As is so often the case, many people take this to mean that blessing will come by simply hanging the scroll in its case on the door, like the protection promised by a charm or amulet. But the scripture is pretty clear that the words are not meant to impart protection to a passive believer. The intent of the words is to engage the believer in active cooperation, and the command is actually to keep the words constantly in mind and heart. Hanging the Mezuzah is the means to that end, not at all an end in itself.

The Mezuzah, oddly enough, resembles Steingraber’s quote in a number of ways. Basically a scroll containing the two chapters of the Torah, the main sentence, and the main essence is: Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is one God. Fleshed out and implicit in the rest of the scroll is the idea that God is unique, and takes care of us, and should thus be honored, loved and obeyed.

I think much of the Heavy Living we do on the earth relates to our inability to hold in our minds at all times these concepts. In Jewish tradition, you touch the little box holding the Mezuzah every time you go through your door. If we paused each time we left our house to contemplate the God, and the earth, that made and shelters us; and further thought how we might best live in honor of that Creation, we’d likely walk much more in harmony with both. And with each other.