A Hebrew word that means the upright framework of a door or gate. The Bible mentions this word about 20 times in the Old Testament. During the first Passover, the Israelites put the blood of the lamb on the mezuzah of their houses (Exodus 12:7, 22–23).
In Deuteronomy 6:9 and 11:20, God told the Hebrew people to write his commandments on the doors of their houses and on the city gates. Jewish people still follow this practice today. Every Jewish home has a small container made of metal or wood attached to the doorpost at about shoulder height. This container, which became known as a mezuzah, holds a small piece of parchment. On one side of the parchment are written the words from Deuteronomy 6:4–9 and 11:13–21. On the other side is written the word Shaddai, which is the Hebrew name for God Almighty.
On the outside of the mezuzah container is the Hebrew letter shin, which is the first letter of the name Shaddai. When a devoted Jewish person enters or leaves the house, they touch the mezuzah and then kiss their fingers. At the same time, they repeat the words from Psalm 121:8: "The LORD will watch over your coming and going, both now and forevermore."