Weekly Chasidic Story ##1444 (5785-46) 17 Menachem Av 5785 (Aug.11, 2025)

"Three Doctors; Three Mezuzot"

As soon as he arrived in California, he drove to visit three former colleagues, who conveniently all lived on the same street.

Why This Week: This week's Torah reading, Ekev [and last week's -- Vaet'chanan] contain the only two places in the Torah where the mitzvah of mezuza is mentioned.

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Three Doctors; Three Mezuzot

Dr. Yaakov Orlean directs the blood bank in the Ma'ayanei HaYeshua Hospital in Bnei Brak. He is originally from the United States, where he used to live and work in California.

One day he went to a well-known sofer (scribe)[1] in Bnei Brak and ordered three exquisite mezuzot of the highest quality. Dr. Orlean mentioned to the sofer that he would be going to the United States for business reasons, and that he would be giving the mezuzot as gifts to three former doctor colleagues of his from California.

A few days later Dr. Orlean came to pick up the three mezuzot. He carefully inserted each one into a nice mezuzah case and packed them in his suitcase. The first thing he did when he arrived in California, was to drive over to his former colleagues' homes to catch up on old times. They all lived on the same street, so it was very convenient to visit each of them. All three were very happy to see him again, but their reactions when they received his gift were wildly different.

The first doctor, Jack, was disturbed when he finished unwrapping the gift paper and realized what it was he was holding in his hands. He plainly said, "Thank you very much for the mezuzah. How unique! I will keep it right here in my desk drawer and it may come in handy as a paperweight."

Dr. Orlean was not pleased. He said in astonishment, "A paperweight? This is a mezuzah! You're supposed to attach it to the doorpost of your front door!"

Jack, with equal astonishment, responded, "On my front door? You have got to be kidding. Everyone will know I'm Jewish! No. I'm sorry, but that's out of the question. Thank you so much anyway, it's a really nice gift."

Dr. Orlean said goodbye and then walked down the block to the second colleague's house, Steven. His reaction to the special gift from Israel was less severe. He said, "How nice! A mezuzah! Just what I always wanted!" And he proceeded to put it into his desk drawer.

Tactfully, Dr. Orlean said, "You know, the purpose of a mezuzah is to hang it on a doorframe. And now that I think about it, the casing goes very well with the color scheme of your front entrance."

Steven didn't look thrilled. He agreed to hang the mezuzah on a room in his house, but he said he couldn't imagine posting it on the front door.

Dr. Orlean, after failing twice, made a third attempt and visited his friend a few houses down the street. The third doctor, Michael, unwrapped his gift and was very excited to find the mezuzah and its beautiful case. He kissed the mezuzah, caressed the case and delighted in the fact that his gift came from the Holy Land.

Then, without being told what to do, Michael stood up, asked for the correct blessing to say, and affixed the mezuzah onto his front doorpost. Dr. Orlean was very proud and happy.

When he returned home to Israel, Dr. Orlean heard about a terrible earthquake that had struck California just days after he left. Numerous homes had sustained considerable damage, and some had been demolished.

Dr. Orlean was concerned about what had happened to his three friends. When he found out about them, he was amazed by the news.

Jack's house had been completely destroyed. Nothing remained standing except the foundation.
Steven's house suffered tremendous damage, except for one room - the one where the mezuzah had been hung!
And Michael's house, which was on the same street as the other two, was completely intact without any trace of damage!

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Source: Modified and supplemented by Yerachmiel Tilles the email of Shabbos Stories for the Parsha (Vayeishev 5779), based on an email of Torah U'Tefilah compiled by Rabbi Yehuda Winzelberg, who received the story in the name of Rav Yitzchak Zilberstein, who heard it directly from the sofer.

Why This Week? This week's Torah reading, Eikev [and last week's -- Vaet'chanan] contain the only two places in the Torah where the mitzvah of mezuza is mentioned.

Footnote: [1]The inscriber, with ink and a feather quill on leather parchment, of mezuzot, tefillin and Torah scrolls.

Yerachmiel Tilles is co-founder and associate director of Ascent-of-Safed, and chief editor of this website (and of KabbalaOnline.org). He has hundreds of published stories to his credit, and many have been translated into other languages. He tells them live at Ascent nearly every Saturday night.

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