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From: mis@mtunh.UUCP (Meyer Steinberg)
Newsgroups: net.religion.jewish
Subject: Re: Kosher Mazuza?
Message-ID: <490@mtunh.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 19-Aug-85 14:45:27 EDT
Article-I.D.: mtunh.490
Posted: Mon Aug 19 14:45:27 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 20-Aug-85 22:04:02 EDT
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A few things can render a Mazuza non-kosher.
The "paper" inside the mezuza must be made of real parchment,
usually made from deer skin.
The letters must be whole, not missing any parts of the letter.
Sometimes through age, heat and humidity, the ink of a letter cracks
and ruins the letter. Also when the parchment is rolled up to fit
inside the box, this can cause letters to crack and become partially
erased.
The letters must be hand written using certain natural inks (usully
made from tannic acid obtained form gall nuts).

A few suggestions when obtaining mazuzas:
The small ones usually don't last as long as the larger ones.
If you can get mazuzas that the parchment has not been dusted with
chalk or laquer, they will last longer.
Many parchments are dusted with chalk to make the writting easier, but
the chalk tends to crack under the folding of the parchment.
The uncoated mezuzas usually cost more.

	Meyer Steinberg