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With just a few weeks before the onset of the Jewish New Year, Chabad of Hackensack will be hosting a one-day Mezuzah check event. The month leading to the High Holidays should be dedicated to personal introspection in preparation for the holiday, and according to a wide-spread Jewish custom, this includes checking the Mezuzot to ensure they are not fake or unkosher. A Mezuzah is a scroll, upon which the first two sections of the Shema are handwritten, beginning with the eternal words “Hear o Israel, the L‑rd is our G‑d, the L‑rd is One." These selections both contain G‑d’s instruction to affix the mezuzah: “You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” These words are handwritten by an expert scribe who is trained in the many laws involved in writing a mezuzah, including the requirement that it be written with special intention and that the words be written in order. Rabbi Mendy Kaminker of Chabad of Hackensack emphasized that a Mezuzah should be purchased only from a reputable seller. "I would highly advise against purchasing a Mezuzah on eBay or from an unknown source," he says. "From my experience, many Mezuzot sold today are not conforming to the Kosher standards. Some of them are even printed on paper instead of parchment - essentially making them fake Mezuzot!" "Even a Kosher Mezuzah can become unkosher if letters are faded, making the mezuzah checking even more important" Kaminker added. The Mezuzah check event will take place at Chabad of Hackensack on September 22nd, and will feature a special scribe coming from Brooklyn. Attendees will have the opportunity to bring their Mezuzot and have it checked on-premises. The fee to check a Mezuzah is $10, but if the Mezuzah is found unkosher, there will be no charge. For more information about this event and to reserve a space, visit www.ChabadHackensack.
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