Baruch HaShem

  For me there is only one avenue.  The Word. 

Hey Les,

 Where I live there are 4 Jews that I know of.  I'm the most observant of any of them.  The closest synagogue to me would be about 800ks.  I do visit a Synagogue when in the states from time to time.  I'm usually there for only 3 months and at least 5 different states, visiting family and friends.  It's been 6 years now.  So my odds of being able to visit a Chabad are slim but I do appreciate it.

  As far as isolation is concerned that is something I'm pretty used to.  I was a Baptist preachers kid growing up in SLC UT 95% mormon at that time.  High school I went to a school in Bolivia that was in the middle of no where about 300 ks from any city that had 24 hr electricity.  The closest village was about 20 mins away by car which there was only one for 200 people in the boarding school I went too.  That was isolated.

  When I pastored a church I was getting into the "OT" and most of my church really didn't like that, that only lasted a few years.  Last 18 I've lived here, culturally, language,, beliefs, even internet wasn't good till a year or so ago (for me last week changed servers).  Me and isolation are good buddies, He is the one who has given me the time to study, consider all this stuff.  I do write a couple of 'ask a rabbi' type things but the answers tend to be curt.  So even them I only write when I can't find an answer any where else.

Hello Les,

  A while back I made the comment that tallits are mix of wool and linen as well the priestly garments.  I wasn't able to give any quote any where to back up what I said so I just left it even though I knew it to be true.  Please see this link below.

http://www.chabad.org/multimedia/live_cdo/aid/1427037/jewish/Wool-and-LinenShatnez.htm

  The discussion as per mixing the two doesn't start till about the 40 min mark.  Please note he never mentions nor defends where in the torah it says to mix the two for the sash.  He just starts at the assumption that they are.  To me that is the worst place to start.  I'm still looking for where it says that you can/are to mix them in the first place.  Until then see it as most definitely adding and taking away from the Torah.

  You also made a comment and I won't quote cuz I'm too lazy to go back and find it, but it was more a less -all christians bring up these arguments- just as per myself I have never studied Judaism from christian sources.  I have never approached Judaism in the context to argue it nor disprove it.  my approach has always been to find out honestly what and why the belief system is what it is- is it true.  I have always used Jewish sources to research.  But sometimes there comes glaring problems that everyone can see regardless of what you are looking at or wherever you may come from.

  Do you know where and can you give me a verse or a teaching that defends the use of mixing wool and linen together?  Not as a challenge but because I want to know.  Where does it say to make the sash and tallit out of wool and linen?  I really enjoyed this guys teaching and he had a lot of very interesting eye opening things to say.  But he did not give any verse or teaching as per why they decided to mix them in the first place.  That is what I am looking for.