We had a quiet but monumental moment in our home last weekend.  After months of shopping and debating and being wishy-washy about styles and colors, I purchased a mezuzah and kosher scroll and installed them on the post of our front door.

You might be asking what, exactly, is a mezuzah?  Simply put, it’s a visible sign that the home you are entering is a Jewish one.  The scroll that is rolled up and placed inside has inscribed on it two verses from the Torah, which are Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and Deuteronomy 11:13-21. We hang these because we are biblically commanded to do so (Deuteronomy 6:9).

Hanging it was a big moment for me. I’ve agonized for months over which one to buy because there are thousands of designs in every conceivable price range. I was stuck so long on wanting the “perfect” one that I missed the point of the mezuzah – to signify that my home is Jewish and that those who reside inside live a Jewish life. Once I realized that my priorities were woefully out of whack, I went to the store inside our synagogue and bought one in colors that matched our front door and that were a bit eye-catching.  It took forever to roll the scroll small and tight enough to fit inside the mezuzah, but once I did, I installed it on the door and said the blessing. Quick. Simple. Done. Then to really cap it off, I placed a car mezuzah holding a scroll of Traveler’s prayer inside our Winnebago because it, too, is a home.

These are tiny steps, really, but they’re about making life meaningful and intentional. I still have many more doors to affix mezuzahs to, but I’m happy to say that my house has finally been mezuzahed!