Mezuza
Kóser mészárszék
A zsidó lakások jobb oldali ajtófélfáján kis tokban a szentírás meghatározott, pergamenre írt verseit kell elhelyezni. (Deut. 6:4–9; 11:13–21) A szövegek és az elhelyezés módja az egyiptomi kivonulásra és arra emlékeztet, hogy az Örökkévaló megóvta a zsidó házakat, miközben csapásaival Egyiptomot sújtotta. A kis hengerré összetekert pergamendarabot rejtő tok gyakorlatilag bármi lehet, ami megóvja a szöveget a betűk lekopásától, használhatatlanná válásától. A tokra vágott kis nyíláson keresztül három héber betű látszik: sin–dalet–jod. Ez egyik értelmezésben a „Saddaj” istennév, a másik szerint az „Izrael ajtóinak őrzője” héber mondat rövidítése. A vallási előírások alapján a pergamenre írt szöveg megrongálódása vagy használhatatlanná válása esetén a szent szövegeknek kijáró tisztelettel el kell temetni. A kiállításban látható mezuza a Kazinczy utca 41–ben, Kővári Dezső kóser mészárszékében volt az egyik ajtón. Az 1914 óta folyamatosan működő kóser húsüzemet 2002–ben bezárták, és az épületet le akarták bontani. Az Óvás! civil egyesület nyomására az épületet végül nem bontották le. Az épületben talált iratok mellett kegyeletből a mezuzát is a Magyar Zsidó Levéltárba szállítottuk 2002 decemberében. (Magyar Zsidó Levéltár XXIV–K–1)
In Jewish houses on the right side of the doorframe certain quotes of the Torah (Deut. 6:4—9; 11:13—21) written on parchment and put into a little case must be affixed. The texts and the way of placement commemorates how the Jews were freed from the slavery of Egypt, and how the houses of Israel stayed intact while homes of the Egyptians were destroyed by the infliction of the ten plagues of the Almighty. Basically, the holder or the little case of the rolled up parchment can be anything which is able to preserve the letters of the prayer from wearing off. On this Mezuzah the Hebrew letters shin—dalet—jod can be seen through a little oval slot. One explanation of the letter combination is Almighty (one from the numerous names of God). The other explanation says, that it is the abbreviation of the Hebrew sentence: Protector of the doors of Israel. The mezuzah is treated as a sacral text, so all the regulations of those kind of papers apply to it. If it is damaged or dilapidated, it must be buried respectfully. The mezuzah is from Kazinczy street 41, from Dezső Kővári’s slaughtering place. The kosher butchery had been running for almost a century, since 1914. It was closed in 2002, when the district council decided to pull down the building. Because of the protest of the Óvás (‘Protection’) civil association, finally the building itself remained intact. The documents of the butchery were taken to Jewish Archive, so was the mezuzah to enshrine it. (Hungarian Jewish Archive XXIV–K–1)
In Jewish houses on the right side of the doorframe certain quotes of the Torah (Deut. 6:4—9; 11:13—21) written on parchment and put into a little case must be affixed. The texts and the way of placement commemorates how the Jews were freed from the slavery of Egypt, and how the houses of Israel stayed intact while homes of the Egyptians were destroyed by the infliction of the ten plagues of the Almighty. Basically, the holder or the little case of the rolled up parchment can be anything which is able to preserve the letters of the prayer from wearing off. On this Mezuzah the Hebrew letters shin—dalet—jod can be seen through a little oval slot. One explanation of the letter combination is Almighty (one from the numerous names of God). The other explanation says, that it is the abbreviation of the Hebrew sentence: Protector of the doors of Israel. The mezuzah is treated as a sacral text, so all the regulations of those kind of papers apply to it. If it is damaged or dilapidated, it must be buried respectfully. The mezuzah is from Kazinczy street 41, from Dezső Kővári’s slaughtering place. The kosher butchery had been running for almost a century, since 1914. It was closed in 2002, when the district council decided to pull down the building. Because of the protest of the Óvás (‘Protection’) civil association, finally the building itself remained intact. The documents of the butchery were taken to Jewish Archive, so was the mezuzah to enshrine it. (Hungarian Jewish Archive XXIV–K–1)