Our Gemara discusses two potential prohibitions associated with renting a house to a gentile in Eretz Yisrael:
- Allowing gentiles a foothold in the Holy Land
- Thwarting the obligation of mezuzah from the house
However, the Gemara concludes that the latter is not a concern because affixing a mezuzah is the obligation of the resident, not the house. Therefore, if no Jew lives in the home, it is not subject to the mitzvah of mezuzah. Renting a house to a gentile, then, is not depriving the house of a mitzvah it would otherwise be obligated in.
Nevertheless, there remains a restriction against removing the mezuzos when vacating the home—if the new tenant is Jewish. Bava Metzia (102a) rules:
If one rents out a house to another, the responsibility to prepare a mezuzah for it and affix it is upon the renter.
And when he leaves, he may not take it in his hand and leave with it; rather, he must leave it there.
But if he rented a house from a gentile, he may take it in his hand and leave with it.
And there was an incident in which a renter took his mezuzah in his hand and left with it, and he eventually buried his wife and two sons.
If the mezuzah is only an obligation upon the person, what is the nature of the violation when removing it upon moving out?
Tosafos (ibid.) says the removal makes the house vulnerable to demons, causing indirect harm to the next tenant. Even if the new renters immediately affix mezuzos, the damage may already be done. Like infestations, once something unwanted enters, it’s hard to remove. This is supported by the story of the renter who suffered tragic loss after removing the mezuzos—perhaps the demonic forces were awakened and backfired on him.
The She’iltos D’Rav Achai (126:3) offers a less mystical explanation: the act interrupts a mitzvah. However, this is difficult, as our Gemara teaches there is no ongoing mitzvah when no Jew resides there. The Ha’amek She’eilah clarifies that while it’s not literally an interruption, it is disrespectful to remove a mezuzah from an active post. Renting to a gentile, though, is actually respectful, since the mezuzah would no longer be operating in a mitzvah-fulfilling environment.
By way of metaphor: an officer might lose his post because the army base closes—but that’s different than being dishonorably discharged. If a mezuzah is removed for a gentile tenant, it will presumably be reused in another home. But if the next tenant is Jewish and it’s removed, it’s more like rejection: why not let the mezuzah remain at its post?
The Nimukei Yosef (Bava Metzia 59a), quoting the Ritva, says the Shekhinah is present where a mezuzah is affixed. Removing it is like removing the Shekhinah. But again, why then is it permitted when renting to a gentile? The answer is the same: a Jewish home has a spiritual sensitivity that can be damaged by mezuzah removal. A gentile home does not retain that sensitivity.
This is similar to the idea that gentiles are not carriers of tumah (Nazir 62b). Spiritual sensitivity is required to be affected by such forces. A white garment shows stains more than a black one.
This dynamic of heightened sensitivity applies across physical, spiritual, and emotional domains. Adult survivors of childhood trauma are often more affected by stressors. Similarly, ayin hara (Pesachim 110b) is more activated when a person is more sensitized and aware, while ignoring it may offer some protection. The righteous suffer more and are judged more strictly (Bava Kama 50a); the greater a person, the greater his yetzer hara (Succah 52a). As noted in previous blogposts (Shavuos 48 and Avodah Zarah 16), when patterns repeat across multiple realms, it points to a deeper organizing principle— the will of God. Seeing these patterns helps us find meaning in suffering and connection in growth. Greater awareness brings greater vulnerability, but also deeper joy and connection.