Q:
What is the reason for shatnez?
A:
You want to hear? I’ll tell you, but don’t laugh. If you’re working in an office, sometimes there’s a goy who works there in the office with you. Now let’s say you have to run out to buy something but you left your coat in the other room. So the goy tells you, “Here, take my coat. Take my coat. Use my coat for two minutes just to run out into the street to get what you need.” No, you can’t take it. You can’t take his coat. It might be shatnez. Do you know what that means?! Let me explain. If you use his coat, then you’re fratenizing with him. Hakodosh Boruch Hu wants it that we shouldn’t wear the begadim of a goy. We shouldn’t be friendly enough with goyim to the point of being able to use his beged. Just like you can’t eat together with a goy, you shouldn’t be able to clothe the same clothing as a goy.
Now, of course, that’s not the only reason. That’s only one of the reasons. But it’s certainly one of the reasons intended by Hakodosh Boruch Hu. You should not be able to put on a goy’s beged. To fratenize like that is not the derech ha’Torah. And that’s a very important lesson.
TAPE # E-210
