Jewish Scene
Rabbi rules against kissing mezuzot
Neta Sela
Published: 05.08.07, 16:12
Comment Comment
Print comment Print comment
Back to article
58 Talkbacks for this article
1. Avoid kissing mezuzoth
charles ,   petach tikva   (08.05.07)
Are there known numbers of persons who were infected ?
2. Also avoid shaking hands and sidurim and shul.
Mike ,   chicago   (08.05.07)
Also remote controls. How about kissing people. All contact with people is dangerous. I suggest plastic gloves and mask. I guess generating press is helpful to reputation. Why limit oneself to the pulpit. Nice to see stupidity is egalitarian
3. Handling money is a lot more dangerous!!
Chaya Eitan ,   Bat Yam, Israel   (08.05.07)
4. Is this for real
Adi ,   Rannana   (08.05.07)
5. the kiss of death
hanina   (08.05.07)
is that what moshe said to Hashem in the end? I'm sorry, please excuse me, but I am afraid you might have a buggie.
6. 3...you kiss your money? By the way, cells phones are...
(08.05.07)
dirtier then a toilet seat. There was a news column about this study. It was found on Yahoo
7. Place a cloth over Mezuza to kiss it, like Michael Jackson..
Rivkah   (08.05.07)
did when he kissed the Blarney Stone in Ireland. Vodka could be sprayed on the Mezuza first to kill the pathogens and then a cloth place on it. Now I know why the Roman Catholics kiss a big cross on Easter or the spring lent masses. They imitate Jews kissing the Mezuza. There are a lot of things I am learning the origin of. I do not recommend Jews go to Roman Catholic masses even if they respect Yeshua because they worship three gods they call the father, the son, and the holy spirit. They do not pray in the name of Yeshua, even though they say they worship him. They pray in no one's name, except the titles I just mentioned.
8. What is this 'rabbi' smoking?
Miriam ,   Israel   (08.05.07)
9. Conservatism is dangerous to your spiritual health!
Avraham ,   Netivot   (08.05.07)
10. Disapointment
Robert Tilden   (08.05.07)
No I am not dissapointed that this rabbi ruled the way he did but the rational... You don't need to be a rabbi to come up with that! if you can brake the sabbath for health reasons then of course this follows. I would have hoped some rabbi had the guts to call this practice what it is: Idol worshiping. Emphasising external signs of devoutness, especially if they are to be performed routinly like when ever entering through a doorway is idolotry. A good comparison is the catholic practicing of making the sign of the cross. Lets be honest about this, did you stop and think about what you were kissing the last time you kissed the mezuzah? If the action is an empty shell it should be dropped. The actual parchment, if not read is no different than an idol. I am sure some of you who read this will think I am off my rocker, but if you want me to take YOU seriusly, please explain why a parchement in a decorative box has any more segnificance than a crusaix. My answer: the words written on the parchment, not the parchment in itself. The act of kissing a mezuzah has nothing to do with what is inside of it, the meanings of the words. There are many signs of idolotry in Judaism and I am sure if Elijah was around today he would point them out to you, this one is just a very blunt one.
11. Rivka its the other way around. Jews kiss Mezuza in
imitation of Xians ,   & other pagans   (08.05.07)
12. Mezzuza kissing is pagan worship
(08.05.07)
13. What about kissing people who kiss mezuzoth?
Andy ,   ramat hasharon   (08.05.07)
14. Mezzuzot
Avi ,   ny   (08.06.07)
What person that already kisses mezuzot is going to take that "rabbi "seriously.
15. I always thought it would be more prudent to kiss
jack bauer ,   usa   (08.06.07)
your hand or fingers, and then touch the mezuzah afterwards. But hey Im just an ignorant goyim Then afterwards wash the hands
16. GUESS YNET DIDNT LIKE MY IN YOUR FACE COMMENT...WASNT POSTED
OH WELL ,   ..............DACON9   (08.06.07)
17. avoid conservative homos
homo freeks   (08.06.07)
18. To #7
M. Hartley ,   Atlanta, US   (08.06.07)
Please, go back to Ezekiel. Your trying to explain what Catholics do and don't believe is like me trying to explain Einstein's theory of relativity: Other than wearing the cleanest pair of dirty socks, it simply "ain't gonna" happen. And why, for crying out loud, would a Jewish person even go to mass? But maybe reading some chapters in the bible, too, could make you wonder: Who's us????
19. Who cares
Mordechai   (08.06.07)
Most conservative Jews don't even have one mezuza. Here in the US they put up a mezuza cover but don't put the parchment inside because it is too expensive (and that on only one door) There is no such thing as a conservative Rabbi today.
20. #10 - I'll Be Civil, Refrain from Yee-shu-keinie!
A Yid ,   USA   (08.06.07)
The western mind is attuned to the kiss in greeting, sports (trophies such as Wimbeldon, Stanley Cup, etc.); thus a kiss can be targeted at an object as well as at an individual. Orthodox Jews from time immemorial have been kissing sacred objects. Upon finishing learning in a sefer, upon closing the book the act is culminated with a kiss. When reaching Eretz Israel, the ground is kissed. When the Torah is removed from the ark it is kissed. Hakofos, the Kotel, etc. - you get the idea. This rabbi - who I don't know - apparently ignores our spiritual attachment to this item and certainly doesn't see it as a protection either - no member of the NRA will discuss the danger of guns. So we kiss the mezzuzah also in gratitude for its watching.over us...
21. #2
mark ,   ca   (08.06.07)
Now Israelis will have something new. "kiss my a** " will be replaced by " kiss my Mezuzah" :-))))
22. HEY RABS............................................
AVROHOM BILGREI   (08.05.07)
HOW B'OUT DICTATING YOUR CONGREGANTS C L E A N THEIR MEZUZAS ? OR KISSING THE INSIDE OF THEIR HAND ONCE THEY TOUCHED IT WITH THE OUTSIDE OF THEIR HANDS ?HOWEVER,THERE'S A GOOD POINT HERE,ALL THOSE COMPULSIVE NEUROTIC PESACH CLEANERS OF ANY STRIPE,MIGHT BE WELL SERVED TO CLEAN OFF THAT GREY BUILDUP ON THEIR MEZUZAS ATLEAST WHEN THEY CLEAN UP FOR PESACH !
23. good article
(08.06.07)
24. Why doesn't the "Rabbi" go for smicha and become a Rabbi?
Meir Goldberg ,   Jerusalem   (08.06.07)
whats the problem.
25. Rabbi Mezuza
mauricio ,   Mexico city   (08.06.07)
Is this Rabbi also gay like Rabbi Wine???
26. #18; M. Hartley: US is the Almighty God, the Father and
(08.06.07)
His son, Yeshua Harmessiah who was Jewish, who lived before he was born because he was procreated from his Father's breast DNA or tissue according to Job in the bible. There is one God who had a son who created the earth in ages past after being instructed by his Father. The son has the Father's DNA. The son of an elephant is an elephant, although a separate elephant. Jews are saved by a covenant with Abraham with God the Father and they look for their Messiah who is the son of God to come from the sky and touch down on the Mount of Olives. Gentiles are saved by knowing the name of the son and believing he died to graft them onto the tree of salvation that has Jewish roots and a covenant with Jews as its foundation. Zechariah says that when the Messiah comes down from the sky the Jews will at that time look at his hands and feet and understand who he is and was. They do not have to have that knowledge before that to go to heaven, unlike Gentiles. Hashem blinded the eyes of the Jews, so they are not responsible to know the name of the creator as Gentiles are. Why did I go to a Roman Catholic church and Adventist churches and Baptist churches and Jewish temples? I did not join them, but went there for the same reason a chicken crosses a road: to see the other side.
27. Idolatry
MIKE ,   CHICAGO   (08.06.07)
Just too strange. Regarding idolatry. Very few people consider a mezuzah a god. Bowing down just never happens to mezuzah. Kissing here is an act of respect not worship. The idea that any symbolic routine act is idolatrous is flawed. Probably begins with the assumption of people being rational-good vs. emotional-bad and then bad = idolatrous. This position lacks appreciation of humanity
28. #10 - Empty shells
Shalom   (08.06.07)
Empty shells are what many Jews today have sadly become. I have noticed here in Israel that while the Ashkenazic Jews often touch the mezuzza when entering a room, it is mainly the Sephardic Jews who kiss it. I have seen many a young person, who looks totally secular on the outside, stop to kiss a mezzuza when entering a public building. This act - far from being idol worship - is a simple reminder on the person's behalf of his essence - that of a Jew. No real Rabbi would have given such a ridiculous "psak"
29. Mezuzah
david koslovsky ,   montreal/canada   (08.06.07)
how could u catch an infection from doing a mitzva? only non-rthodox try to rationalise the spiritual.... whats next rabbi roth?
30. #26
VoiceOfReason ,   Here&Now   (08.06.07)
I have asked you many times to stop quoting me without my permission. You are beginning to babble much too much. I was thinking of coming back in my next revalation but realized the world has gone off the deep end, you being an excellent example. Now go take your pills and calm down. The Heavenly Father's Only Son.
Next talkbacks
Back to article