handwritten in Israel by Certified Sofrei STaM (סוֹפְרֵי סְתָ״ם, scribes of sacred texts), checked letter by letter by our in-house Certified Sofer, and listed in our store:
- Ashkenazi, Ksav Beis Yosef: Mehudar (Superior) Ashkenazi Mezuzah Scroll | 6-Inch (15 cm) ($164.95).
- Chassidic, Ksav Ari: Extra Small Ari-Zal Mezuzah Scroll | 2.5-Inch (6 cm) ($99.95), made for small cases.
- Sephardi, Ktav Velish: Mehudar (Superior) Sephardic Mezuzah Scroll | 5-Inch (12 cm) ($109.95).
- Chabad, Ktav Alter Rebbe: Alter Rebbe (Superior) Chabad Mezuzah Scroll | 6-Inch (15 cm) ($279.95).
Every case has its own maximum scroll size, shown as Scroll Fit on that case's product page, and every size from 2.5-inch up to that maximum fits. For the scroll, the case and the mitzvah together, read Mezuzah Basics.
Ashkenazi and Sephardi Tefillin
Tefillin follow the same script pattern: Ksav Beis Yosef for Ashkenazim, Ktav Velish for Sephardim and Ktav Alter Rebbe for Chabad. The knot of the arm tefillin and the direction the strap is wound around the arm also differ by community. Ashkenazim generally stand to put on the arm tefillin, while Sephardim sit for it. Some men, including Chabad Chasidim and many Sephardim, also wear a second pair, called Rabbeinu Tam tefillin, and the practice varies by community and by rabbinic guidance. Our comparison of Ashkenazi, Sephardi and Chabad tefillin covers what to check before buying.
How to Choose Between Ashkenazi and Sephardi Custom
Practice varies within each community, and families with mixed roots, converts and those returning to observance often have real questions about which custom to follow. When you are unsure, ask your rabbi before ordering a scroll or tefillin, and if you are buying a gift, ask the recipient which tradition they keep. Our mezuzah gift guide shows how to pair the scroll with a case when the mezuzah is a gift.
For a closer look at how each script shapes its letters, read our guide to mezuzah lettering styles. The words inside are the same in every Ktav, and Shema Yisrael explains what they say.
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