Last week I posted some thoughts in response to a public lecture given by Rabbi Reuvain Mendlowitz regarding Ksav Chabad (the Alter Rebbe's ksav). I felt he did not represent the issue fairly, and since I had received questions about it from a number of people I felt it made sense to write a general response. After I posted my response on this forum, Rabbi Mendlowitz reached out to me by email and we ended up having a respectful and productive email exchange regarding the relevant issues surrounding Ksav Chabad. His position is a lot clearer to me now, and I think he also took certain things on board that I clarified with him. The purpose of the Stam Forum (at least back in it's heyday before all the whats app groups took over) was to connect sofrim from around the world, to promote achdus and build bridges, as well as to offer support and advice. In that spirit, I felt I should write a follow up post, to clarify some of the issues and misconception...
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ReplyDeleteKeset 28:7.
DeleteYitzchak: I was aware of the kesses (it's 27:7 not 28:7) however there he writes that there should be a window in the case for the shakayso its seen. However, what about todays see through cases where even if the mezuzah has rolled to the side you can still see it clearly because the whole case is see through! Is it really necessary to straighten this out? Furthermore, a non see through case or one that does not have the hole for the shakay as the kesses writes, in particular the common type today that are made of metal , opaque plastic or wood where the mezuzah is inserted from the bottom of the case, it is very hard to guarantee that the mezuzah will not swivel around. But if there is no hole or window or transparent case, and you cannot see the shakay anyway - does it really matter?
DeleteI was actually wondering this exact thing as I was looking it up... More about the see-through cases
DeleteI would guess that since he provides the reason: כדי שיהא נראה מבחוץ that if you are already missing that because the case lacks a window, it doesn't matter which way the mezuzah is facing.
DeleteKeses 27:7, Ram"o Y"D 288:15, see Rishonim referenced there.
ReplyDeleteAlso, see Pischei Teshuva 288 S"K 2.
ReplyDeleteSame as the kesses, more or less
ReplyDeleteI did have some time over tom tov to look in the sefer pischei shearim on mezuzah and it appears that if the case is not see through it would not matter if the shakay rolls to either side or even behind.