Shatnez is cloth containing both wool and linen (linsey-woolsey), which Jewish law, derived from the Torah, prohibits wearing. According to Jewish tradition, for what it is worth, the offering they were to give was for Passover. Do any of us doubt that these are still in force and to be kept? For this reason, Israelites were not to mix wool and linen, nor mix physically with those around them. A “Christian” website reasoned along similar but exactly opposite lines when it opined that wool is Old Covenant or “works,” and linen is New Covenant and “grace.” It went on to state that the two can nevermix! Its classic texture makes it a hot commodity in home decor. ..” The Hebrew word underlying “statutes” is shamar, “to hedge about, guard, protect, attend to, preserve, observe, and to treasure up in your memory.” God covers a great deal of ground in the first 18 verses, so at the chapter’s half way mark, He inserts a reminder that these laws and life principles, this huge amount of wisdom, is to be guarded, protected, attended to, preserved, and observed. Some of the physical rituals—such as circumcision, the various washings, sacrifices and offerings—may not have to be performed anymore, but the spiritual intent lives on. This very practical reason could have greater spiritual meaning as we consider all of the possible meanings of this portion of scripture and we’ll get to that as I share my thoughts with you in the course of this article. This was written in 1871, so when the authors refer to “researches of modern science,” they are speaking of not-so-modern research. What do we know of mixing fabrics? For further study, here are some books that we've found to be valuable resources. Ancient Egyptians made heavy use of linen fabric, and it is only as late as 19th and 20th centuries that the western world has come to realize the superiority of linen over cotton. There were five fibers in use at the time—silk, wool, linen, hemp, and cotton—and according to Alice Dolan, a scholar of linen’s history in England, linen has certain advantages over the others. Nor shall a garment of mixed linen and wool come upon you.” Sandwiched between His admonition to bear no grudges and love your neighbor (verse 18) and the penalty for adultery (verse 20), we have these three directives. And what accord has Christ with Belial? Understand the meaning of Deuteronomy 22:11 using all available Bible versions and commentary. These might have been things that these rural people just knew not to do; you didn’t mix linen with wool because of the danger of the fabric tearing under wear and with shrinkage; you didn’t let your cattle gender with a diverse kind because it destroyed the integrity of the breed and you didn’t sow your field with mingled seed because it made it difficult, if not impossible to harvest effectively. More importantly, the apostle clearly indicates that the principle still applies! That the priest’s white undergarment was made of linen and his vestment was made of wool is true, but they are two different articles of clothing, not one item of mixed fabrics. What is God telling the Israelites in these chapters? This is said of Egypt; to make linen of silk denotes to counterfeit truths. The same applies with snaps or Velcro, since they can be easily detached. There is one restriction, however, in wearing wool and linen garments on top of each other: One needs to determine if the inner garment can somehow be removed without completely removing the outer … This short piece on our website ends by pointing out that wearing such materials in not a sin in itself. It is the principle of clean and unclean, righteous and unrighteous, Christian or pagan, Egypt or God. Verse 1 informs us that God spoke directly to Moses and that he was to share all of this with the children of Israel. [Here I imagine God saying: “Let me give you an illustration to which you can relate.”]. Moreover, Abel’s lamb resembles the paschal lamb, but Cain’s offering recalls Egypt, which is identified by its production and use of linen. Firstly there are a few “could be’s”. Wool is a heavier material so it drapes strongly over the body, offering sleek lines. The phrase “garment of different sorts” is from the Hebrew sha’atnez, literally “mixed stuff,” which Orthodox Jews define as specifically wool and linen together, not any other mixture. Jerusalem, En Gedi, Caesarea, Gamla, Bet She'an, Last Days of Jesus and more. linen definition: 1. strong cloth made from the fibres of the flax plant: 2. sheets, tablecloths, etc. China also has very large farms for sheep to … This same principle applies to mixing wool and linen. The same could be true of letting cattle gender with diverse kind and sowing mingled seed in one’s field. The part that Paul quotes at the end—“I will be their God, and they shall be My people”—is found in at least a half-dozen Old Testament verses (Jeremiah 24:7; 31:33; 32:38; Ezekiel 11:20; 37:23, 27; Zechariah 8:8). Flax/Linen Source. It is therefore permitted to wear a wool coat together with an inner lining of linen, if they are buttoned (but not sewn) together. Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. Nor is idol worship (verse 4) comparable with gleaning the fields (verse 9). God is not capricious that way; there is great good in following His instructions, even if they are no longer binding under the New Covenant. “…Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind: thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed: neither shalt a garment mingled of linen and woolen come upon thee.”. Certainly, all of one or the other produces a better quality garment. On a symbolic level, mixing the … Mishnah and the Words of Jesus They shall not bind themselves with anything that causes sweat. This is where linen comes in as a super-fabric. Wool comes from sheep and linen from flax. These same traditions have Cain bringing flax (from which linen is made) and Abel, a sheep (and thus wool). Looking at the symbolism of the purity laws in the Old Testament. Now you might take these instructions literally just as the orthodox Jews and Hasidic Jews take the tenants of Deut 6 literally : “…and thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.”, and it would probably do you no harm to do so, but personally, I don’t believe that these verses were meant to be taken literally but to be interpreted figuratively. . Thou shalt not wear a bed garment of wool and flax together (Deut. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? In hot climates, it brings on malignant fevers and exhausts the strength; and when passing off from the body, it meets with the heated air, inflames and excoriates like a blister. Even the word “shatnez” is mysterious. One explanation could be that different threads or fabrics like linen and wool would react to wear and shrinkage in vastly different ways and combining them could lead to premature damaging of the cloth. It would not be surprising if there are health benefits to not mixing these fabrics as well. In hot climates, it brings on malignant fevers and exhausts the strength; and when passing off from the body, it meets with the heated air, inflames and excoriates like a blister. But does not the apostle Paul do just that in this verse? The majority of wool (72.8%) is used in apparel, home furnishing account for 15-45%, industrial uses 6 to 7% and exports 5%, wool accounts for 3.3% of all fibres for apparel. Verses 3 and 4 cover the first, second, fourth, and fifth commandments, and the following four verses deal with sacrificing. Some suggest that the focus is on dressing in clothing distinct from the pagan cultures that surrounded the Israelites. “Defile not yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you: And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants. But if mixing these fabrics is not a sin, what is the point for us? Let’s read some of what it says in chapter 18 as an introduction to understanding 19:19. The point is that a spiritual principle is involved, and it is nothing more than the principle of separation. View Dr. Blizzard's new YouTube: "Science and the Bible". So as to not mixing wool and linen, there could well be health benefits, just as there are health benefits to circumcising baby boys on their eighth day. Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? God has no part in it! When choosing between a wool and a linen blazer, one consideration is style. You are a special people. Each of these can be of spiritual significance once we understand the gist of what these few chapters, in particular, are all about. The truth is that if this is so, it is an explanation lost in antiquity but one which may have made perfect sense to the people of the time. He clarifies that wearing linen by itself is not forbidden, just that it represents Egypt. The other is from animal protein fiber, such as wool and silk. Flax. wool and linen mixed together” (emphasis ours). . Perhaps the combining of linen and wool had some more sinister significance than is apparent to us at first reading – perhaps it was linked to the warding off ‘spirits’ or perhaps providing some special power or invoking some special favor from a deity worshiped at that time. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” (II Corinthians 6:14-16). Christ gave Himself for us, to redeem us from sin, which is grace. They shall have nothing of wool on them, while they minister at the gates of the inner court, and within. You could take these instructions literally or you could find some figurative or metaphoric meaning in what they have to say. Since it is a product of natural animal hair, it doesn't rot as readily as vegetable fibers like cotton or linen. Linen (/ ˈ l ɪ n ə n /) is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant. Even so, few of us farm the land anymore, so what does mixing livestock or seed have to do with us? Join over 145,000 other subscribers. "Thou shalt not wear a mingled stuff, wool and linen together." The second reason why China produces about 18% of the world’s wool is its significance in the textile and clothing industries in the country. For that matter, how many tailors do we have today? Further, Paul writes in Titus 2:14, speaking of Christ, “Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed, and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.” Recall the “Christian” website mentioned earlier that asserted that wool stands for works and linen represents grace, and the two can never be mixed. It is still the prime choice for high-quality business suits, warm sweaters, and premium carpets. Except now it is God’s church that is separated out. One thus might more reasonably ask why linen lost out (eventually) during cotton’s rise. Of course not. We will consider several possibilities for God stating that we should not wear wool and linen together. These were things Egyptians did, and perhaps some of the Israelites had adopted those practices. Just as God wanted the physical nation of Israel to be kept separate from the nations around it, we are to maintain spiritual separation from the sin that surrounds us. However, there are proven health benefits to circumcision. Before the arrival of wool and cotton, linen fabric was the most important fabric. Linen represents righteousness. A wise principle to follow in selecting either a pure or mixed garment is to purchase the best quality one can afford—it will last longer and fit better than inferior, less expensive clothes. address than the relative success of cotton versus linen. Wool today is prized for its beauty and durability. Before coming to a conclusion, we need to look at the context in which God gave this statute. Ezekiel 44:17-18 ESV The significance of linen is revealed in Revelation 19:6-8. Add your review to Amazon.com. Learn more. Join us for a Travel Study tour of Israel, coming soon. Verses 9-10 handle harvesting procedures and leaving something for the poor. Even if linen threads were used to sew buttons onto a wool suit, or to reinforce shoulder pads Shatnez is forbidden whether the mixture of wool and linen occurred at the stage of combing, spinning or weaving. Linen is a textile made from hairs of the flax plant. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. —Deuteronomy 22:11. Rather, God does not want manufacturers producing shoddy materials in order to take advantage of their customers. Then he goes on to say that Jesus did this to purify us, to set us apart, to make us a people “zealous for good works.” He redeemed us by grace so we could strive to live a sinless life, which we fail at repeatedly. As God has said: “I will dwell in them and walk among them. It was awful to experience and we highly do NOT recommend any further testing. What is the strangest law in the Bible? Its frequency is 5,000. By around 1200 AD, in fact, wool production had become a major component of the Italian economy. When you interweave these fibers, you are mixing two very diverse kinds together as one. These threads were distinctive, because linen is from a plant (often flax) fiber, while wool is from animal fiber. Rabbinic commentators believe that many of God’s statutes are of that sort. The question was asked, “What does it mean? What we generally know about clothing agrees with this. Linen is bast fiber. | THE WILL OF THE LORD: NEW INSIGHTS INTO ROMANS 12:1-2 ». [8] In Moses:--Thou shalt not plough with an ox and an ass together. Linen fabric is made from the cellulose fibers that grow inside of the stalks of the flax plant, or Linum usitatissimum, one of the oldest cultivated plants in human history. Europe as a whole was much more geared to flax and linen production than to wool or cotton in the 18th century, and linen was more directly comparable with cotton in functional terms. Some of these verses deal with the Ten Commandments. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. The great medieval Jewish scholar, Maimonides, wrote that ancient pagan priests used to wear wool and linen together while practicing the occult and idol worship. It is about being different from the world around us. When we examine the commandments of God, sometimes confusing is centered around Leviticus chapter 19 verse 19. Deuteronomy 22:11 reads, “You shall not wear a [singular] garment of . Wool is chosen for flags because of its excellent ability to withstand water. It can also mean to dedicate or consecrate oneself or to sanctify (set apart for a specific purpose) oneself. These people were farmers, perhaps these things were common knowledge to them and the writer was using them as an illustration for the point he was making in these chapters. This page is also available in: हिन्दी (Hindi) Wool and Linen “You shall not wear a garment of different sorts, such as wool and linen mixed together“ (Deuteronomy 22:11 also Leviticus 19:19).. The word doesn’t look like a Hebrew one, and linguists have speculated that the term may come from the Coptic words “saht” (woven) and “nudj” (false) or from the Arabic words “shash” (black gauze) and “atmuz” (strong). Linen on the body trunk, wool socks, wool gloves, wool scarf, wool scarf. These ways were totally opposed to the ways of Torah and God YHWH sets out clearly what we are and are not to do. No, of course not. A 100% silk tie is preferred over a blend, and so on. What does that mean? In the same way, writing “them on the doorposts of your house” had something to do with remembering Torah every time you entered your home and every time you allowed a stranger into your home and writing them “on your gates” meant that you remembered God’s commandments, his statutes and ordinances every time you left your home and walked out through your gates so that you would not be defiled by the world into which you were to enter. He is telling them not to follow after the ways of the pagan world into which they were to be plunged. They will give me food and water, wool and linen, olive oil and wine.' Different from those around you and you will do it by obeying his commandments, statutes and ordinances and by not following after the ways of the people living in the lands you are to possess. The Hebrew word here comes from the root word “qadash” which means, ‘to be, to make ceremonially clean or morally clean. Woollen definition: Woollen clothes or materials are made from wool or from a mixture of wool and artificial... | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples In contrast, a more recent, non-Jewish writer said the reason for this law was that both the priestly garments of the Old Testament and the Tabernacle weavings were a combination of wool and linen, so laypersons were prohibited from dressing the same way. Yet none of these explanations is universally accepted, and the origin of the word remains unknown. The most beneficial was linen, while silk had none at all. It is possible that pagan priests wore this mix; that one fabric signifies the Old Covenant, and the other, the New; that it was simply a consumer protection law; or that all of the above are true, which is likely. A final thought is that it is also interesting to note that linen is a product of a riverine agricultural economy, such as that of the Nile Valley, while wool is a product of a desert, pastoral economy, such as that of the Hebrew tribes. What does it mean to be holy? made from…. Another possibility for God giving this command involves the story of Cain and Abel in Genesis 4. Verse 13 gives counsel on dealing with neighbors and employees, and verse 14, with the handicapped. God doesn’t like mixed seed. The laws of God give us our borders, our limits. Wool did well, but its benefits were not nearly as good as linen. the observations and researches of modern science have proved that wool, when combined with linen, increases its power of passing off electricity from the body. Wool is also 5,000, but when mixed together with linen, the frequencies cancel each other out and fall to zero. | Even if linen threads were used to sew buttons onto a wool suit, or to reinforce shoulder pads, this is forbidden as shatnez.3 Therefore, he reasoned, we should stay away from sha’atnez. Since they differ markedly in strength, washability, absorption, and so forth, they should not be mixed. God used this as an example that signifies mixing righteousness with unrighteousness. However, some see a symbolic reminder in the mitzva of Shaatnez to the first, terrible clash between brothers, that resulted in Kayin killing Hevel. Where does this leave us in terms of Deuteronomy 22:11 and Leviticus 19:19? Should a Christian Wear Clothing of Mixed Fibers (Leviticus 19:19). Before I go there let me say this: “There are two ways that you could approach this verse (19). The ancient Romans had a poetic name for linen, textus ventilus, meaning “woven wind.” Though probably the world’s oldest fabric, linen is still kicking it in the 21st century. Then verse 2 of chapter 19: “…you shall be holy as I the Lord (YHWH) am holy.”. The prohibition against wearing clothing mixed of wool and linen is also difficult to understand. One kind is from plant cellulose fiber, such as linen and cotton. They who make linen of silk shall blush, and the weaver, of curtains (Isa. “You shall not wear a garment of different sorts, such as wool and linen mixed together." Remember that the Tenach (Torah, Nevi’im, Ketuvum) [Torah, Prophets and Writings] were only divided into chapters in about 1205 and so chapter 18 is very much a part of chapter 19. This daily newsletter provides a starting point for personal study, and gives valuable insight into the verses that make up the Word of God. Verse 16 condemns gossip, and verses 17-18 concern familial relationships. the observations and researches of modern science have proved that wool, when combined with linen, increases its power of passing off electricity from the body.
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