Why did God command we not wear clothing of two different kinds of material (Leviticus 19:19)
I am new to this community and it actually wasn't till recent that I opened my bible and began studying it again.
The whole thing came about, when a friend started asking me about some of the "stranger" verses in the bible and why most Christians don't follow those rules today.
The dietary rules such as the commands to not eat shellfish, pork, craw fish, shrimp, etc. I can begin to understand, because as I research, I see there are a ton of diseases and cases of influenza that are tied to eating pork. Shrimp, shellfish,ect. are loaded with cholesterol and as I think about it, I can rationalize why God might command such things.
However, there are a few things in Leviticus I can't comprehend. For one, Leviticus 19:19.
Leviticus 19:19
19 “ ‘Keep my decrees.
“ ‘Do not mate different kinds of animals.
“ ‘Do not plant your field with two kinds of seed.
“ ‘Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material.
Why would God say this? Does it apply to our life now a days or was it contextual? I don't think a single piece of my garment is 100% cotton.
I know one does not need to get caught up in the nitpicking of the "laws" and that there are far more important commands I should be focusing on. However, if I come across a "do not..." in the bible, I want to be aware and try my best to keep them because they are ultimately for my well being.
The whole thing came about, when a friend started asking me about some of the "stranger" verses in the bible and why most Christians don't follow those rules today.
The dietary rules such as the commands to not eat shellfish, pork, craw fish, shrimp, etc. I can begin to understand, because as I research, I see there are a ton of diseases and cases of influenza that are tied to eating pork. Shrimp, shellfish,ect. are loaded with cholesterol and as I think about it, I can rationalize why God might command such things.
However, there are a few things in Leviticus I can't comprehend. For one, Leviticus 19:19.
Leviticus 19:19
19 “ ‘Keep my decrees.
“ ‘Do not mate different kinds of animals.
“ ‘Do not plant your field with two kinds of seed.
“ ‘Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material.
Why would God say this? Does it apply to our life now a days or was it contextual? I don't think a single piece of my garment is 100% cotton.
I know one does not need to get caught up in the nitpicking of the "laws" and that there are far more important commands I should be focusing on. However, if I come across a "do not..." in the bible, I want to be aware and try my best to keep them because they are ultimately for my well being.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Ted Walther on -
It is about Holiness. YHWH said "I am holy, therefore be thou Holy".
Holy means "separated". In todays political climate, I am taking a risk here, but the most accurate translation of Qadosh (Holy) is actually "Segregated".
Our Creators first act was to Segregate light from dark. And then dry from wet. And so on down. A practical experience of fractal mathematics will give tremendous insight into this aspect of holiness.
When we keep Holiness in mind, we don't fall for one world political orders, and we don't fall for the idea that "all believers are Israelites" and we especially don't fall for perversions like GMO foods, hybridized foods and animals, homosexual behavior, ecumenicalism, and other similar examples of mingling/adulteration/pollution/bastardization.
By keeping the very fabric of your clothing segregated, you are faced with a daily reminder to keep the rest of your life segregated as well.
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Permalink Reply by Ted Walther on
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There is nothing nitpicky about observing the clothing laws. It is fairly simple to clean your wardrobe and wear 100% cotton. 100% wool is harder to find; socks were the one item I had to search long and hard to get into compliance with Torah.
One benefit of observing the clothing laws is, you end up with a higher quality of clothing for the same budget. Just try it; you'll see. Unmixed fabric has to be made to a higher standard. Mixed fabric is a cheapening measure, a cost-cutting measure.
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Permalink Reply by Jason on
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I am not sure what translation you are using, but the best thing to do is to go back to the hebrew.
the text is very specific about wool and linen.
Can you mix other materials used for clothing together worn back then? Yes, cotton, leather, etc... just not wool and linen?
Why not blend wool and linen? you can drash this out all you want. Maybe it creates a fabric that would not breathe...
As for the animals and seeds, when you get cross pollinate, you get hybrids and this weakens the strengths of that stock. This is an abomination to YHVH and his children. What has science done?
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Lev 19:19
(ASV) Ye shall keep my statutes. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind: thou shalt not sow thy field with two kinds of seed: neither shall there come upon thee a garment of two kinds of stuff mingled together.
(ESV) "You shall keep my statutes. You shall not let your cattle breed with a different kind. You shall not sow your field with two kinds of seed, nor shall you wear a garment of cloth made of two kinds of material.
(HOT) את־חקתי תשׁמרו בהמתך לא־תרביע כלאים שׂדך לא־תזרע כלאים ובגד כלאים שׁעטנז לא יעלה עליך׃
(HOT+) אתH853 חקתיH2708 תשׁמרוH8104 בהמתךH929 לאH3808 תרביעH7250 כלאיםH3610 שׂדךH7704 לאH3808 תזרעH2232 כלאיםH3610 ובגדH899 כלאיםH3610 שׁעטנזH8162 לאH3808 יעלהH5927 עליך׃H5921
(JPS) Ye shall keep My statutes. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind; thou shalt not sow thy field with two kinds of seed; neither shall there come upon thee a garment of two kinds of stuff mingled together.
(KJV) Ye shall keep my statutes. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind: thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed: neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woollen come upon thee.
(KJV+) Ye shall keep^H8104 (H853) my statutes.^H2708 Thou shalt not^H3808 let thy cattle^H929 gender^H7250 with a diverse kind:^H3610 thou shalt not^H3808 sow^H2232 thy field^H7704 with mingled seed:^H3610 neither^H3808 shall a garment^H899 mingled^H3610 of linen and woollen^H8162 come^H5927 upon^H5921 thee.
(LXX) Τὸν νόμον μου φυλάξεσθε· τὰ κτήνη σου οὐ κατοχεύσεις ἑτεροζύγῳ καὶ τὸν ἀμπελῶνά σου οὐ κατασπερεῖς διάφορον καὶ ἱμάτιον ἐκ δύο ὑφασμένον κίβδηλον οὐκ ἐπιβαλεῖς σεαυτῷ.
(The Scriptures 1998+) ‘Guard My laws. Do not let your livestock mate with another kind. Do not sow your field with mixed seed. And do not put a garment woven of two sorts of thread upon you.
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I love Benner's book
Ancient Hebrew Lexicon of the Bible - Jeff Benner
Clothing/Garment - H899
Strongs #899: AHLB#: 2004 (N)
2004) Dcb% (Dcb% BGD) ac: Cover co: Clothing ab: Deceive: A covering of the body or actions in a faithless or treacherous manner.
V) Dcb% (Dcb% B-GD) - Deceive: A covert action of treachery or deceit. [freq. 49] (vf: Paal) |kjv: treacherously, transgress, deceitfully, unfaithful, offend| {str: 898}
Nm) Dcb% (Dcb% B-GD) - Clothing: Garments for covering. [freq. 217] |kjv: garment, clothes, cloth, raiment, apparel, robe| {str: 899}
cm) Dfcb% (Dfcb% B-GWD) - Treacherous: A covert act of deceit or treachery. [freq. 2] |kjv: treacherous| {str: 901}
gf1) Edcfb% (Edcfb% BW-G-DH) - Treacherous: A covert act of deceit or treachery. [freq. 1] |kjv: treacherous| {str: 900}
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Mingle - H3610
Strongs #3610: AHLB#: 1242-E (e)
1242) Lk% (Lk% KL) ac: Complete co: Vessel ab: Whole: The pictograph k is a picture of the bent palm representing the bending or subduing of the will, the l is a picture of a shepherd staff or yoke. Combined these mean "tame for the yoke". An animal or land that is tamed has been worked and is complete and ready for use. Taming include; construction of holding pens, putting the soil to the plow, harvesting of crops, milk or meat. One eats once the harvest is complete. (eng: whole; cell; cellar)
E) Alk% (Alk% KLA) ac: Restrain co: Prison ab: ?: A prison or fold for restraining men or animals in the sense of whole.
V) Alk% (Alk% K-LA) - Restrain: To hold back or prevent someone or something. [freq. 18] (vf: Paal, Niphal, Piel) |kjv: shut up, stay, refrain, withhold, keep, finish, forbid, retain| {str: 3607}
Nm) Alk% (Alk% K-LA) - Prison: [freq. 10] |kjv: prison| {str: 3608}
bm) Ailk% (Ailk% K-LYA) - Prison: [df: awlk] [freq. 2] |kjv: prison| {str: 3628}
e m) Alik% (Alik% KY-LA) - Mixture: [Unknown connection to root] [freq. 4] |kjv: mingle, diverse| {str: 3610}
hf1) Ealkm% (Ealkm% MK-L-AH) - Fold: [freq. 3] |kjv: fold| {str: 4356}
NOTE!!!!!!!!!!
This is not the common word for "mix", "mixing" which is
Mix - H6154
Strongs #6154: AHLB#: 2573 (N)
2573) Bro% (Bro% AhRB) ac: Mix co: Market ab: ?: A mixture of wares as found in the market place.
V) Bro% (Bro% Ah-RB) - I. Barter: To exchange an item or service for another. [Hebrew and Aramaic] II. Mix: As mixing one thing with another. [Hebrew and Aramaic] III. Sweet: [Unknown connection to root;] [freq. 34] (vf: Paal, Hitpael, Participle) |kjv: surety, meddle, mingle, pledge, become, engage, intermeddle, mortgage, occupier, occupy, undertake, sweet, pleasure, pleasing, pleasant, mingle| {str: 6148, 6149, 6151}
Nm) Bro% (Bro% Ah-RB) - I. Woof: For the mixing of cords when weaving. II. Mixed: III. Sweet: [Unknown connection to root;] [freq. 13] |kjv: woof, mixed, sweet| {str: 6154, 6156}
am) Brom% (Brom% MAh-RB) - I. Merchandise: What is used in bartering. II. Market: A mixture of wares for sale or trade. [freq. 9] |kjv: merchandise, market| {str: 4627}
cm) Bfro% (Bfro% Ah-RWB) - Swarm: As a mixture of insects. [freq. 9] |kjv: swarm, flies| {str: 6157}
df1) Ebfro% (Ebfro% Ah-RW-BH) - Barter: As an exchange for something else. [freq. 2] |kjv: pledge, surety| {str: 6161}
jm) Nfbro% (Nfbro% AhR-BWN) - Token: Something given as a promise as an exchange. [freq. 3] |kjv: pledge| {str: 6162}
idf1) Ebfrot% (Ebfrot% TAh-RW-BH) - Barter: What is used in bartering. [freq. 2] |kjv: hostage| {str: 8594}
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Wool and Linen - H8162
Strongs #8162: AHLB#: 4020
4020) Znuos% (Znuos% Sh-AhTh-NZ) - Linsey-woolsey: (origin: Unknown) [freq. 2] |kjv: garment of diverse sorts, linen and woollen| {str: 8162}
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This is very interesting because the language reads so much differently, than what you have written,
KJV - neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woollen come upon thee.
This is passive.
Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material.
This is active.
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The following is from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linen
The quality of the finished linen product is often dependent upon growing conditions and harvesting techniques. To generate the longest possible fibers, flax is either hand-harvested by pulling up the entire plant or stalks are cut very close to the root. After harvesting, the seeds are removed through a mechanized process called “rippling” or by winnowing.
The fibers must then be loosened from the stalk. This is achieved through retting. This is a process which uses bacteria to decompose the pectin that binds the fibers together. Natural retting methods take place in tanks and pools, or directly in the fields. There are also chemical retting methods; these are faster, but are typically more harmful to the environment and to the fibers themselves.
After retting, the stalks are ready for scutching, which takes place between August and December. Scutching removes the woody portion of the stalks by crushing them between two metal rollers, so that the parts of the stalk can be separated. The fibers are removed and the other parts such as linseed, shive, and tow are set aside for other uses. Next the fibers are heckled: the short fibers are separated with heckling combs by 'combing' them away, to leave behind only the long, soft flax fibers.
After the fibers have been separated and processed, they are typically spun into yarns and woven or knit into linen textiles. These textiles can then be bleached, dyed, printed on, or finished with a number of treatments or coatings
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(KJV) Ye shall keep my statutes. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind: thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed: neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woollen come upon thee.
The last portion is a promise if you keep the first!!! This is a blessing that you will not LACK linen material and woollen material for making clothes for winter and summer!!! WoW What a blessing!!!
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Permalink Reply by Ted Walther on
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Good observation that it was a blessing to not have to wear wool mingled with linen. But given the context of not interbreeding your livestock, etc, it is very indicative that we shouldn't mingle wool with rayon or nylon either; there is a principle of Holiness to be preserved, to remind us of our Father in Heaven, who is Holy over all. What is his spirit called? The Holy Spirit.
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Permalink Reply by Michael Thornton on -
Jason said:I am not sure what translation you are using, but the best thing to do is to go back to the hebrew.
the text is very specific about wool and linen. Can you mix other materials used for clothing together worn back then? Yes, cotton, leather, etc... just not wool and linen?
Why not blend wool and linen? you can drash this out all you want. Maybe it creates a fabric that would not breathe...
That's actually the NIV version. So do you figure this verse isn't talking about like polyester and such?
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The last part is a drashing... if you want to apply that to yourself boca tov, but you cannot cast the codemnation that someone who wears wool and nylon (or rayon) mixed garment is not chedosh...
why would someone wear it... IDK... maybe because they were naked...
Since we are only looking at Lev 19:19 and not Deuteronomy 22:9-11, let just focus on the first.
Look at this from an agricultural perspective, when you intermingle species of animals to make hybrids like horse + donkey = mule. a mule is a hybrid that cannot reproduce - mules are sterile. Once a mule is mixed you cannot unmix the genetic code, nor can it reproduce after itself.
if you eat the "pure/clean" sheep, use the skins and harvest the wool while your are trying to mix sheep with other animals, then your flocks would deplete within a couple generations. When the new offspring is not be able to reproduce, then you would be without food, wool, leather for scrolls, etc.
if you did the same with the seeds, and bad yields, then you would start having to mix wool and linen because both resources would deplete. thus a sign of a poor nation dying off.
I like my socks with elastic, and my sweats pants with elastic...
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Permalink Reply by Ted Walther on
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>I like my socks with elastic, and my sweats pants with elastic...
That looks like the real reason for your interpretation. You are afraid to go without elastic in your garments. With good wool socks, you don't need elastic; they are comfortable anyway. As for sweat pants, those are generally made of blended fabric anyway. But having a specific elastic fabric sewn onto the waist of the pants is not forbidden. It is a union of two distinct fabrics, but not a mingling of them. It is like wearing a linen shirt and a woollen overcoat. Not forbidden.
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not forbidden? thanks for clarifying... you should give credit to the one who interprets that halakah... like:
"...not forbidden by the rabbis", "not forbidden according to Ted Walther..."
out of all the wonderful things that I wrote, you want to condemn me for that...
Did Yah really give you super natural powers to read hearts and minds?
I am thankful you are not a judge over Israel or at least me...
Ted Walther said:>I like my socks with elastic, and my sweats pants with elastic...
That looks like the real reason for your interpretation. You are afraid to go without elastic in your garments. With good wool socks, you don't need elastic; they are comfortable anyway. As for sweat pants, those are generally made of blended fabric anyway. But having a specific elastic fabric sewn onto the waist of the pants is not forbidden. It is a union of two distinct fabrics, but not a mingling of them. It is like wearing a linen shirt and a woollen overcoat. Not forbidden.
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or do not round the edges of your beard... this could also be translated as "curl" like what the orthodox do... but that is another discussion all together...
Mark & Sharon said:Hi Guys,
Since you are on Leviticus 19, we were just wondering how you interpret verse 27,
'Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard.'
Peace M & S
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Permalink Reply by Flint on -
Linen was worn by the priests. Wool was common cloth. Do a search of linen in the scriptures and you will learn a lot that may help you understand this better.
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Permalink Reply by michaela Relin on -
Hi ,The answer to this is so exciting...Linen and wool have frequencies that are good for us this article tells you more .http://www.fabrics-store.com/blog/2009/05/20/linen-the-preferred-fa... for some more info see Paul Nison at Torah Life Ministries .
linen has a 5000 freq and wool also if you mix the two together they cancel each out .Just goes to show that the laws are ther to protect us BARUCH HASHEM.
Regards Michaela
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Permalink Reply by Ted Walther on
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Michaela, I came across that article several years ago, on the Jewish Adventists website. The website is no longer around. The author is anonymous, and they didn't quote any scientific studies or other sources so I could find more information.
For instance, how do they determine the "frequency" of these different fabrics? Who did it, and when? It has all the ear-marks of an urban legend.
I say these things, because I really WANT it to be true. It is a beautiful story, and would make it easy to explain to people why they shouldn't mix fabric. But I'm not going to give out unverifiable facts, and this one has nothing to substantiate it.
For now, the safest answer is that not wearing mixed fabric, is to remind us of the importance of holiness, just as the tzitzit are a reminder that we are surrounded by heaven, and YHWH sees everything.
By the way, the link you gave is broken; it doesn't show the article. But I know the one you are talking about. If you can get information on WHO wrote the article, I would love to add it to my spiritual arsenal.
Ted
michaela Relin said:Hi ,The answer to this is so exciting...Linen and wool have frequencies that are good for us this article tells you more .http://www.fabrics-store.com/blog/2009/05/20/linen-the-preferred-fa... for some more info see Paul Nison at Torah Life Ministries .
linen has a 5000 freq and wool also if you mix the two together they cancel each out .Just goes to show that the laws are ther to protect us BARUCH HASHEM.
Regards Michaela
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