From the Rav’s Desk: Must one place a Mezuzah to an air B&B two month rental?

1. Question: [Tuesday, 27^th Teves 5781]

Rabbi, I am staying in a B&B rental home for about two months. I am wondering what I should do regarding putting a Mezuzah on the doors. I know that hotel rooms don’t require a mezuzah, but my question is regarding a short rental as the above, is it also exempt from mezuzah or do I have to put on a mezuzah because I’m staying in it for a considerably long time?

Answer:

In the Diaspora, you are not obligated to place mezuzahs onto the doors until after 30 days have passed. Once 30 days have passed then you are obligated to put mezuzahs on the doorpost. However, being that this is a short-term rental of a property that is designated for short-term rentals and hence contains similarities to a hotel, therefore you should place the mezuzahs onto the doors without a blessing. This you can already do within the 30 days and don’t have to wait for 30 days to pass, and seemingly so is the proper thing to do according to the Chabad custom and so was done by Gedolei Yisrael. In Israel, one should be especially careful in this to place a mezuzah on the doors without a blessing right away even within the 30 days, by short-term rentals of more than 30 days.

Explanation: A hotel is exempt from a mezuzah even in Israel. Now, it is disputed amongst the Poskim as to whether the exemption that a hotel has from requiring a mezuzah applies only if one lives in it for less than 30 days, or even if one remains in the hotel for 30 days and longer and practically, we rule that the mezuzah should be placed on after 30 days without a blessing. The same debate and ruling would apply to all properties designated for short-term rentals such as B&B rental homes, and therefore we concluded above to put it on without a blessing and that it must be put on at the very least once 30 days of past. Furthermore, it is proper to place it even within the 30 days as soon as one moves in, just as we are accustomed to do by a rental home in the Diaspora, and all the more so in the land of Israel one is to be careful in this.

Sources: See regarding the exemption from mezuzah for the first 30 days in the Diaspora: Michaber Y.D. 286:22; Shach 286:22; Hagahos Rav Akiva Eiger 286 in name of Beis Yehuda Y.D. 19; Pischeiy Teshuvah 286:17 in name of Ashel Avraham and 286:18; Yosef Ometz 30; Siddur Derech Hachaim; Nachalas Tzevi 286; Daas Kedoshim 286; Minchas Yitzchak 10:92; Igros Kodesh 13:169; 15:389; See regarding the exemption of a hotel from a mezuzah even in Israel: Michaber ibid; See regarding a hotel of more than 30 days: Darkei Chaim Veshalom 964 [would put on bungalow immediately within the 30 days]; Sdei Chemed Mem Kelal 118 [brings dispute regarding punduk of more than 30 days; Arugas Habosem 230 [