Mezuzah
A small case with a scroll, fixed to the doorpost of a Jewish home.
Also: mezuza
A mezuzah is a small case holding a handwritten parchment scroll with verses from the Torah, which Jews fix to the right-hand doorpost of their home and of each room, except the bathroom. It follows the commandment to write these words on the doorposts of the house. It is fixed at an angle, and a blessing is said at the time. Many people touch it and kiss their fingers when passing. The scroll is checked twice every seven years by a scribe, and the case itself can be of wood, metal or glass, simple or elaborate. It is a sign that the house is Jewish and protected.
Region: Middle East