Maimonides teaches that certain Mitsvot act as our “protective angels.” One of these Mitsvot is the Mezuza. But what exactly are we being protected from? And what kind of protection does the Mezuza offer us? Let’s see.
Today, the Mezuza is more necessary than ever. We live in a super-hectic world, overwhelmed by worries and distractions: material needs that require urgent attention, bills to pay, jobs to complete, tests to pass, competition to face, and more. These issues demand our full attention — now! We are so consumed by urgent matters that we forget to focus on the most important thing in life: the purpose of our existence.
Of course, “the meaning of life” is only relevant to those of us who believe in God. If someone believes that life emerged by cosmic accident billions of years ago, and that we are nothing more than a fortuitous mutation of apes, then the question of “purpose” is irrelevant. If God does not exist, there is no higher purpose to seek. Survival becomes the only goal, and the laws of the jungle prevail.
However, for those of us who believe that God created the universe, life, and ourselves, we know there must be a reason behind our existence. Pursuing that purpose — and keeping it constantly in mind — is what gives meaning, direction, and depth to our lives.
Ideally, we should live with this awareness at every moment. Everything we do should be guided by our mission and our purpose.
But reality often looks very different. A person can believe in God, understand his purpose, and still be so absorbed in worldly responsibilities that he ends up “forgetting” the very reason he was placed in this world. If this forgetfulness becomes constant, it amounts to spiritual suicide — perhaps the greatest human tragedy.
Now we can better appreciate the role of the Mezuza. The Mezuza contains the Shema Israel — the fundamental declaration of the Tora affirming the existence of God. Every time we enter a room, cross a threshold, or move from one place to another, we pause briefly to touch and connect with the Mezuza. That brief moment forces us to interrupt our worldly thoughts and reconnect with our Creator. The Mezuza recenters us, refocuses our minds, and renews our awareness of what truly matters. It is the antidote to the dangerous illness of existential forgetfulness.
Maimonides explicitly mentions this “segula” of the Mezuza. In Mishne Tora, Hilkhot Mezuza 6:13, he writes: “One should take great care in [the observance of the Mitsva of] the Mezuza. Each time one enters or leaves [a room], one must connect with the name of God [written in the Mezuza]. In this way, a person awakens from his [spiritual] lethargy, [letting go of] his obsession with worldly vanities. Thus, one recognizes that nothing will accompany him for all eternity except the knowledge of the Creator [the ever-clearer awareness that God exists]. This will help him regain full consciousness [of his purpose] and thus follow the paths of righteousness.”
Maimonides calls the Mezuza — along with the Tefilin and the Tsitsit — an “angel of protection,” because it protects us from the most dangerous threat: forgetting our mission in life.
HaRambam concludes: “These are the angels that prevent a person from sinning, as it is written [Tehilim 34:8]: ‘The angel of God [these three Mitsvot] is around those who fear Him, protecting them.'”
