Question:
Hello,
1) If one has a mezuza in a place that some do require it and some don’t require it (e.g., certain types of closets) and they leaving their apartment and the incoming tenant is putting up their own mezuzahs - if one is not sure if the new tenant will put up a mezuza in that questionable place, can they take the mezuza or should they leave it there?
2) If one is renting a home from a Sefardi and the home has mezuzas that are straight vertical, should the tenant put them on a slant? (And if yes, should they make a bracha when doing so?)
Answer:
Hello,
- I asked your question to R' Feldman, the author of Agur B'olalecha on Hilchos Mezuza. He said that the mezuzas should still not be taken down. One of the reasons not to take down mezuzas is that it shows that he doesn't care about the safety of others. This would also apply if the mezuza was put there because of a machlokes haposkim.
- There is no need to make a bracha when you are just switching the position of the mezuza. As a side point, if you don't know who lived there before you, you should know. Often, mezuzos are mistakenly bought of inferior quality, and you might want to check them or get a better-quality mezuza.
Best wishes
