Shatnez
| Halakhic texts relating to this article | |
|---|---|
| Torah: | Leviticus 19:19 and Deuteronomy 22:11 |
| Mishneh Torah: | Hilchos Kilayim 10 |
| Shulchan Aruch: | Yoreh De'ah, 298–304 |
Shatnez (or shaatnez; Biblical Hebrew Šaʿatnez 
שַׁעַטְנֵז ) is cloth containing both wool and linen (linsey-woolsey), which Jewish law, derived from the Torah, prohibits wearing. The relevant parts of the Torah (Leviticus 19:19 and Deuteronomy 22:9–11) prohibit an individual from wearing wool and linen fabrics in one garment, the interbreeding of different species of animals, and the planting together of different kinds of seeds (collectively known as kilayim).
The word is not of Hebrew origin, and its etymology is obscure. Wilhelm Gesenius' Hebrew Dictionary cites suggestions that derive it from Semitic origins, and others that suggest Coptic origin, finding neither convincing. The Septuagint translates the term as κίβδηλον, meaning "adulterated".
In the Mishnah (Kelayim 9:8), the word is interpreted as being the acrostic of three words— שע "combing", טוה "spinning", and נז "twisting".
The Modern Hebrew word שעטנז means "mixture".
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