It is not permitted to write mezuzoth on the skins of ritually unclean cattle or on skins of ritually unclean wild animals. It is permitted, however, to write them on skins of nebeloth and ṭerefoth, and there is no need to consider the possibility of their having been pierced at the animal’s heart.¹

footnotes: ¹ There was a heathen practice to remove the heart from an animal while it was still alive and offer it as a sacrifice. Rabbinic law regards such an animal as an idolatrous offering (cf. Mishnah ‘A.Z. 29b, Sonc. ed., p. 145) and forbids its entire use, including the skin.

It is required to leave [a space of] one line on every side [of the text of the mezuzah], according to R. Simeon b. Eleazar.

If a hole was made in the place of the script it is unfit for religious use; but if it occurred in the margin it remains fit. If the letter waw [in a mezuzah] was shaped like a zayin or vice versa, curved letters like straight-lined letters² like the final kaf. or vice versa, open letters closed³ like the final mem. or vice versa, or if the shape of its letters had been altered [in any other way], or if it was written in [obsolete] Hebrew, it is unfit for religious use.

footnotes: ² e.g. an ordinary kaf ³ An ordinary mem

A magazine for straw, a wood-shed [and any] storage room are exempt [from the mezuzah].⁴ A stable for cattle is exempt, but if women make use of it⁵ it is liable. Cone-shaped huts,⁶, I, p. 6.] travellers’ stations, field sheds⁷, p. 226, and Talm. Arch. I, p. 276, n. 81, reads hilaḳṭiyoth. Maimonides understood the term to mean ‘summer-house’, thatched on top and open on the four sides. More probably it was used for stacking hay, etc., where it was dried by the wind.] and tanneries are exempt from mezuzah.⁸

footnotes: ⁴ Only dwelling-houses are subject to the obligation. ⁵ In which to adorn themselves; but if they use any of the structures for bathing it is exempt (cf. Yoma 11a, Sonc. ed., p. 48; Y.D. CCLXXXVI, §2). ⁶ [Used by watchers in a field or by hunters; Krauss, Talmudische Archäologie ⁷ [Krauss, Lehnwörter ⁸ They are not dwelling-houses.

A bath-house is exempt, but if a dwelling-house adjoins it the outer doorway is liable.

A corner doorway that has only one doorpost, [or] a doorway made in [a structure of] boards which has only one doorpost is liable. R. Eliezer b. Jacob declares it exempt.

Arched doorways are exempt, but R. Meir and R. Judah declare that they are liable. All, however, agree that if they have the [usual] structure below⁹ and the arched section above they are liable to mezuzah.

footnotes: ⁹ Being four handbreadths wide and reaching to a height of ten handbreadths (cf. ‘Erub, 11b, Sonc. ed., p. 69).

City gates, the gates of open places¹⁰ and the gates of Temple Courts are exempt.¹¹.] [The doorways of] chambers in the Temple were exempt from mezuzah, but the Chamber of the Counsellors,¹², one of the Temple chambers, in agreement with Yoma 10a (Sonc. ed., p. 45). V and H read: lishkath shel beth happarwah, ‘the chamber of the Parwah house’, Parwah being the name of its Persian builder (cf. ibid. 35a, Sonc. ed., p. 161, n. 6). which served as a residence for the High Priest on seven days in the year,¹³ 2a, Sonc. ed., p. 1). and potters’ booths are subject to mezuzah. R. Jose declares them exempt.

footnotes: ¹⁰ Where people assemble for special prayers or to discuss public matters. ¹¹ [But according to Yoma 11a, Sonc. ed., p. 47, city gates require a mezuzah ¹² Reading lishkath parhedrin ¹³ Before the Day of Atonement (cf. ibid.