Rabbinic JudaismSifrei Devarim 232HOLYMAP · SACRED TEXTS
Sifrei on DeuteronomySifrei Devarim 232

Sifrei on Deuteronomy

Sifrei Devarim 232

1
English · Shraga Silverstein

(Devarim 22:11) "You shall not wear shatnez (a mixture), wool and linen together": I might think, he must not wear shorn wool and flax stalks; it is, therefore, written "shatnez," something that is fulled, spun, and twisted (or woven) (shua, tavi, venoz [acronym of "shatnez"]). R. Shimon b. Elazar says: (He who wears shatnez) is perverse ("naloz") and estranges ("meiliz") his Father in heaven [play on "noz" (woven)]. Felt cloaks (of mixed materials) are forbidden as kilayim (intermixtures). Even though they do not come under "weaving," they do come under "spinning."

2
English · Shraga Silverstein

"You shall not wear": This tells me only of wearing. Whence do I derive that he may not cover himself with it! From (Vayikra 14:19) "and a garment kilayim shatnez shall not come upon you." I might think that he may not throw a bundle (containing shatnez) over his shoulder (to carry it); it is, therefore, written "You shall not wear." Wearing was included in the general interdict (against shatnez). Why was it singled out (for special mention)? To use it as the basis for a comparison, viz.: Just as "wearing" is distinctive in that it is of benefit to the body, so, all that is distinctive (is forbidden by reason of shatnez, to exclude throwing it over one's shoulder).

3
English · Shraga Silverstein

I might think he may not wear a garment of wool over one of flax, and one of flax over one of wool; it is, therefore, written (woven) "together," but each by itself is permitted.

4
English · Shraga Silverstein

R. Chananiah b. Gamliel says: Whence is it derived that one may not hatchel strips of wool with strips of flax to belt his thighs even though there is a band of leather separating them? From "together." This is to say that a sack and a basket (joining wool and linen) are considered a union in respect to kilayim.

5
English · Shraga Silverstein

This verse is not included in this edition.

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Sifrei Devarim 232English
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Sifrei Devarim 2320%

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Public-domain Hebrew editions, digitized by Sefaria (sefaria.org). · Source ↗

Mechilta, Sifra and Sifrei, translated by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein. CC BY. Text from Sefaria (sefaria.org). · Source ↗

English translation: Sifrei Devarim, translated by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein, via Sefaria (sefaria.org). Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/). Changes: footnotes and HTML formatting removed.

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