Purchasing a men's suit for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services can be a laborious process for Jews, especially for those who ascribe to the ancient prohibition known as shatnez.
The Jewish Law Against Shatnez - The Wearing of Wool and Linen Togeather
“Thou shalt not wear a mingled stuff, wool and linen together” the Torah states (Deut 22:11). While it is doubtful that *G-d had breasted tailored suits in mind when He informed the Israelites of this prohibition, avoiding shatnez (or shaatnez; Biblical Hebrew implying "mixture") remains just as important a mitzvah for many Jews today as it was for their ancestors.
Still, purchasing a traditional garment like a suit can be filled with headaches. Buying a suit off the rack requires getting the suit tested by a “kosher suit tester” to certify that the garment wasn’t made of a prohibited combination – and then having any prohibited addition (such as in the collar) replaced with a kosher material. The added steps can be both time consuming and expensive, and can negate any chance of purchasing a suit off the rack a week or two before the holidays.
Meet the kosher suit tailor.
What Is a Kosher Suit?
A suit company in New York City has developed a “kosher” line of suits for customers who do not want to go through the hassle and uncertainty of getting the new suit tested. Mohan’s Tailors provides the shatnez testing as part of the tailoring process so that consumers can be assured at the time of purchase that the suit was tested and certified free of prohibited materials.
According to a press release issued by the company, the kosher suit removes the need for a shatnez tester and the worry about whether the suit is “ready to wear” to High Holy Day services. It also expands choice options.
Mohan’s advertises some 14,000 different fabrics to choose from, and more than 40 different suit styles. On-site tailors do the measurements and take the specifics for the suit. The suit is then constructed overseas using the specific specifications and when complete, sent back to New York, where it is inspected and “kosher tested” by an independent shatnez tester.
Mohan’s announced its kosher line in late 2010, and has sold approximately 500 suits in the past year from its store on 42nd Street. The store also offers “trunk sales” to serve consumers from Boston, Princeton, Hartford, and Philadelphia and other cities in the Eastern United States. Mohan’s says that it hopes to be able to offer the same service on the West Coast in the future, as well.
Mohan’s is reputed to be the first tailor to offer kosher suits with such a wide breadth of choices, and the shatnez testing included. It is also the first of its kind to offer kosher suits at the same price as non-kosher-certified suits. Mohan's website states that its prices for tailor-made suits are “substantially lower (than other high-end quality tailors), saving the average customer 40-50 percent on each suit,” although the price for the suit would of course vary according to the specifications of the order.
A Revolution for Kosher Apparel?
The company’s new line of kosher suits may in time, transform how Jewish men select and order their suits for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. With the freedom to order suits that meet the restrictions of Halacha (Jewish law) and don’t require the consumer to pay for additional testing, more Jews may decide to purchase their suits “kosher made” before the Jewish holidays.
The Shatnez Testers of America (STAM) – the organization that certifies many of the shatnez testers throughout the world - offers a cautionary note in light of this potential expansion, reminding traditionally observant consumers to confirm that the product does undergo shatnez testing before it is worn. STAM publishes a list of off-the-rack brands that have been found to include shatnez and provides tips for consumers on its website to guide the consumer through the technical process of having the shatnez removed.
Still, the availability of a professional tailor who is able to guarantee that its product is kosher-tested is a welcome change for observant Jews who want to make sure that their tailored suits conform to Jewish law.
*The use of "G-d" with the "o" removed is intentional. This is performed in order to prevent any intentional or unintentional deletion/destruction of His name, as is customary in traditional Jewish writings.
Additional Sources:
- Mycustomclothing.com: A practical guide to keeping your clothes kosher. Retrieved August 3, 2011.
Jan Lee - Jan Lee has been writing for online and print publications for more than 20 years and have been published in five countries.
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