In today’s day and age, virtually every kosher product available to the consumer comes with a hechsher. By hechsher, I mean an official and recognised rabbinical body or agency that certifies the kashrus of a product, be it a food item or a religious article. Hechsherim play a vital role in providing consumer confidence, and something branded by a reputable kashrus agency will be considered more legitimate than a similar product that does not. The agency has rigid policies and protocols in place to ensure correct standards are met, and they are independent of the manufacturer so that there is no conflict of interest. As we have discussed on this forum previously, there is a distinct lack of official hechsherim on Sta”m products - Tefillin, Mezuzos and Sifrei Torah. Even the Vaad Mishmeres Sta”m, the oldest and most well- known rabbinic agency in the Sta”m world does not certify products. They test and ordain sofrim and magihim (examiners), offer a computer checking service (sp...
I once wrote about this topic http://www.stamforum.com/2012/01/mezuza-covers-az.html
ReplyDeleteLater I rewrote the subject on my blog in a more mesudar way and quoted some Contempory poskim on this subject.
http://mezuzahblog.blogspot.com/2012/02/concerning-mezuza-covers-with-formed.html
Are you asking from a hilchos mezuzah or hashkafa perspective? In other words are you asking if it is inappropriate to use tv/movie characters or sports logos (A similar question would apply to yarmulkes) or if somehow this affects the kiyum of mitzvas mezuzah? One fulfills the mitzvah. It does seem inappropriate though but you should direct a hashkafa matter to your rav.
ReplyDeleteI asked the following wants to R' Shammai Gross Shlit"a his answer follows (more or less lifi what I remember/wrote down then)...
ReplyDeleteIs it muter to use for a mezuzah case that has on it pictures of Moons, stars, suns, etc that are bolet. Also a case that has a picture of a person on it (in this case the face of the person was only half showing.)
Teshuva: For sure the case with suns, moons and stars is ossur. Even the one with this person that has half a face showing also one should not use (as well they shouldn't be sold.) Aside from what it says in Shulchan Aruch about have this sort of tzuros there is another reason that one puts his hand on the Mezuzah and kisses it therefore for sure not to use.
just noticed the link was posted to the original shailo and the teshuva that I posted now from R' Shammai is also there.
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