By a shlucha in the Midwest

Over two years ago, my husband and I got married and began building a life of Shlichus together. We were young, hopeful, and excited for the future. As time passed, we faced a painful and ongoing struggle: we were experiencing recurring, unexplained pregnancy loss.

We listened closely to the doctors, followed every piece of advice we were given, and worked on both the Gashmius and Ruchnius aspects of our lives. We strengthened our Bitachon, sought the advice of specialists, and wrote letters to the Rebbe, asking for guidance and Brachos.

The Rebbe spoke many times about the power that Mezuzahs possess, and even though our Mezuzahs were less than a year old, we said to ourselves, “What could we lose by checking them?” So we brought them to the local Sofer in the city where we’re on Shlichus. He checked them and told us there were no mistakes. The Ksav was beautiful, and everything appeared 100% kosher.

We were relieved and grateful, but the challenges didn’t stop.

When we originally got our Mezuzahs, there was already something starting to circulate about a Ukrainian Sofer. He has beautiful ksav but, lo aleinu, is not shomer Torah u’mitzvos. Before purchasing, my husband contacted the seller in Eretz Yisroel to confirm that the Mezuzahs were not from him. The moisad reassured us that they weren’t, and we went ahead with the purchase.

Months later, after going to the Ohel, my husband had a sudden urge and said to himself: “Let me just make sure and double-check that these Mezuzahs aren’t from the Ukrainian Sofer.”

While in Crown Heights, just a few hours before his flight home, he showed a picture of one of our Mezuzahs to a local Sofer. The response was, “That’s almost definitely the Ukrainian guy’s handwriting.”

Still unsure, he showed it to Rabbi Yitzchok Raskin from Machon Stam, and his reaction was even clearer and more confident: “That’s 100% his. No doubt.”

He immediately called me. Without delay, every Mezuzah in our home was taken down.

My husband quickly bought a full set of new, kosher Mezuzahs and managed to make it just on time to the airport. That same night, the new Mezuzahs were already up in our home.

Baruch Hashem, later that year, we were blessed with a healthy baby boy.

Too many people may unknowingly be in the same situation, struggling in one way or another and not knowing why. We never imagined we would be the ones with these Mezuzahs, and if it happened to us, it can happen to anyone.

Our Mezuzahs were purchased from a well-known Chabad-connected seller in Israel. He had no idea he was selling Mezuzahs from the Ukrainian Sofer. Our first local Sofer had no reason to suspect anything either. The writing was stunning and looked perfectly kosher, but it wasn’t.

So we are urging you: please check your Mezuzahs. Not just if they’re kosher, but who wrote them. Ask a trusted Sofer, especially one familiar with this issue. Don’t assume that just because it came from someone frum or Chabad-connected, it’s automatically reliable. Do your own checking.

These Mezuzahs have been found in multiple places, not just where we purchased ours. Please spread the word and make sure your Mezuzahs are properly checked.

The Rebbe emphasized many times that Mezuzahs are literally a matter of life and death. This is real. This is happening. And it can be avoided.

We share this story anonymously, out of a desire to keep our personal lives private.

May this story inspire others to take action, and may we only hear good news and revealed good from everyone.