barryg@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Lee Gold) (03/23/85)
Recently in a discussion of shattnes, someone asked just why Wool and
Linen were singled out as two types of cloth not to mix for a garment.
Here's a couple of possible ideas (not attempting to suggest they are
either the only reasons nor sufficient reasons for fulfilling the mitzva).
Wool is derived from an animal; linen from a plant.
This might lead to a generalization not to mix animal fibres and
plant fibres in clothing. (Insect-made fibres like silk might count
as animal or as a third caegory. Mineral-derived fibres like nylon
might count as neutral.)
Wool is cleansed by immersion in COLD water; linen by immersion in
BOILING water. This means that you can NEVER get a garment that
mixes linen and wool completely clean by conventional soap & water
washing.
This might lead to a generalization about not mixing items that
would create a product that couldn't be kept non-grungy.
I'm not familiar with the halacha on this issue. Does it take either
line of approach or a third one?
--Lee Goldmeth@csd2.UUCP (Asher Meth) (03/26/85)
Or leyom shelishi, 4 NISSAN 5745 Lee Gold writes concerning Shaatnes and a possible humanistic interpretation : >Wool is derived from an animal; linen from a plant. > This might lead to a generalization not to mix animal fibres and >plant fibres in clothing. (Insect-made fibres like silk might count >as animal or as a third caegory. Mineral-derived fibres like nylon >might count as neutral.) The intent of the question i posed (why were linen and wool picked as the two substances that are an illegal mix, and not any other substances) was not to try and come up with a logical (human-reason based) explanation. It was an attempt to show that Judaism based on a humanistic viewpoint is not what the HaShem intended. I therefore posed some questions that would be quite difficult to explain in humanistic terms. The thrust of the question was to ask Adam Reed - why wool and linen ? What is so special about this specific combination, to the exclusion of all other combinations ? If you attempt to come up with an answer, it must not only explain why wool and linen are forbidden, but must also explain why wool and cotton are not forbidden (hey, an animal and a plant; there goes Lee Gold's explanation). And, in fact, what about the example Lee gave in parentheses : wool and silk. There is a dispute among the rabbis concerning this mixture. Can you explain both sides of the dispute - why should it be forbidden, and on the other hand, why should it not be forbidden. Today, wool and silk are permitted. The reason of those who wished to forbid it (under the category of wool and linen) is that in those times it was difficult to distinguish between them (either between the two mixtures, or between linen and silk, or between linen and silk when in any mixture). Today we can easily distinguish between them, so the prohibition of the rabbis on wool and silk (as a special decree to help prevent one from breaking the law of shaatnes) was not necessary and was revoked by the rabbis. (I have to check into this a bit more - concerning this revoking of the decree.) asher meth allegra!cmcl2!csd2!meth meth@nyu-csd2.arpa
meth@csd2.UUCP (Asher Meth) (03/27/85)
A slight correction to what i wrote yesterday.
Concerning mixtures of wool and silk : the sources are - Mishnah Kilayim 9:2,
Yerushalmi Kilayim 9:1 or 2, Yoreh Deah 298.
The prohibition of this mixture is mentioned together with the reason that this
looks like linen (hence, wool and linen - forbidden). The Shulchan Aruch says
however, that since today we can easily distinguish between the two (linen and
silk) the prohibition is revoked. The Pischei Teshuvah (298:1) asks - do we not
have a general rule that if something was forbidden, even if the reason for the
prohibition became obsolete, the prohibition remain intact ? To which he notes,
see the Magen Avraham, Orach Chaim 239:3.
The bottom line is - wool and silk are permissible today according to the
poskim.
asher methfsks@unc.UUCP (Frank Silbermann) (03/27/85)
In article <sdcrdcf.1855> barryg@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Lee Gold) writes: >Recently in a discussion of shattnes, someone asked just why Wool and >Linen were singled out as two types of cloth not to mix for a garment. > >Wool is derived from an animal; linen from a plant. Just a guess: Maybe it has something to do with the story of Cain and Abel? Cain grew plants; Abel raised sheep. Frank Silbermann
meth@csd2.UUCP (Asher Meth) (03/27/85)
Oops.
A correction on the last source I quoted yesterday.
The Pischei Teshuvah brings down the Taz, Orach Chaim 339:3, who says that if
something is "lo shechiach" (doesn't occur; not likely to happen) then the rule
of "batla ta-am lo batlah gezeirah" does not apply.
asher meth