Halacha Corner - Kissing the Mezuzah

The Rema writes: "When a person leaves his home, he should place his hand on the mezuzah and say: 'Hashem will guard my going out and my coming in from now and forever.' And similarly, when a person enters his home, he should place his hand on the mezuzah." This indicates that this is meant to be a regular practice. However, it is written to be particular in doing so especially when setting out on a journey, since at such times a person is especially in need of protection.

If the mezuzah is not covered, one should not place one's hand directly upon it, and specifically not touch the name Sha-dai written upon it (this is also the case when the Name is written in 'golden' letters on the mezuzah case), so that the name should not, Heaven forbid, be erased. According to the writ-ings of the Arizal, one should place the finger called the amah upon the name Sha-dai and then kiss the hand that touched the mezuzah (out of great affec-tion. Although the holiness is actually in the mezuzah itself, it is as though a trace of that holiness remains on the hand that touched it, and therefore we kiss the hand. This practice is also followed, when necessary, with tefillin and a Torah scroll.) It is further stated there that the mezuzah does not mere-ly protect a person from sin; it even serves as a kind of "city of refuge" from harmful forces for one who has sinned.

Adapted from Rav Yosef Ginzberg, Sichat HaShevuah