Kil'ayim (prohibition)

Kil'ayim (or Klayim; ) are the prohibitions in Jewish law which proscribe the planting of certain mixtures of seeds, grafting, the mixing of plants in vineyards, the crossbreeding of animals, the formation of a team in which different kinds of animals work together, and shatnez, or the mixing of wool with linen in garments.

The prohibitions are derived from the Torah in and , and the Mishnah in tractate Kilʾayim, which has a Gemara in the Jerusalem Talmud, further elaborates on the applicable circumstances.

Prohibitions

The Torah (; ) lists several different examples of mixtures that are prohibited as mixed species.
The halakha classifies the prohibitions under the following categories:Wald, Stephen (2007)
* interbreeding of animals of different species
* planting mixed seeds
* grafting of different species of trees
* shatnez - mixing wool and linen in garments
* planting grain or seed crops in a vineyard
* ploughing or doing other work with two different species of animal.

Permitted and forbidden instances

In fabrics

The 613 commandments in the Hebrew Bible and linen fabrics that have been hackled together, or spun and woven together. Likewise, "intertying" sheep wool and linen together is forbidden, the two exceptions being the məʿīl or robe of the Temple priests and the tzitzit. Concerning tzitzit, the Chazal "Sages" of Rabbinic Judaism permit using wool and linen strings in tandem only when genuine tekhelet dye is available, whereas kabbalist sources go a step further by encouraging this practice. The Torah forbids only wool and linen to be worn together. Kiara, S. (1987), Hil. ''Kil'ayim'', p. 390 Camel hair, cashmere wool, yak fiber, and the like are not prohibited from being worn with linen.

According to Maimonides, if a Jew had purchased an all-woolen product from a gentile and wanted to ascertain whether or not it was, indeed, pure wool – without the admixture of flax-linen, its fabric could be tested by dyeing. A dye solution applied to the fabric would reveal whether it was pure wool, as wool and linen products do not retain the same shades in a dye solution.

In plantings

The prohibition of sowing together diverse seedlings is derived from the biblical verse, "You shall not sow your field with two kinds of seed" (), and which prohibition has been explained to mean planting or sowing two or more diverse vegetable crops within a radius of three- handbreadths, ca. , from one another, where they draw nutrients from each other. As a first resort, however, one is to distance two or more diverse vegetable crops from each other at a remove of six-handbreadths, ca. , even if their foliage were to grow and intermix. Two or more diverse seed-crops must be distanced enough so as to be distinguished from each other as two separate plantings. The prohibition not only applies to sowing together diverse kinds, but also hoeing the ground wherein diverse kinds were sown together, as well as covering them over in top soil, whether by one's foot, or by hand, or by any implement. The same prohibition applies to when they were sown together in a flower pot that was perforated at the bottom. If an entire field was planted with one kind of seedling, but next to that field was another field planted with a diverse kind (whether seedlings or a vegetable crop), the separation distance between the two fields must be 10.2 cubits, about at the very least. The laws governing diverse seed-plantings or vegetables apply only to crops grown in the Land of Israel, but do not apply to seed-crops or vegetables planted outside the Land of Israel. Aharon HaLevi (1958), mitzvah # 245 Likewise, these prohibitions do not apply to diverse seedlings that are planted purely for their medicinal use. (reprinted from 1922 and 1938 editions of the Hebrew Publishing Co., New York)

According to biblical exegete Nachmanides, the reason for its prohibition being that when seedlings draw nutrients from other seedlings, their properties and natural forms are changed thereby and the sower cancels thereby the fixed design and purpose of the universe.

Diverse seed-plantings or vegetables that grew together in violation of the biblical command are permitted to be eaten, although the crop itself must be uprooted. If two diverse grain seeds (e.g. wheat and barley) were inadvertently mixed together, they must be separated before they can be sown. If, however, there were 24 parts more of one grain than the other (ratio of 24 to 1), the lesser grain is considered cancelled by the other, and may still be sown together. If there were not 24 parts more than the mixed grain, the whole must be sorted.

Specific permitted and forbidden species

The first chapter of Mishnah Kil'ayim permits the growing together of certain plants, although the members of each pair belong to two different kinds. An example is certain species of Poaceae (the grass family). Wheat and tares belong to different genera (Triticum and Lolium, respectively), but resemble each other in both their seeds and their leaves. Tares are often found growing in wheat fields. Its seeds may germinate several years after being planted so that its growth could not always be prevented. This argument has been used to explain why it was not prohibited to have wheat and tares growing together in the same field.

The rabbinic treatise develops the principle that a planter should not only be concerned with the mixing together of different classes of items but also with the appearance of such intermixing, such that if the two kinds are similar in appearance but different genera, this can, at times, be tolerated.

The Mishnah in tractate Kilʾayim 1:1 explicitly permits faba beans (''Vicia faba'', ) and mung beans (''Vigna radiata''; ''Vigna mungo'', ) to be planted together, as they are considered homogeneous. It also permits the planting of white mustard (''Sinapis alba'', ) and of Egyptian mustard ('' Rhamphospermum nigrum'', ) together (''Kil'ayim'
1:2
, as they, too, are considered to be homogeneous, despite being two different genera. However, white mustard (''Sinapis alba'', ) and charlock mustard, also known as wild mustard (''Sinapis arvensis'', ), though also similar in appearance, may not be planted together (ibid
1:5
, as they are considered heterogeneous. J. Feliks maintained that while the two vegetables are similar regarding their leaves, yellow flowers, and taste, they are considered diverse-kinds because of a difference in their roots. Accordingly, the plant's roots become the ultimate criterion for determination of some diverse kinds.

Cucumber

HOME


Content is Copyleft
Website design, code, and AI is Copyrighted (c) 2014-2017 by Stephen Payne


Consider donating to Wikimedia



As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases