In order for a Mezuzah to be Kosher, it has to be well affixed. Well affixed means that it is not easy to remove, and that it doesn't swing back and forth. We see this from the blessing that we recite when affixing a Mezuzah. It ends with the words, "who has commanded us to affix (Likvoa) the Mezuzah". The Hebrew word 'likvoa' means to affix something very well.
For example if you put your mezuzah up with a couple pieces of scotch tape it would not be Kosher. This is because anyone could walk by and pull it down with very little effort. That is not called being well affixed. If you put your Mezuzah up using only one nail on the top it is also not Kosher even though it may be difficult to remove. This is because it will be able to swing back and forth.
Based on this we can see that anything which affixes a Mezuzah well to the doorpost is Kosher. Nails or screws will obviously qualify. Glue or other strong adhesive also is fine. there are alos several brands of double sided mounting tape which are very strong and perfectly Kosher for affixing your Mezuzah. I personally recommend the mounting tapes made by 3-M. They make one type with a green and white backing which is great for indoors Mezuzahs. They have another type with a red backing which is weather proof and is excellent for indoor or outdoor use.
If you are going to be using mounting tape to affix your Mezuzah, just be sure to clean the area where you are going to put the Mezuzah. Let it dry thoroughly before sticking it on. Then when you put it up, press very firmly. It should stay in place for many years.
I have seen some people who used Velcro to put up their Mezuzah. They do this because one is supposed to take down the Mezuzah every few years to have it checked. They say that this makes it easier to take them down for checking and replace them when the time comes. The big problem with this is that Velcro is made for attaching things temporarily. That means that by definition, something which is attached with Velcro is not affixed. Based on this most Rabbis rule that you are not allowed to put your Mezuzah up with Velcro.
In short, anything which attaches a Mezuzah very well to the door in a permanent fashion is Kosher.
7 comments
Thanks for the info. I am an artist and make handmade mezzuzahs. Question, can the opening be at the bottom of the tube? Looking forward to the answer ASAP since the opening is very important when making them. Thanks
What’s the best way to hang a stone mezuzah on a cement doorpost outside? Is there a sort of cement epoxy to Use? Of course, getting it down to check it years later will be a problem
Thank you so very much. I live in a nursing home and cannot use nails. Based on the above, I can use Command adhesive strips because they won’t come down til taken down. The only difference between this and double-sided tape is that this won’t mark the paint if I get sent to a different room.
I have a specific quandary about hanging a mezuzah in a rental apartment. It is likely that we will be living here for just a year, though it could be longer. Normally, I would use small nails to hang up a mezuzah on our outer doorposts, but in this building the doorposts are metal and cannot be nailed into. If I use 3M permanent tape, as you suggest, it will likely leave a mark on the door paint which could result is our landlord charging us a large security deposit when we live. I don’t know what to do. Any suggestions? Our landlord is a large property management company that has generally been unwilling to give tenants much freedom in what we can do with our outdoor spaces.
How about for American Soldiers on Active Duty living in the barracks? The doors usually have sturdy metal frames. And unit regulations usually prohibit affixing anything on the outside of the room, and or mounting anything that might be permanent. For example when I lived in the barracks my walls were concrete block, and we were told we could put up things on the walls, but only with light tape or mounting putty.
Leave a comment