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From: meth@csd2.UUCP (Asher Meth)
Newsgroups: net.religion.jewish
Subject: Re: Wool vs Linen
Message-ID: <3780025@csd2.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 25-Mar-85 19:55:00 EST
Article-I.D.: csd2.3780025
Posted: Mon Mar 25 19:55:00 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 29-Mar-85 02:58:57 EST
References: <1855@sdcrdcf.UUCP>
Organization: New York University
Lines: 39

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necessary and was revoked by the rabbis.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