About the Mezuzah
The Mezuzah is a special object placed on the doorpost of a Jewish home.
It is a biblical commandment to place a mezuzah on each doorway to remember God's commandments and to live accordingly.
Inside the mezuzah, written by a scribe on parchment, are two portions of the book of Deuteronomy. The first is Deut. 6:4-9.
This portion is known as the "watchword" of the Jewish faith, the "Shema". It says: "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one."
It is followed by instructions to speak these words in many situations each day.
The second portion on parchment is from Deuteronomy 11:13-21.
The intervening portions are various commandments culminating in the illuminating words of God's promise to the Jewish people.
He tells us that if we follow His ordinances, God will deliver the beneficent rains in their seasons, the former rains and the latter rains and prosperity in the land given to His people.
There are no rules, however, how the case that holds the parchment should look. Therefore, some mezuzahs are ceramic or glass, some mezuzahs are wood and some mezuzahs are silver according to your desire.
Some mezuzahs are modern, some mezuzahs classic. The variety of mezuzahs is unlimited.
One consistent feature of every mezuzah, however simple or ornate is the Hebrew letter "Shin". Shin is the abbreviation of God's most mystical name Shaddai.
Sometimes the complete word of Shin, Daled, Yod is spelled out and it stand for "Shomer D'latot Yisrael", the guardian of the gates of Israel.
It is proper to put a mezuzah on the right hand side of each doorway both outdoors and inside with exception of bathrooms.
It is traditional that a person will touch a mezuzah when entering or exiting a building. It reminds us of the "Shema" and the commandment "to love God with all your heart, with all your soul and all your might".
Your mezuzah does not need to be "kosher". That is to say, the symbolism of the mezuzah is fulfilled even if you place a printed scripture portion on paper inside the case.
You need not go to the expense of a scribe written parchment.
Should you want to make a ceremony of affixing the mezuzah to your doorpost, the blessings is as follows:
ברוך אתה ה' אלוהינו מלך העולם אשר קדשנו במצוותיו וציוונו על קביעת מזוזה.
Baruch Ata Adonai Eloheinu Melech Haolam asher kidshanu b'mizvotav v'zivanu al kviat mezuzah.
Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to affix a mezuzah.
Having a mezuzah on your door, touching it then touching your lips, will remind you to keep the word of God on your lips as you enter and leave your home.
About Olive Wood
Olivewood plays a prominent role in the Bible. The olive leaf the dove returned to Noah, Solomon’s Temple had doors made of olivewood, the Israelites fetched olivewood branches for the Feast of Tabernacles, and Jesus prayed under an olive tree in Garden of Gethsemane are just a few instances where the olive tree is mentioned.
About 400 years ago Franciscan monks began teaching residents of Bethlehem the art of carving the lovely olivewood. Over the centuries the art of olivewood carving has been perfected while being passed down to generation to generation. Today modern technology somewhat speeds the process of olivewood carving but each piece still has to be carved by hand by a skilled carver.
The olive tree is not cut down to produce these lovely olivewood carvings; the olivewood carvings are made from pruning the trees. These prunings are essential to the healthy growth of these special trees that live to be hundreds of years old.
The most special component of our olivewood products is that all of the olivewood and crafting of our products come from the land of the Bible. We trust you will find our olivewood products to be of the highest quality and we pray that each item will be a blessing to all who buy, give, and receive.
