THREE TYPES OF MIXTURES
Immediately after the Torah records the prohibition of shatnez {combined fibers}, “You shall not wear combined fibers, wool and linen together,” the Torah states: “Twisted threads you shall make for yourselves on the four corners of your garment....” The juxtaposition of these two verses teaches us: “Twisted threads you shall make for yourselves — even from the {forbidden} mixture {of wool and linen},” meaning that tzitzis can be made from this mixture.
This mixture is similarly allowed in the priestly garments. The belt, one of the priestly garments that the Kohanim would wear when they served in the Temple, was made from shatnez.
We must clarify: There are three types of {forbidden} mixtures — “for land, for animals, and for garments,” which the Torah lists here in one continuum: “You shall not sow your vineyard with a mixture... You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together. You shall not wear combined fibers...” [and similarly in Parshas Kedoshim: “you shall not mate your animal with another species, you shall not sow your field with mixed seed, and a garment that is a mixture of combined fibers shall not come upon you”].
Why is it that the Torah permits mixed garments for the Temple service (and for the mitzvah of tzitzis), yet the other types of mixtures — animals and plants — are never permitted for the sake of a mitzvah or for sacrificial purposes (in the Temple), or the like?
THREE CATEGORIES
Aside from the three above-mentioned types of mixtures, there is another prohibition that resembles the prohibition of mixtures — mixing milk and meat. As is explained in various works, the reason for the prohibition of milk and meat is “like the principle of mixtures”; in both of them, two species are independently permitted, but become prohibited when mixed together.
Regarding milk and meat, Mechilta entertains the thought that it would be permitted in sacrificial foods. Only an exposition of the verse, “The earliest... you shall bring to the House of Hashem, your G-d; you shall not cook a tender young animal in its mother’s milk,” teaches us that the prohibition of milk and meat applies even in “the House of Hashem, your G-d.”
Thus, we have three subdivisions:
- When it comes to mixed garments (shatnez), the Torah permitted (and even further — instructed) that this mixture be used for the Temple service and the mitzvah of tzitzis.
- For milk and meat, there is a thought that it would be permitted in sacrificial foods, but we derive from a verse that it is forbidden.
- And when it comes to mixtures in animals or plants, there was never even a thought that it would be permitted for consecrated purposes; there is no need for a verse to teach us this.
This must be clarified: Since all of these prohibitions are based on the same principle, a mixture of two things (that are both independently permitted), why are there differences between them regarding use for the Temple service and the like?
TO THE CORE
This will be clarified through an explanation of Ramban. He points out that only in the context of wearing shatnez do our Sages mention that “the evil inclination and the nations of the world raise objections against them,” but not in the context of the mixtures of animals.
He explains that this is because the reason for the prohibition of mixtures in garments (shatnez) is “hidden,” as opposed to mixtures of animals (and similarly mixtures in plants), where the reason for their prohibition can be understood:
Hashem designed His creations, plants and living beings, with the inborn ability and “power of reproduction so that the species would be sustained... and commanded... that they should bring forth according to their species.” Therefore, when someone “mixes species” by mixing two types of animals or two types of seeds (which causes them to “change in their nature and in their form, since they draw nourishment from each other, and each seed becomes as if it were composed of two species”), he “changes and contradicts... and mixes up the act of creation.”
[As to why the Torah not only commands “you shall not mate your animal with another species,” but also tells us “You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together” — this is because “it is the way of all farmers to bring their team into one stable, and they would come to interbreed.”]
In light of this explanation, we can now understand that there is an essential difference between the mixture of animals and plants, and the mixtures in garments:
When it comes to mixing animals or plants, the mixture impacts the “power of reproduction” of the two species. This mixing affects an integral part of them and their very essence. Thus, it interferes with the natural order of them producing specifically “according to their species.”
In contrast, a mixed garment is not a mixture of the wool and linen’s essence; it is just an external mixture. They are combined in that they are both in the same (place —) garment, but even when combined, they remain wool and linen respectively (as they were originally), to the extent that they can be separated from each other at a later time.
NO MAN’S LAND
We can now understand how the categorization of milk and meat falls somewhere in between these two types of mixtures:
Milk and meat do not get mixed to the point of affecting their “power of reproduction” (as happens with the mixture of animals and plants) or their future growth and production; the mixture of milk and meat only affects their physical substance.
On the other hand, this mixture is also unlike shatnez. When it comes to shatnez, the wool and linen are never truly mixed, as discussed above. In contrast, the mixture of milk and meat is only prohibited (according to Torah law) when they are cooked together and each infuses the other with flavor.
Furthermore: Even when “a person soaks it {meat} in milk all day” — where “it imparts flavor {into the meat}” since soaking is like cooking — it is still not prohibited according to Torah law. The Torah only forbids their mixture when it happens through cooking. This is because the prohibition of meat and milk only applies when the two species become one (new) entity (which can only be accomplished through cooking).
[We can posit that this sheds light on Rabbi Levi’s position that the olive-size of prohibited meat and milk can be made up from a combination of just “a half olive amount of meat and a half olive amount of milk” (a cumulative olive-size). This is because the prohibition (does not apply to the meat or milk individually, but rather) applies to their combination, when they become a singular unit of milk and meat.]
MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE
Rabbeinu Bachya famously explains that the prohibition of mixing species involves (not just a physical mixture, but also) the mixing of “the Supernal faculties... the mixing of species is... the combination of two extremes that are opposites... their combination does not come out well.”
[Similarly regarding meat and milk, he explains that they are a “symbol and hint” to “distinct forces” above, and the mixture of meat and milk below causes the mixing of “these forces, each of which (must remain) separate unto itself.”]
As is explained, wool and linen (and similarly oxen and donkeys; meat and milk) symbolize the emotional faculties of kindness and severity, which are opposing attributes. Therefore, “their combination does not come out well.”
In light of the above-mentioned (Section 3) differences between mixtures of animals (and plants) and mixtures in garments, it follows that there is also an essential difference in the “mixing” of “the Supernal faculties” (of kindness and severity) — where “their combination does not come out well” — as it relates to each of these categories (and for the mixture of meat and milk as well).
BLURRED LINES
This will be clarified by first addressing a seeming difficulty with this explanation (that “the mixing of species is... the combination of two extremes that are opposites”):
We find that bringing two opposing forces together is actually a most wondrous achievement — it embodies peace, and “the entire Torah was given to bring peace to the world.” Moreover, one of the cornerstones of our Divine service is to unify our emotional faculties.
[Our Sages teach, “A person should always be soft like a reed, and he should not be stiff like a cedar.” {On a deeper level,} this means that a person has emotions, but they must be “soft,” with each emotion leaving room for its opposing emotion (echoing Rambam’s explanation that “the straight path is the midpoint temperament of each and every trait”).]
Yet, here we are saying that mixing species is prohibited because we are combining the emotional faculties of kindness and severity!?
The explanation: Combining emotional attributes within the realm of holiness is seen as “a mixture of the same type,” since all matters of holiness “are all of one type — nullification and submission to Hashem.” Thus, when serving Hashem, the opposing emotions of kindness and severity can exist simultaneously, as Sifri explains: “And you shall love the L-rd your G-d — There is no love in the place of fear and no fear in the place of love, except in the attribute of the Holy One, blessed be He, alone.”
However, worldly matters — categorized as entities that feel they exist {independently of Hashem} (to the extent that the mitzvah of tefillin and the like can be fulfilled with them) — are entities where the “form” of each individual emotion is at full-strength, leaving no room for any other emotion, let alone an opposing emotion. Therefore, “there is no love in the place of fear and no fear in the place of love.” Thus, if there is to be a combination and mixture of two opposing elements within the world, it is a mixture of “a species into a different species.”
By contrast, in the realm of holiness — a state of nullification to Hashem — the opposing faculties of kindness and severity are not in conflict with each other. On the contrary, they are in essence “one type” — the substance and character of each emotion is the same: serving Hashem.
[As our Sages explain the verse, “He makes peace in His heights”: “{The Angel} Michael is the officer of water, and {The Angel} Gavriel is the officer of fire, and they do not extinguish each other.” This is because when standing before the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He, they do not feel their own strength and existence — only that they are messengers of the King (Hashem). Therefore, there is no contradiction between them; both are “one type” — messengers of the King.]
TWO POSSIBLE OUTCOMES
We can now understand the difference between the two types of mixed species mentioned above — mixed animals (and plants) and mixed garments:
When connecting and mixing two opposite things, there are two contrasting possible outcomes: a) their opposing and contradictory features are nullified, and they coexist in peace; b) each remains steadfast in its prior state even after being combined, leading to conflict and discord.
These two outcomes are expressed in these two types of mixtures:
With mixed animals or plants, the goal of their mixture is “to produce foreign and uncommon species” — to create a new, unique entity from these two species. The issue with this “mixture” lies in the fact that they cease to be two separate species (each with its own character), thus going against Hashem’s will. He created them as separate species and wanted them to remain in separate categories, each serving its own purpose.
[This contrasts with the idea of “He makes peace in His heights” (mentioned above), where the nullification to the King (Hashem) does not take away Michael or Gavriel’s respective roles (officer of water and officer of fire) — for that would be against Hashem’s will. Rather, each remains with his identity, fulfilling his respective role, but simultaneously, “they do not extinguish each other.”]
However, mixed garments have the inverse issue: Since the wool and linen remain as they were — and (a) the “Supernal faculties” that they symbolize are opposing faculties (kindness and severity), and (b) we are discussing worldly matters where their nullification is not openly visible, and consequently their combination is considered a mixture of “a species into a different species” — their combination and mixture leads to the opposite outcome: a state of conflict and discord.
REAL CHANGE
In light of everything explained above, we can clarify the three above-mentioned differences (in Section 2) regarding forbidden mixtures in the context of the Temple:
The reason why a mixture is allowed in tzitzis, as well as in Temple service, is because a mitzvah and holiness (“the attribute of the Holy One, blessed be He”) cause the combined opposites to exist in peace and unity (not in conflict or strife, as explained above at length).
However, this only applies when the “mixture” of these two species {would normally} cause conflict and discord. In the context of a mitzvah or holiness, this doesn’t occur. But in a case where the “mixture” undermines the system of “according to their species” and disrupts the natural order, it is irrelevant whether this occurs in the context of worldly matters or mitzvos and holiness. Regardless, we are not allowed to override the guidelines with which Hashem designed the world.
Therefore, there was never even a thought that mixed animals or plants would be permitted, even for sacrifices.
Only in the context of milk and meat — a mixture that might be categorized with mixed garments (as discussed above, Section 4) — do we entertain the thought that it may be permitted for sacrifices (like shatnez, which can be used in the priestly garments).
However, we ultimately rule that {in} “the House of Hashem, your G-d; you shall not cook...,” since the mixture of milk and meat is actually categorized (as discussed above) as a new entity, like the mixing of animal species. This kind of mixture is forbidden, even for sacrifices (as discussed above).
FUTURE VISION
Rabbeinu Bachya states that “in that time (the Messianic era)... the prohibition of milk and meat will be nullified.” (We similarly see that the angels [who visited Avraham] ate milk and meat.)
We can explain this based on what has been discussed above:
As explained above (Section 4), the new entity created when milk and meat are combined exists only in terms of its physical substance. However, this mixture does not affect their respective “faculties,” the core of their being. Thus, it follows that when it comes to the “Supernal faculties” corresponding to the milk and meat (which connect to their inner being), this mixture is like mixed garments (where each faculty remains an independent entity).
This is the key difference between our times and “that time” {the Messianic era}:
In the world we live in currently, we only see the physical layer of the objects around us. Since on a physical level, mixing milk and meat creates a new entity, the Torah rules (as it applies to the physical world, given specifically to earthly beings composed of body and soul) that this mixture is like the mixture of animals (and is therefore prohibited, even for a mitzvah and the like).
However, in the Messianic era, the promise “And the glory of the L-rd shall be revealed, and all flesh together shall see that the mouth of the L-rd spoke” will be fulfilled. We will see clearly that the true reality of Heaven {and earth} is (not its physical substance, but) the “word of Hashem” through which “they were made” (“the mouth of the L-rd spoke”). It is this energy that creates and sustains every creation.
The same clarity will apply to the mixture of milk and meat, and we will be able to see its true essence — the word of Hashem and their corresponding “Supernal faculties” which do not lose their identity when combined with each other.
Since the entire world will be purified at that time, becoming a world of holiness and a holy world, the opposite will be true (as discussed above): The mixture of (milk and meat) kindness and severity in the realm of holiness results in something wondrous — a state of peace and unity.
— From talks delivered on Shabbos Parshas Mishpatim, 5735-5736 & 5740 (1975-1976 & 1980)
