Seforimchatter SmallTalk: The Mezuzah User Guide (with Rabbi Moshe Gantz & Joseph Miller)
Jan 28, 2026
Joseph Miller, co-editor and educator at KosherKlaf, and Moshe Gantz, the 'mezuzah doctor' and founder of KosherKlaf, walk through practical mezuzah care. They discuss common installation mistakes and surprising rates of invalid mezuzot. They outline a user guide’s step-by-step checklist, quality levels for buying, and tips for placement and inspection.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
From Volunteer To Mezuzah House Calls
- Moshe Gantz began checking mezuzot after a 1990s campaign found ~70% problematic mezuzot in his neighborhood.
- He started a house-call service and discovered installation issues in 95% of homes he checked.
Install Mezuzah In The Correct Spot
- Check proper placement rules: which side of the door, under the mashkof, or near openings like sliding doors.
- Avoid placing a mezuzah too far from the opening or on the wrong frame side to prevent invalid installation.
Majority Of Mezuzot Are Defective
- Moshe checked 250,000 mezuzot and found only 16% were kosher; most had defects from day one.
- This reveals systemic quality problems in production and sourcing, not just wear over time.
