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Question

In Lev. 19:19 and in Deut. 22:11 Torah talks about suitible tread to make clothing from. Deut says not to mix wool and cotton together and Lev says not to put two sorts of thread together. My question is for today, can we then mix polyester and cotton, cotton and spandex, ect together? or are these also forbidden. If we can wear these new kinds of mixes, how does it apply to Lev.

Answer

The Talmud in Yevamot 4b explains that the verse in Leviticus 19:19 is also talking about the restriction of wearing wool and linen. All other material combinations are permitted. The Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh Deah 298:1) is very specific: "The only threads that are prohibited are threads of sheep wool with linen."

Rabbi David Samson is one of the leading English-speaking Torah scholars in the Religious-Zionist movement in Israel. He has co-authored four books on the writings of Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Hacohen Kook and Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda Kook. Rabbi Samson learned for twelve years under the tutelage of Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda Kook. He served as Rabbi of the Kehillat Dati Leumi Synagogue in Har Nof, Jerusalem, and teaches Jewish Studies at Mercaz HaRav Yeshiva Institutions.
Tzvi Fishman was a successful Hollywood screenwriter before making Aliyah to Israel in 1984. He has co-authored several Torah works with Rabbi David Samson and written several books on Jewish/Israel topics.

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