"And you shall inscribe them upon the doorposts of your house and upon your gates."

The mezuzah (placed inside these protective cases) consists of a parchment scroll with handwritten passages from the Shema. In its entirety, the Shema consists of three paragraphs from the Torah declaring faith in the unity of G-d; sensing that a transcendent G-d is one's very strength, life and vitality; and declaring a commitment to a Divine purpose.