mis@spuxll.UUCP (Meyer Steinberg) (11/29/84)
Does anyone know the reason why one is not supposed to remove the Mezuzot from the doors, if they move from a house or an apartment that Jews are going to move into? Meyer Steinberg
schechte@csd2.UUCP (12/02/84)
The origin of this minhag comes from Baba Meziah 102a. The Gemara tells
us that one should not remove his Mezuzah when he leaves his house. A story
is told over there of a man who took his Mezuzah and he had a terrible
tragedy occur to him.The Bais Yosef in 291 (on the Tur) says that the
reason for this is that a Mezuzah is kKnown to protect from "Mazikim"
and when he removes his Mezuzah he is inviting them in. This is very
selfish behavior. However the owner of the Mezuzah may collect their
value from the new resident.
Asher Schechterteitz@aecom.UUCP (12/03/84)
> Does anyone know the reason why one is not supposed to remove the > Mezuzot from the doors, if they move from a house or an apartment > that Jews are going to move into? > > Meyer Steinberg The question could be asked, why we are permitted to remove a mezuza when we leave a house. What permits us to take the mezuza down once it is up. The answer is simple. If the person moving in will abuse the mezuza and not treat it with respect then it should be taken down. Otherwise it should be left up. If a non-Jew is moving in, I imagine we assume that he will not treat the mezuza properly, so we remove it. If, however, a jew moves it, why should he not respect it, and therefore we must keep it afixed to the doorpost. Eliyahu Teitz. P.S. This is by no means a definitive answer, it's only my ideas( a s'vara ).
schechte@csd2.UUCP (12/06/84)
Mezuza is not a chovas habais but rather chovas hador. Therefore it would follow that a person remove his Mezuza when he leaves. A mezuza is personal property and should be removeable with it's owner's move.It is for this reason (I think) that the bais yosef (in Yora Daeh 291) gives my aforementioned reason. chovas habais -- A requirement of the house chovas hador -- A requirement of the occupant
mis@spuxll.UUCP (Meyer Steinberg) (12/06/84)
Eliyahu, this story may be a possible reason to take down mezuzos when in doubt who is going to move in. A few years ago when we moved out of a South Jersey apartment, my father left all the mezuzos up. After finding out that a Jew moved into the apartment, he went over to see him, to possibly work out a deal for him paying for them. When he came to the apartment, there were no mezuzos anymore, and the man said he never saw them. When we asked to management thinking perhaps the painters took then off, they said they dont know anything about it. When in doubt it might be a good idea to take mezuzos down, to prevent them from being desecrated.
dave@utcsrgv.UUCP (Dave Sherman) (12/07/84)
Does anyone know whether the value of the mezuzahs is ever
worked in as a "closing adjustment" on a house purchase, if
they are being left? Just curious.
When we bought a new house two years ago, we didn't think to budget
for mezuzahs. It came as a bit of a shock to find we needed 12
more (in addition to the 6 in our old place). Ouch.
Dave Sherman
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