Question:
i am looking into purchasing mezuzos, and i am of ashkenazi descent.
i saw that that mehudar ashkenazi mezuzos are much more expensive than mehudar ksav vellish mezuzos.
Am I permitted as an ashkenazi to purchase mehudar ksav vellish mezuzos, if i would not spend either due to not having the money or not wanting to spend that much money, the money to purchase mehudar ashkenazi mezuzos (as they are much more expensive) and instead would purchase the regular kosher lechatchila, or kosher ashkenazi mezuzos.
basically, my shaala is what is better for an ashkenazi.. is it better to buy kosher stam ashkenazi mezuzos or mehudar ksav vellish mezuzos.
Answer:
If you are Ashkenazi, it is better for you to buy a regular mezuza then a mehudar Vellish one. The reason is because the letters of Vellsih ksav are only b’dieved kosher for Ashkenazim. Therefore, you are better off getting a regular kosher Ashkenazi one. For example, the head of an Ashkenazi Nun is like a Zayin, but in Vellish it is like a Vav. The Mishna Berura writes in Mishnas Sofrim “Nun” that if the top of the Nun was made like a Vav according to some poskim it is not kosher at all, and according to others it is questionable if it is still kosher. This is all because based on our mesora and minhag, therefore an Ashkanazi should get Ashkenazi mezuzos if at all possible.
Best Wishes
Sources:
Conversation with Rav C. Sperling shlit”a
