The Mezuzah

Inside Girona’s Museum of Jewish History, a large piece of an old doorway preserves the long, narrow recess that once held a mezuzah. Displayed beside examples of parchment scrolls and protective cases, the stone connects a continuing Jewish tradition with the families who lived in Girona’s Jewish Quarter centuries ago.

The tradition originates in two passages from Deuteronomy. The Israelites are instructed to keep God’s words in their hearts, teach them to their children and “write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” The Hebrew word mezuzah originally meant the doorpost itself. Over time, Jewish law established the practice of writing the passages from Deuteronomy 6:4–9 and 11:13–21 on parchment, rolling the scroll and placing it in a protective case attached to the doorpost.

The mezuzahs that once marked the homes of Girona’s Jewish families were removed long ago. Over the centuries, most of the original doorways were also altered, covered or replaced. As a result, visitors walking through the Jewish Quarter today generally do not see mezuzahs or their mounting places on the buildings.

A small number of stones containing the original recesses have survived, including the example preserved in the museum. The parchment and cases disappeared, but the openings cut into the stone remained. Centuries after Girona’s Jewish community was forced to leave the city, these rare architectural traces continue to preserve evidence of its presence.