Ask the Rov: What direction does the mezuzah need to be?

By Rabbi Chaim Hillel Raskin – Rov of Anash in Petach Tikvah

In discussing the position of the mezuzah on the doorway, the Gemara says that if it is placed “like a bolt” (neger), it is possul. But which direction is a bolt?

Rashi says that a bolt is horizontal, and therefore one should place the mezuzah vertically.¹ Rabbeinu Tam, however, writes that a bolt is vertical, as we find elsewhere that burying a human body vertically is disrespectful and is called the “burial of donkeys.” Likewise, says Rabbeinu Tam, the Sefer Torah in the Aron Kodesh should be placed lying down, as it would be read.²

The Shulchan Aruch rules that a mezuzah should be affixed vertically. The Rama notes that since Tosfos disagrees, the meticulous place their mezuzos on an angle to be yotzei both opinions.³ This is not a “compromise,” but rather both agree it is good, since a diagonal mezuzah is not “like a bolt” according to both understandings.⁴ It is only necessary to put the mezuzah at a slight angle.

If the doorpost is narrow, and there’s no space to affix the mezuzah diagonally, it’s preferable to affix it vertically on the doorpost within the airspace of the doorway than on the wall outside the doorway. Affixing it vertically within the outermost tefach also trumps affixing it at a slant, further into the doorway’s space.⁵

The mezuzah is to be tilted towards the room, with its top facing the room, and its bottom facing outwards.⁶ If the doorpost doesn’t even have room for a vertical mezuzah—e.g., the door fills the entire thickness of the doorway—and one is affixing the mezuzah at the side of the doorway in front, its top should be tilted toward the doorway.⁷

Consistent with the above debate, Sefardim place the Torah vertically, in the Aron Kodesh and during kriah, while Ashkenazim place it at an incline, both in the Aron Kodesh and on the bimah.

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From The Weekly Farbrengen by Merkaz Anash