A mezuzah is the easiest way to determine a Jewish home as it adorns the front doorpost of almost every Jewish home and is said to be like a Jewish security system, or conversely, welcome mat. Inside every mezuzah should be a mezuzah scroll that features lines from Deuteronomy that make up the Shema Yisrael prayer; the mezuzah is said to prevent bad tidings from entering the home.
The mezuzah is not only placed on the front door but also on the entrance to every living space in the home such as bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms, playrooms and so on but not to bathrooms, closets or storage spaces. With that, if mezuzahs are going to be placed in almost every doorway, they might as well match the décor. Israeli artists have created hundreds of different mezuzahs perfect for every room that deserves one.
Front Door
The mezuzah at your front door is like your Jewish welcome mat- everyone is going to pass by and see it. Just like one would choose a welcome mat that fits their personality, one should do the same with a mezuzah as a “sneak peek” into one’s home. Mezuzahs can also give the feel of the place you want to be so for example, a Jerusalem Stone or Armenian Ceramic mezuzah will transport you into the Old City of Jerusalem. For the front door, a mixed look is also beautiful- pair a wooden door with a metal mezuzah or a colored door with something with contrasting colors. There are hundreds of options but keep in mind the weather reaching your front door so that you choose a mezuzah that will hold up over time.
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Master Bedroom
The master bedroom is a sacred room as it is an escape from the busy household. You and your partner decorate this room to be filled with love and all the important things that you want to be kept safe (and away from little hands). This mezuzah should reflect your décor by following with the color scheme or pattern. This mezuzah should speak out to you and your partner and be a reminder that once you pass through this door, peace and sanctuary is on the other side.
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Kid’s Room
A mezuzah for the kid’s room can stand out but most importantly, should be something the kids enjoy so that they are excited to partake in this commandment. Kids will love the fun and cute designs available in bright colors with cats, dogs, trains and rainbows to have in their room. This mezuzah will become a part of their Jewish learning and one of the first parts of Judaism they can really participate in.
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Kitchen
The kitchen is the busiest room in the house and a subtly artistic mezuzah can make all the difference. To give off a clean impression, the mezuzah you choose for your kitchen should be minimal to blend in but with design to add to the room. One of the popular choices for kitchen mezuzahs features the Seven Species native to Israel; wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranate, date and olive. The minimalistic outline of any of these makes for a gorgeous mezuzah.
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Dining Room
Another busy room is the dining room, a place to impress guests and family so why not have them enter into a room with grace. A mezuzah does not need to be a classic slim case but can also be a magnificent piece of art. Marc Chagall, one of the most beloved Jewish artists in the world, has an incredible set of mezuzahs depicting his stained-glass windows of the 12 Tribes at Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem and his masterpieces from the Knesset building. These mezuzahs are classy and timeless, just like your dining room.
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Living Room
The more relaxed living room is probably filled with delightful family pictures and pieces of art so rather than take away from all of this, choose a mezuzah that will blend in seamlessly with the design. Not to say to choose a boring mezuzah, there are so many mezuzahs with gorgeous design and secrets. From afar, some might look plain, but from up close you can see intricate detail of the words of Shema Yisrael, intricate silverwork or even a hidden Hebrew letter “Shin” which often adorns the mezuzah.
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Guest Bedroom/Office Space
The guest bedroom or office space might not be used as frequently as any other room which is why giving it a colorful mezuzah will make it exciting when put in use. Your guests will be greeted with a burst of color and it will be easy to identify which room is theirs. If the room is being used as an office, a mezuzah filled with color will make the work day start off on a positive note because you can’t help but smile when seeing a rainbow of colors. An extraordinary option, colorful mezuzahs will always bring a little light into your life or those of your guests.
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From incredibly decorative to straight to the point, mezuzahs can be found in nearly every style imaginable. Although it is another thing to plan out for your home, a mezuzah is a very important piece of Judaica that will complete a room. The mezuzah is a symbol of the connection between the Jewish people and G-d and the scroll inside is what makes it so holy. The scroll featuring the prayer of Shema Yisrael should be checked twice every seven years to make sure the letters have not faded or smudged, which can result in a non-kosher mezuzah. Judaica tends to embellish a Jewish home but at least mezuzahs are one that can perfectly match the décor.
