The Shema in the Mezuzah: Listening to Each Other

In a divided world where the one who shouts the loudest often gets the most attention, a story about compromise and listening.
The townspeople have mezuzahs but cannot agree on how to put them up on their doorways. Should they place them horizontally or vertically, standing up or lying down? To end their arguing, they consult the wise rabbi of the town, who advises them to carefully read the Shema in the mezuzah to find the answer.
This lively tale, based on a twelfth-century rabbinic debate, introduces children ages 3 to 6 to the words of the Shema, the Jewish people s affirmation of faith, and the custom of putting up the mezuzah. A spirited disagreement over how to affix the mezuzah results in compromise and harmony when the townspeople learn to truly listen to one another.
Best-selling, award-winning children s author Sandy Eisenberg Sasso helps young people discover that there is often more than one solution to a problem, and that living together and creating home requires cooperation and listening to one another