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What Jews wear (tefilin) – and surround themselves with (mezuzah) – has been a ubiquitous subject for the last couple of weeks. Both are mentioned in last week’s parsha (Ve’etchanan, Deut. 6:5-9) and in this week’s parsha (Eikev, Deut. 11:13-21). The Rambam emphasizes the importance of tefillin and mezuzah, as well as tzitzit (commanded at the end of parshat Shelach) in his Mishneh Torah (Hilchot mezuzah 6:13): “One must be constantly aware of the mezuzah since it is an ongoing obligation, applicable at all times. And whenever one enters and leaves, he encounters the unity of G-d’s name and recalls his love [for G-d], awakening from his stupor and his deviations over the course of time. And he becomes aware that nothing is permanent and eternal except for knowledge of G-d, thus coming to his senses and proceeding on a straight path. The early sages said that “everyone who has tefillin on his head and his arm, and tzitzit on his clothes and a mezuzah on the opening of his house, is guaranteed not to sin, since he has several reminders. And they are the angels that rescue him from sin, as it says, ‘An angel of G-d camps around those who fear Him and protects them.’ Blessed be the One who aids us.”
What’s curious about this statement is its location; why here in the laws of mezuzah, when it could have just as easily been mentioned in the laws of tefillin? In fact, tefillin is mentioned first in the statement, so wouldn’t it have made sense for the Rambam to bring the quote in the laws of tefillin, or at least there as well as in the laws of mezuzah? And if the Rambam wanted to wait until he had discussed all three of the mitzvoth, then he should have quoted the statement in the laws of tzitzit, which occur later in the Mishneh Torah. As a matter of fact, the statement (“Everyone who has tefillin…tzitzit…mezuzahŔ) first appears in the Talmud (Menachot 43B) regarding tzitzit, as well as in the early commentaries (the Rif and the Rosh) regarding tzitzit. So, why does the Rambam mention it only in the laws of mezuzah?
The explanation: When the Rambam said “One must be constantly awareŔ he wasn’t referring to the fulfillment of the mitzvah, but to the effect of the mitzvah upon the person. That is why he goes into detail; “And when one enters and leaves, he encounters the unity of G-d’s name and recalls his loveŔ The element of mezuzah that the Rambam wished to emphasize is not the fulfillment of the mitzvah (which takes place by fixing it on the doorpost), but its continued influence (not only as one enters and leaves), which takes place when one already has a mitzvah on the doorpost of the house in which he lives. Here, it is not only that man must get involved in the fulfillment of the mitzvah, but the object of the mitzvah must have an effect upon him. That is, since the mezuzah contains the “unity of His name, the name of G-d,” it must elicit man’s memory and love of G-d and awaken him from his sleep, etcŔ Accordingly, it emerges that the obligation to be “constantly aware of the mezuzah” is an additional detail in the fulfillment of the mitzvah. As long as one has a mezuzah on the door, it brings to an added awareness, such that “whenever he enters and leaves…he will recall his love…and proceed on a straight path.”
Based on the above explanation, we can understand why the Rambam brings the statement regarding tefillin, mezuzah and tzitzit in Hilchot Mezuzah, rather than in the section on tefillin or tzitzit. The effect that the mezuzah has upon the person is different from that of tefillin or tzitzit. Among the three, only mezuzah has a “true” effect on the person. Regarding tefillin, the Rambam says (Hilchot tefillin 4:25), “The holiness of tefillin is a great holiness. All the time that the tefillin are on the head of the person and on his arm, he is humble and G-d-fearing, and he is not drawn after scoffing and idle talk. Nor does he think negative thoughts, but rather he turns his heart to true and just matters. Therefore, one should strive to wear tefillin all day long, since such is the commandment.” From the Rambam’s description, we understand that it is the holiness of the tefillin, and not the tefillin themselves (the physical object) that has an effect upon the person wearing them.
And regarding tzitzit, the Rambam says (in our own quote from Hilchot Mezuzah) that “Scripture considered it and made it equivalent to all of the [613] mitzvoth.” That is, the tzitzit elicit recall of all of the commandments of the Torah, not because the tzitzit themselves (the physical mitzvah) correspond to all of the mitzvoth, but because “Scripture considered and made it equivalentŔ The Torah tells us to fulfill the mitzvah with a certain number of threads and with the color of techelet (deep blue), etc. which remind us of all the mitzvoth. However, there is nothing intrinsic to the physical tzitzit themselves which causes us to recall the other commandments.
But, when it comes to mezuzah, the content of which is “the unity of G-d’s name,” it is the mezuzah itself that provides the reminder. It is the innate quality of mezuzah, as the “unity of G-d’s name,” that reminds us to proceed on a straight path. Armed with this knowledge, we can now understand another detail in the language of the Rambam. He concludes with the words, “Blessed be the One who aids us.” Usually, it is the way of the Rambam to mentions these words at the end of an entire section, not in the middle of the details of specific halachot. In our case, the halachot of tefillin, mezuzah and sefer Torah are one complete section. So, why does the Rambam inject this phrase in the middle, as he is discussing the laws of mezuzah? The answer is because this phrase bears a specific relationship to mezuzah; it is the mezuzah that provides the most direct and essential aid to a Jew. Since the very content of the mezuzah is “the unity of G-d’s name,” it provides more “aid” and support than do either tefillin or tzitzit. It is not the tefillin, but their “holiness” that has an effect on the Jew. And it is not the tzitzit, but the fact that “Scripture considered and made it equivalent to all the mitzvoth” that effects the person. Therefore, tefillin and tzitzit cannot provide the same aid and level of support that mezuzah can offer. Neither would it be appropriate to say that they provide a “reminder” in the same way as mezuzah. That is why the Rambam mentions these words specifically in Hilchot Mezuzah, and not at the end of the entire section.
To elaborate in greater depth: The words of the Rambam, “Blessed be the One who aids us” are meant to emphasize the special effect of the mezuzah and how it is distinct from the other two mitzvoth. The word “aid” is appropriate regarding help extended to another in order to enable them to stand on their own feet, but not in order to take over an entire function and do it for someone else. This is not called “aid,” but “doing something for someone else.” On the other hand, when it isn’t clear that the help will enable the person to achieve the desired aim, this is also not called true “aid.” Proper help and support is that which enables the person to perform the task himself – this is truly called “aid.” And this is the special quality that mezuzah has over tefillin and tzitzit…
According to the Rambam, tefillin, whose “holiness” is so great that “all the time that they are on his head and on his arm, he is humble and heaven-fearingŔ take over the entire job of providing fear of G-d to the wearer. It is not that the person – the Jew wearing the tefillin – is innately G-d fearing but that the tefillin “inject” that into him. The minute he takes the tefillin off, he may not be G-d fearing at all, according to this explanation. Therefore, tefillin do not so much provide “aid,” as much as their holiness forces the wearer to be humble and G-d fearing.
On the other hand, tzitzit, which the “Scripture considered and made equivalent to all of the mitzvothŔ reminds us of the mitzvoth, but provides no guarantee that we will fulfill them. While the strands and color of the tzitzit will definitely cause us to recall the commandments, it does not provide any promise that we will fulfill the mitzvoth. Therefore, tzitzit are also not an “aid” and support in the full sense of helping the Jew “help himself.”
It is only the mezuzah that provides true aid and support that guarantees that the Jew will fulfill the commandments. Unlike tefillin, whose holiness practically “forces” the Jew to fulfill commandments, the “unity of G-d’s name” of the mezuzah “reminds and arouses” the person so that he recalls his own “love” and “wakes upԅAnd unlike tzitzit, which provide a reminder of all the mitzvoth but no guarantee of fulfillment, the mezuzah has a transformational effect on the person. The mezuzah causes the person to “remember his love and awaken from his sleep and deviations in the course of time,” until he “comes back to his senses and proceeds on a straight path.” That is, the mezuzah not only reminds the person, but gives him the internal support necessary to transform himself. Therefore, the true expression of aid and support comes only from mezuzah, which is why the Rambam places the statement, “Blessed be the One who aids us” in Hilchot mezuzah, and not in Hilchot tefillin or tzitzit.
The effect of the mezuzah is not only qualitative, but quantitative. Most of us work in two different modes; “inside,” and “outside.” There are times that we are “inside,” involved in learning Torah, fulfilling the mitzvoth, and praying. And, there are times that we are “outside,” involved in the physical world, making a living and pursuing tasks that are not directly related to Torah and holiness. In general, these two modes correspond to tefillin and tzitzit on our bodies, and the mezuzah on our house. When we don tefillin and wrap ourselves in tzitzit, we are “inside” – within the world of Torah, mitzvoth and prayer. We are separate from the world, living in our own world of spirituality and holiness. The mezuzah though, placed on the outer cubit of the doorpost, emphasizes the Jew’s connection to G-d when he is “outside,” involved in matters other than Torah and mitzvoth (as well as inside). In this way, the Rambam explains and emphasizes the special role of the mezuzah; it demands that the Jew act in accordance with the will of G-d not only while in his own house (“inside”) but also while “outside,” in the world at large. There, as well, he must recall the inner content of the mezuzah – “the unity of G-d’s holy name.” This recall will then transform him, so that “he knows that nothing is permanent and eternal except for knowledge of G-d, and then he will come back to his senses and proceed in a straight path [of action].” It is precisely when he is outside of his house and yet he proceeds in proper avodat HaShem – service of G-d – that He feels true aid and support from Above, and then he can say, “Blessed be the One who provides aid.”
From “Likutei Sichot” of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, ztz’l, vol. 29, pp. 61-70 Rabbi David Sterne, Jerusalem Connection in the old city of Jerusalem