A Mezuzah/Mezuza is a combination of piece of parchment and a designed decorative case in which the parchment is put
. The parchment or the Mezuzah scroll contains Hebrew verses from the Torah (Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and 11:13-21) The beginning of the prayer is the phrase: "Hear O Israel: God is our God; God is one These words are said in Jewish prayer every morning and evening and contain the primal statement of what it means to be a Jew. A mezuzah is affixed to the doorframe of Jewish homes to fulfill the Biblical commandment (Mitzva) that says the Mezuzah should be affixed on every doorway in the home apart from bathrooms or places too small to be a room. The commandment says: "And you shall inscribe them on the doorposts of you home, and on your gates" (ibid., verse 9).
Mezuzah is also a symbol of god's watchful care. The name of God, Sha-dai, which appears on the reverse side of the parchment, is an acronym for the Hebrew words which mean "Guardian of the doorways of Israel". The Jewish belief is that placing a Mezuzah protects the inhabitant of the house wherever they are inside or outside the house.
The scroll of the Mezuzah is made by a special qualified scribe who trained for that holy job for many years.
The tradition of placing a Mezuzah is as long as the existence of the Jewish nation and even in the long years of Diaspora, the Jewish people kept this tradition firmly. Affixing the Mezuzah has also several rules. The Mezuzah should be placed on each doorpost of the house in entrance to each room on the right side of the door and in the upper third of the doorpost. Jewish rule states that a Mezuzah should be placed within 30 days after moving into a rented house or apartment. Before affixing the Mezuzah there is a special blessing that is recite once just before putting up the Mezuzah. The Blessing in Hebrew is: Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech haolam asher kideshanu bemitzvotav vetzivanu likboa mezuzah. The Blessing in English: Blessed are you, God our God, King of the Universe, Who has made us holy with his mitzvahs and commanded us to affix a mezuzah. After that blessing the Mezuzah is permanently attached to the doorpost with the top pointing inwards.