The Perfect Home: Zecher LeChurban Ideas

We aim for perfectionism when building and renovating apartments. Nevertheless, with all the effort in the world and a top-notch kablan, I still occasionally hear from a client about something that isn't 100% perfect — through no fault of anyone. It just happens.

It was then that I realised that in galus there is no such thing as a perfect house. The only House that was 100% perfect was Hashem's house, the Beis HaMikdash, that we so badly lack.

אם אשכחך ירושלים תשכח ימיני

The Rabbis established that after the destruction of the Temple it is forbidden to build a house that's completely plastered like the palaces of kings. Rather, one should coat it with lime and plaster and leave an amah by amah area unfinished adjacent to the doorway. The minhag, however, is to be lenient and permit any type of structure as long as there is an amah by amah left unfinished.

Design ideas

Here, the zecher lechurban was made of two textured tiles, bordered with beading around it.

A nice idea is to incorporate glass either over the zecher lechurban with אם אשכחך printed on it, or one of the more original approaches shown here.

The zecher lechurban is highlighted more when wall-washer lighting is added above it for emphasis.

And how about chiselling out the outline of Yerushalayim at the bottom — this requires real skill.

כל המתאבל על ירושלים זוכה ורואה בשמחתה