Chief Rabbi: Afraid of coronavirus? Don't kiss the mezuzah
The mezuzah is a hand-written scroll with a few verses from the scriptures placed in a container and attached to the doorpost of a Jewish residence.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFMezuzah affixed to a door frame on South Street in Philadelphia.(photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)
Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel David Lauissued issued a ruling on Wednesday that people should stop kissing the mezuzah when they enter or depart Jewish homes.A mezuzah is a scroll that contains paragraphs from Hebrew scripture, including the Shema, which declares the oneness of God. It is enclosed in a small case and attached to many of a dwelling’s doorposts.“In these days, where sadly we see the spread of a terrible disease, there is doubt that one should not kiss mezuzot or even touch them,” Lau wrote. “It is enough for a person to reflect on the verses written in the scroll when he enters or departs from a place, and these thoughts will accompany him on his way.”Under Jewish law, there is a distinction between a custom and a binding law that all must follow. Kissing the mezuzah is a Jewish custom.
