‘No Mixture of Wool and Linen’

● God’s law to Israel stated: “You must not wear mixed stuff of wool and linen together.” (Deut. 22:11) This probably was a prohibition against garments made from two kinds of yarn spun together. This may have been to emphasize in an illustrative way the importance of purity. It would serve to keep the Israelites distinct from surrounding peoples and nations, where such combination of yarns was allowable. Practical aspects were also involved. Since clothes were allowed to be made from only one type of yarn, merchants would be deterred from representing a garment as being made of one material when, in fact, other yarn had also been used. Clothes made of just one kind of yarn, rather than two, could be more easily cared for, since varying kinds of fabrics​—like wool and linen—​react differently when washed.