[Avodah] mezuzah

[Micha Berger]

On Thu, Aug 23, 2012 at 01:23:06PM +0300, Eli Turkel wrote:
: Nevertheless it is brought down that the mezuza protects the house (see
: story with Onkeles).

The Rambam would say that the mitzvah of mezuzah earns shemirah. Straight
sekhar va'onesh, nothing about the power of an object.

Which then raises questions about Rav (Y-mi Pei'ah 1:1 15b) or Rebbe
giving a mezuzah to Ardevan and saying it was more prescious than a pearl
because it provides sheirah. We discussed whether the gemara could be
understood as a non-Jew getting the mitzvah of an eino metzuveh ve'oseh,
and still getting the shemiras as a reward. After all, he too is obligated
to remember the true Provider of all protection.

It might be relevent that the recipient was Ardevan, probably Artevan IV,
the last Parthian king. And thus of a culture which respected the sacred
of most religions, but the monarchy was personally Zoaroastian (shituf,
not AZ). Otherwise one could ask whether the mezuzah was allowed to
be given, would the recipient use the mezuzah in a way that earns him
anything, etc...

The question of mezuzah as amulet vs sekhar mitzvah would differ in
effect in the case of someone who has their mezuzah checked as require
kehalakhah, but kelapei Shemaya galya that it became pasul. The mitzvah
is being done properly, sekhar shouldn't depend on the physical state. But
the amulet aspect simply isn't there.

Also related: does a qemeiah work if it doesn't invoke bitachon? Does
non-kosher food cause timtum haleiv if eaten in a context where mutar
(infancy, choleh, following a rov where it happens to be the mi'ut
occured, etc...)?

But we visited this topic too many times for me to believe RYL, you or
I have anything to say we haven't said already repeatedly. Maybe a new
member could stir the pot with his/her opinion?

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             When a king dies, his power ends,
micha at aishdas.org        but when a prophet dies, his influence is just
http://www.aishdas.org   beginning.
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