Why You Should Check Your Suits For Shatnez?
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Transcript
0:34So from that moment on, Hashem never, because this had to do with that crime, Hashem from that moment on said He never wants those two things together. I mean, you can wear certain clothes; you just cannot use the linen to tie the wool. You can't use it as the thing, or vice versa. Unless it's for a mitzvah. So, for example, tzitzit is wool and linen, but it's allowed. A tzitzit, tzitzit that men wear, is traditionally made of wool, and there can be a situation where it includes linen, though this is rare. A tallit is typically made of wool, not linen. The Kohen Gadol, the High Priest, had specific garments that included shatnez, a mixture of wool and linen, as part of the biblically mandated attire for the sake of mitzvot in the context of temple service. Therefore, it was permissible because it was for a divine commandment. However, in regular circumstances, wearing shatnez is prohibited. When you purchase a suit, it's important to have it checked for shatnez because it's quite common for manufacturers to use both wool and linen in the fabric, especially in the collar. that they're going to use Shatnez, the wool and linen together, in the collar of suits. And some manufacturers, for example, like Hugo Boss, 100% of the time have Shatnez. So what happens when you have Shatnez? You don't have to throw it out. All you do is remove it. You remove it and you replace it.
1:51So you take it to the shatnez rabbi who knows what to do. He examines it, removes it, and provides a suitable replacement. You then take it to the dry cleaner, and they alter it to be in compliance, and that's it—finished. It's not such a complicated process. However, shatnez is considered a significant issue in the eyes of Hashem (God) because if you know that someone is wearing shatnez, meaning you're absolutely sure that their suit contains shatnez, it becomes imperative to address it. You are obligated to have it removed, even if it's in the middle of the street. Why? Because every single second that he's wearing it, he's committing a sin from the Torah. Every single second. So that's why this is regarding wool and linen. And again, it's when they are woven together. Not just generally. It's not like if the wool is here and the linen is over there; it's not a big deal. It's only when they are together, and it is not for the sake of a mitzvah, such as tzitzit or going to the Beit HaMikdash. Yes? I mean, generally speaking, there are certain things that you know don't have shatnez. For example, sweatshirts that are made out of 100% cotton. You see 100% cotton, so you don't have to check for shatnez. But usually, the things that you would check are items that have wool in them. This is because wool is less common than linen. Linen is found in many types of clothing, but wool is not as prevalent.
3:10So when you have wool, many times you'll have linen also. The question is, is it together? Is it together? So that's usually the main times. But some will even tell you that you have to be stringent with everything and check everything because many times the tags don't necessarily tell you the whole truth because by law, they don't have to give you every single little detail. Meaning if they use less than 1%. Less than 1% of something, they don't even have to disclose it. So sometimes it's safer to be cautious than sorry, but again, you also have to use your brain. For instance, if you have a garment that's a t-shirt, it's not going to have wool in it. You know, your t-shirt's not going to have wool in it. Your sweatshirt's not going to have wool in it. Typically, your jeans are not going to have wool in them. A lot of things are not going to have wool in them, but there are certain things that are more common. Usually, suits will have wool and linen. Sometimes they're together, sometimes not. There are certain types of blankets that will have it, and so on and so forth. But generally speaking, you can look at the tag and see what it is. If there's wool, then definitely check. Even if it doesn't have wool, and even if it doesn't have wool, but it's one of the things like a suit that is common enough to check, then go check it. Go check it. Go check the suit. Every guy should check his suits. Don't wear the suit until you check it, because it's not worth it.
4:39And also, some manufacturers are known to use this type of fabric together. For example, Hugo Boss is very common for this; they do it all the time.
