Expert: Rabbi Barry Dov Lerner - 7/10/2011

Question
Hello, thank you for allowing me to ask a question in this manner. In a few days time I will be moving into a new home. My question involves customary greetings or matters regarding meeting the existing home owners immediately around my home. Do I go to them to introduce myself or wait for them to stumble into my path some day or come to me? The sense of community has gone from many or lays dormant I think. It would be good to know your advice.

David

Answer
Dear David,

Mazal Tov on your new change in residence. Your question raises some interesting issues.

In terms of relationship with the former owners, my own experience was that we met once when we were shown the home, once when we negotiated some final details of corrections according to an inspection (insulation in the attic, upgrading the electrical panel to code, etc.) which affected the ultimate price but not an obstacle for either side, and then the signing.

If and when they would have liked to visit after moving, I would have welcomed them and showed how we appreciated the way in which they maintained the house - and they did! We in the meantime have already restored and enhanced the landscaping, lawn, bushes, trees and put in vegetable and fruit gardens, and we would have shared our pride in our work. But they never visited.

We stayed in touch in order to be sure that mail was properly forwarded, that visitors for whatever reason looking for them would be given their new address and phone number, just as those who followed us in our previous home did for us.

Jewishly, it is customary as you move into the home to affix a mezuzah at the "external" entrances to your new home and there are "house dedication ceremonies" - "hanukat ha-bayit."

Note: Be careful to purchase not only a mezuzah case but it is the parchment inside that is really the mezuzah itself and they cost just alone more than $20 if not considerably more. Speak with your Rabbi. A paper printed with the texts is not kosher, and if you have invested this much in a home, why begin with "cheating" on the dedication of your home?

When people come to visit a new home, customary "house-warming" gifts include additional mezuzot for the interior (case and parchment or just the parchment), salt, challah and wine for your first Shabbat and some coins with which you can begin your weekly contribution to tzedakah as you light candles for Shabbat.

If you are leaving a home that is going to be inhabited by Jews, it is customary to leave the mezuzot in place, as perhaps is the case in your new home. However, when the mezuzah cases are valuable or have special associations and memories, one may remove them and replace them with less expensive but kosher mezuzot.

I hope that this is a helpful response and wish you only years of health, fulfillment and joy in your new home.

Rabbi Dov