Is a Mezuzah Required in a Storage Room?

Greetings,

A storage room that is at least four by four cubits must have a mezuzah affixed without a blessing. If possible, it is very good to affix the mezuzah in the storage room immediately after affixing the mezuzot in one’s home, and to intend in the blessing (for the mezuzot in the home) to exempt the storage room.

Sources: The obligation to affix a mezuzah in a storage room is explained in the Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De’ah (Siman 294, paragraphs 1-2), which states that wine and oil storage and a barn and wood storage are obligated in a mezuzah. Nevertheless, the Aruch Hashulchan (there, paragraph 9) wrote that one should be stringent according to the opinion of Rambam and Riaz, who exempt a barn, etc. from a mezuzah; therefore, one should affix a mezuzah there without a blessing. This is also the ruling in the book Halichot Olam, Part 8 (pages 354-356).

And the reason it is only required if it is four by four cubits in size—this is as the Shulchan Aruch wrote (there, paragraph 13) that a space without four by four cubits is exempt. If it has enough to measure a quarter of four cubits by four cubits equally, even if it is longer than it is wide or it is round or has four corners, it is obligated. However, see there in the Shach (subparagraph 23) that if it is not square four by four cubits, one should affix a mezuzah without a blessing or bless initially on another and have in mind for this one as well. And see also the Pitzei Teshuva (subparagraph 11) in the name of the Chumash Daniel, and what is written regarding this in the responsa Yabia Omer, Part 4 (Yoreh De’ah, Siman 23, letter D) and in the responsa Yechaveh Da’at, Part 4 (page 236) and in the book Halichot Olam there (pages 355-356).

With blessings,

Hillel Meirs