2

I'm used to the illustration with a loom showing the melachos involved in weaving: Mesach (loading the string), Oseh Shtei Batei Nirim (loading the harness), Oreg (weaving), Potzea (un-weaving).

Knitting would certainly be weaving, and if you had to pull out a stitch that would be un-weaving; but are the two previous melachos involved?

1
  • Is it kosher? (I have no actual knitting experience)
    – Double AA
    Jun 7, 2020 at 12:21

1 Answer 1

0

This edited answer from moreshet.co.il suggests that the avos melochos are "אורג" ו"תופר", weaving and sewing.

לרב שלום! לאחרונה למדתי לסרוג כובעים לכיסוי ראש ואני ממש נהנת מזה. שאלתי היא מדוע אסור לסרוג בשבת

התשובה: מאת: הרב דוד לאו - מודיעין היות שישנם אבות מלאכה ששמם "אורג" ו"תופר" אין מקום לדון בהיתר בנושא זה, מפני שאנו מתענגים בשבת, אך בדברים המותרים.

Hebrew Wikipedia and Kipa שאל את הרב both say that סריגה knitting is a derivative melochoh of אורג.

2
  • Certainly! And it's certainly prohibited. Just curious if the "loading" melachos are universal to all weaving processes. (The avos melachos are fascinating anthropologically. Many different cultures developed different weaving processes, with certain features in common. For example, your culture can't be seafaring unless you can weave. On the same note I really geeked out when Moana made sure to show them tying knots.)
    – Shalom
    Jun 7, 2020 at 18:14
  • Yes, I have always felt that weaving with the intricacies of threading one thread thru' the others alternately and then compressing them together would not be something that would catch on !? Jun 7, 2020 at 18:21

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .