Ki Teitzei: Positive Unity vs Toxic Unity
Liluei Nishmas Ita bas Chanoch Aharon Bistritzky
In the Torah, there are three types of prohibited hybrids, referred to as kilayim. The first type is kilayim of animals, which occurs when two different species, such as a cow and a donkey, are bred together to produce a hybrid. This is strictly forbidden. The second type is kilayim of vegetation, where two different plants, like grapes and wheat, are planted together to create a hybrid. This, too, is not allowed according to the Torah. The third type is shatnez, which refers to the combination of wool and linen in a garment. Like the other forms of kilayim, this is also forbidden.
However, there is an exception for shatnez when it comes to garments worn for the sake of a mitzvah. For instance, the high priest's garment in the Temple was made from a combination of wool and linen, even though such a combination is normally prohibited. This raises an important question: Why does the Torah permit the combination of wool and linen for a mitzvah, but not the other two forms of kilayim?
To understand this, we must first explore why kilayim is generally forbidden. It seems counterintuitive, as the Torah values diversity and the unification of opposites. However, there is a difference between a holy, genuine harmony and a false or harmful one. True harmony allows for the coexistence of opposites while maintaining their individual identities. False harmony, on the other hand, either forces opposites together in a way that destroys their uniqueness or cancels them out entirely.
For example, fire and water are opposites. If they come into contact, they either destroy each other or lose their individual characteristics. Similarly, in certain ideologies, differences are suppressed to create the illusion of unity, but this is not true harmony. In contrast, true harmony allows for diversity to be maintained while still achieving unity. In this sense, both entities retain their distinct characteristics but unite under a greater, overarching purpose.
This principle applies to shatnez. In the case of a wool-linen garment, the wool and linen retain their individual properties, yet they are woven together for a holy purpose, such as a mitzvah. The wool remains wool, and the linen remains linen. They are not canceled out or lost, unlike the hybrid animals or plants, where the offspring is neither fully a cow nor a donkey, or neither fully a grape nor wheat. These hybrids lose the original uniqueness that God intended for each species.
Thus, the Torah permits the use of shatnez in the context of holiness because the wool and linen remain distinct while still contributing to a greater, unified purpose. This reflects the ideal form of unity, where individuality is preserved, yet harmony is achieved. In contrast, the other forms of kilayim involve the loss of individual characteristics, which is why they remain forbidden, even for the sake of a mitzvah.
To illustrate this concept, imagine a painting. A beautiful painting is not made by blending all the colors into a single, indistinct shade. Instead, each color—blue, red, yellow—retains its vibrancy and distinctness, yet together, they form a unified and beautiful picture. Similarly, in the case of shatnez, the wool and linen maintain their individuality, and through their union, they contribute to something greater. This is the true meaning of holy harmony.
Adapted from Life Talks on the Parsha