One of the most seemingly random commandments in the Law of Moses pertains to clothing. God forbids His people to wear clothing with a mixture of wool and linen. While at first, this law seems silly. Why would Yehovah (God's true name) dictate what garments I should wear? But if you dig a little deeper, you come across a deadly surprise...
This law has been used by Christians as an argument against following Yeshua's (Jesus' real name) way, which was the Torah. People claim that this Law is crazy and we do not have to abide by it since Yeshua died and rose again. We have many teachings on this site explaining how Christians should follow the applicable Torah Laws, as that is what Yeshua did, as well as His disciples. He did not change the Law and expects us to live it out, just like His disciples did. Mainline Christianity and English-translated Bibles have created confusion and misinterpretations. If you want to know more about this, check out our teachings on Paul's Letters, Old vs New Covenants, and Food Laws.
Back to wool & linen. The verses in question are:
Deu 22:11 Do not wear clothes of wool and linen woven together.
We have another mention in Leviticus. The NIV translation leaves out critical information, so I have also put the more accurate KJV:
Lev 19:19 (NIV) “ ‘Keep my decrees. “ ‘Do not mate different kinds of animals. “ ‘Do not plant your field with two kinds of seed. “ ‘Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material.
Lev 19:19 (KJV) Ye shall keep my statutes. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind: thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed: neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woolen come upon thee.
If you want to read more about why English-translated Bibles are such a minefield for Christians, we have a teaching on that here.
Both of the verses above forbid you to wear wool and linen together. The Bible only refers to these 2, and no other materials.
But Why?
I will present 3 takes on it, however all of these are my own opinions. Ultimately I trust in God's design and trust in His creation fully. If he is warning us not to do it, should we not trust the God who made these fabrics? Maybe he knows something we don't.
Similarly to eating unclean animals, God knows how these animals live and how their digestive tracts work and the effect they have on our body. He did not institute the Law to not eat unclean animals to restrict us, but to protect us. Science has proved that eating unclean animal meat (Pork, shellfish, etc.) is not beneficial to us, due to these animals being the scavengers and bottom feeders.
Here are the 3 angles I will present:
- Scientific
- Physical Characteristics
- Spiritual
Scientific:
My wife recently made me aware of a study (I cannot verify this study, but it is very interesting). This study could offer some explanation. An experiment was done to measure the frequency response of different clothing materials. The frequency measurements were done in angstroms (m), using a digital instrument.
According to the scientist experimenting, the human body has a frequency response of 70-100m (in people with illness that drops below 50m).
Any garment with a frequency of > 70m is beneficial to humans, anything below that is harmful. Here are the results:
- Linen - 5000m
- Wool - 5000m
- Organic cotton - 100m
- Standard bleached cotton - 40m
- Rayon / Viscose - 15m
- Silk - 10m (Very low, the scientist theorized it is due to modern processes, which destroy the value of silk)
- Polyester - 0m
- Acrylic - 0m
- Spandex - 0m
- Lycra - 0m
- Nylon - 0m
Is it any surprise that man-made plastic-based materials are bad for your health?
The most interesting part of this experiment was when the scientist measured a garment with both wool and linen.
- Wool & Linen Together - 0m
It seems that the two materials cancel each other's frequencies out, causing a negative effect. God's creation is truly incredible.
Physical Characteristics
- Wool and Linen have opposite properties.
- Linen is a good conductor of heat (keeps you cool) and very resistant to shrinkage/expansion.
- Wool retains heat (keeps you warm) and is prone to shrinking.
Spiritual
- The opposing nature of wool and linen can be seen as the opposing nature between God and Sin. God's Kingdom is perfectly in balance, and wool and linen throw the balance off.
- The opposing nature of the two extends to God's Law, where he forbade Israel from mixing with the cultures around them.
- Pagan priests were also known to have worn clothing made from linen and wool.
Conclusion
The commandment to avoid mixing wool and linen serves as a reminder of God’s intricate wisdom and design. At first glance, it may appear silly, but a deeper exploration uncovers layers of significance. Scientifically, the interaction of these materials could have health implications, as their opposing frequencies appear to cancel out the beneficial properties of each. Physically, their opposite characteristics—such as heat retention versus heat conduction—highlight the imbalance they create when combined. Spiritually, this law reflects a deeper truth about God’s desire for harmony, order, and separation from practices that are contrary to His ways.
Furthermore, the law symbolizes God’s call for His people to remain set apart, avoiding the blending of cultural or spiritual practices that lead to compromise. The imagery of opposing forces, like wool and linen, mirrors the spiritual contrast between righteousness and sin. It also stands as a metaphor for purity and obedience, encouraging believers to trust that God’s commandments are given not to burden us, but to protect and guide us toward living in balance with His creation. Ultimately, this commandment is a testament to God’s divine knowledge and His care for the well-being of His people, both physically and spiritually.
I hope you enjoyed this teaching!
