Shatnez: The Balance between Chesed and Gevurah

Shatnez is the Torah prohibition of wearing garments made of a combination of sheep’s wool and flax linen, as outlined in Sefer Vayikra¹ and again in Sefer Devarim². The mitzvah has been long regarded as one of the ultimate chukim, the category of commandments for which there is no clear explanation. The mishnah in Masechet Kilayim³ discusses the details of what actually constitutes shatnez, and there is machloket among the rabbanim regarding what the actual ikkur of shatnez is (whether it is at the point of the fibers being combed, spun, or simply woven together)⁴, but in practice, even a garment where wool and linen fibers are woven together is considered to be in violation of the mitzvah m’d’rabannan. On the surface, this mitzvah seems fairly straightforward and somewhat ‘dry’, but, in truth, there are incredible insights hidden within the commandment.

The name itself hints at the prohibition as ‘shatnez’ can be understood as an abbreviation for shua, the act of combing raw fibers, tuvi, the act of creating a thread by spinning fibers, and nuz, whereby these threads are woven or twisted together. The Gemara in Niddah⁵ details the machloket between Rashi and Rabbeinu Tam regarding the point of transgression of the Torah law. Rabbeinu Tam holds more stringently, saying that even if the wool and linen fibers are prepared separately, simply weaving them together is a Torah prohibition. Rashi, on the other hand, says that both raw fibers need to undergo all three processes together in order for the Torah law to be transgressed. 

The above machloket is important for determining if bitul can be applied to a garment which contains trace amounts of shatnez. If the threads themselves contain multiple ingredients, two of which being wool and linen, then there is a case for bitul. However, if whole linen threads are woven with whole cotton threads, then the garment is in violation of shatnez. Many people dedicate themselves to learning these halachot and are trained in examining clothes. It is important that anyone concerned about a garment contact a professional shatnez checker before disposing of it.

Too often, people look for the easy way out, and they don’t always do this maliciously, or even knowingly. We all have flaws, either too much or too little of a certain middah, and we have to acknowledge this about ourselves. The work of balancing and refining is internal, not external, and wearing a constant reminder of this disharmony can actually have adverse effects on a person’s willingness to put in the efforts necessary for spiritual growth. However, there are some cases where we see shatnez in use, namely with the Kohen Gadol and the Eishet Chayil.

When trying to understand the deeper aspects of shatnez, an interesting origin story arises – Cain and Hevel. Famously, Cain kills Hevel⁶, but the reason is because Cain was jealous that Hevel’s korban to Hashem was accepted while his was not. Cain brought flaxseed⁷ and Hevel brought sheep’s wool⁸. The midrash relates that, given that there was such a bad interaction based on these two korbanot, it is better that they be kept separate. But, really, the medium of offering was not the core of this altercation. Cain embodied the middah of Gevurah, and this was reflected in his offering. Linen made from flax is a straight fiber, a fitting manifestation of the middah. Hevel, on the other hand, embodied Chessed, and wool under a microscope tells a very different story to flax; it is messy, without boundary, similar to the way Chessed operates. 

When the brothers brought their korbanot, it was a microcosm for this eternal friction between the two contrasting middot. When Cain lost out, his spiritual makeup couldn’t handle it, and he exerted his Gevurah unto Hevel without restraint, ultimately killing him. The truth was that neither of the brothers was fully refined. Neither Gevurah nor Chessed can exist uncontrolled, they need each other for balance. Thus, an interesting question arises – shouldn’t that mean that we should indeed wear wool and linen together? If the whole issue was predicated on the middot existing without limitation, then wouldn’t shatnez actually be a good reminder about the importance of balance? The truth is, yes and no.

Too often, people look for the easy way out, and they don’t always do this maliciously, or even knowingly. We all have flaws, either too much or too little of a certain middah, and we have to acknowledge this about ourselves. The work of balancing and refining is internal, not external, and wearing a constant reminder of this disharmony can actually have adverse effects on a person’s willingness to put in the efforts necessary for spiritual growth. However, there are some cases where we see shatnez in use, namely with the Kohen Gadol and the Eishet Chayil.

When the Kohen Gadol is officiating in the Mishkan, the Torah states in no uncertain terms that he is wearing a mixture of wool and linen⁹. In the ode, Eishet Chayil, one lyric reads, “She seeks out wool and linen, and her hands work willingly”. On this pasuk from Eishet Chayil, the Zohar brings that wool and linen are a mashal for Rachamim and Din. The Vilna Gaon elucidates on this, teaching that Hashem operates primarily with Rachamin, or Chessed, so we don’t ask to ‘mix’ middot by inviting Din, or Gevurah, upon ourselves.

But people such as the Kohen Gadol and the Eishet Chayil can, because they exemplify the type of person who has perfected their inner balance of middot. Rabbeinu Bachya writes that “When the entire orientation of a person is to fulfill the will of the Creator, as is the orientation of the eishet chayil described by Solomon, then, and only then, joining these symbolically diverse characteristics is permitted or even commanded.” ¹⁰We see that the Kohen Gadol wearing shatnez, in the Mishkan of all places, is neither a contradiction to the mitzvah or its deeper meaning. On the contrary, it bolsters our understanding, giving us a practical example of what it looks like to dedicate one’s life to living according to the Torah. 

1. Vayikra 19:19 ↩︎
2. Devarim 22:11 ↩︎
3. Kilayim 9:9 ↩︎
4. Niddah 61b ↩︎
5. Niddah 61:2 ↩︎
6. Bereishit 4:8 ↩︎
7. Midrash Tanchuma, Bereishit 9, Targum Yonatan ↩︎
8. Bereishit 4:4 ↩︎
9. Shemos 28:5 ↩︎
10. Rabbeinu Bahya, Vayikra 19:19:4 ↩︎