Do closets need a mezuzah?
The Pischei Teshuva 286:11 writes that a closet smaller than 4 by 4 amos requires a mezuzah. It is proper (as a chumrah *stringency) to place mezuzahs on closets provided one can walk into them. Rabbi Moshe Weiner (a Chabad Posek from Jerusalem) wrote: "Since a closet is actually an "otzar" a room that although not for dwelling, it is a place a person keeps his needs, and we pasken that otzarot are chayov, and any room part of the house should have a mezuza even if the size is less than 4x4 amos. Therefore in any case they should have a mezuza, however, no bracha is recited on rooms less than 4x4 amos".
I asked Rav Weiner if he agrees that that a closet smaller than 4 by 4 is merely a stringency or an actual obligation like other livable rooms of the house? This is his answer:"I would say it is between a chumra (stingency) and din (conventional law), because it involves 2 issues a small room less than 4x4 inside a house, and also
a otzar (storage room) - so it is hallachicaly something like a sfek-sfeka (double doubt). Still one should be careful to put a mezuza there.
Rabbi Levy Yitzchak Raskin(Dayan of Lubavitch community of London)wrote on this issue,"AS (Chabad)CHASSIDIM, WE ARE INCLINED 'LIFNIM MISHURAS HADIN'. AS SUCH, I DO FOLLOW THIS CHUMRA, PROVIDED THAT IT IS A WALK-IN CLOSET.
I will note that many Rabbonim are more lenient with closets and do not instruct the placing of a mezzuzah on a closet if it is less than 4 by 4 amos, however if it does reach that size all opinions require a mezuzah.
Concerning measuring the size (in order to make a bracha if it is at least 4 by 4 amos i.e. 37 square feet), how do we measure the closet space? do we only consider the non taken up closet space as part of the 4 by 4 or even the space which is taken up by shelves?
Rabbi Levy Yitzchak Raskin responded: "REGARDING MEASUREMENTS [FOR SAYING A BROCHO] - IT IS MISTAVER THAT FURNITURE THAT ENABLES THE USE OF THE ROOM SHOULD NOT DETRACT FROM ITS MEASUREMENTS. WOULD ANYONE SUGGEST THAT A BED DIMINISHES THE SIZE OF A SMALL 4X4 BEDROOM?" Later I found from the Shulchan Aruch HaRav 358:? which shows this idea in the same context regarding the measuring of space (for the laws of erecting an eruv).
6 comments:
Yeshar Koach for your blog and book.
On the subject of closets, I heard in a lecture from Rabbi Yosef Shusterman from chabad Beverly Hills, that when the Rebbe started the mezuzah campaign the shluchim were installing mezuzos on walking closets less than 4x4. Then, it became known that in Rebbe's house there was no Mezuzos on such environments. After that became known, this practice stopped.
Perhaps those great poskim that you consulted with would like to know about this and perhaps even re-consider their din?
If you have easy access to R. Shusterman he probably can tell you more details. If you need help in finding the lecture where he said that I can forward it to you. It is online for sure.
Aryeh Niski
I am not familiar with the mezuzah affixing by the Rebbe's house. (Who checked the Rebbe's closets?)
I called Rabbi Klapman ( a close talmid who had much shimush from Rav Zirkind A'H) and Rabbi Moskowitz (Rabbi Zirkin's son in law) and they both clearly said that Rav Eliezer Zirkind would affix mezuzos on walk-in closets under 4x4 amos.
Rabbi Klapman also told me that Rabbi Kalman Marlow would also advise to affix mezuzos to small walk in closets under 4x4 amos as the Rav personally came to check his home.
There is a machlokes among the Poskim, and some follow the Chamudei Daniel who is stringent, including the Shaar Hakolel (the Rebbe's grandfather) and R. Avraham Chaim Naeh in Shiurei Mikveh.
I see thanks for your this extra information. I just would like to say that according to Rabbi Shusterman the Rebbe did not have mezuzos on such closets
In case the rabbi could contact him, please do and confirm.
Otherwise I am 100% sure that Rav Shushterman mentions this in one this lectures here:
http://www.beverlyhillschabad.com/halacha/jewish-laws-customs-mezuzah.htm
Gut Shabbos
By the way, if a closet has an unpleasant smell (like from mothballs) then it is exempt from mezuzah, regardless of it's size.
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