Questions tagged [yibbum-chalitza-levirate]

When a married man dies childless, his wife has a Mitzva to do "Yibbum" i.e marrying his living brother, alternatively Chalitza which is like a divorce is performed to enable her to remarry someone else.

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Why don't some do yibum today, l'chatchilah?

According to the Mishna (Bechorot 1:7) the reason not to perform yibum nowadays is people don't have intention l'shem mitzva when performing yibum. Firstly I would like to know if there are any other ...
not-allowed to change my name's user avatar
16 votes
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So should be done unto the man

The verse in Esther 6:11 describing Haman's pulling Mordochai on the streets says: כָּכָה יֵעָשֶׂה לָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר הַמֶּלֶךְ חָפֵץ בִּיקָרוֹ So shall it be done unto the man whom the king ...
Double AA's user avatar
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In Levirate marriage, can the widow refuse marriage to the brother-in-law?

In Levirate marriage, the Torah text gives the option for the brother in law to refuse when it says: Devorim 25 (7) But if the man does not wish to take his brother's wife, the brother's wife ...
Avrohom Yitzchok's user avatar
13 votes
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Spitting at the High Priest on Yom Kippur

My question might sound a little complicated, but it actually boils down to something very simple: does anybody know of any references to a kohen gadol (a high priest) performing the procedure of ...
Shimon bM's user avatar
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11 votes
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What did Sephardic Jews do when yibum required taking a second wife?

As I understand it, in the Sephardic world not long ago, the marriage contract would have a steep penalty clause if he took a wife beyond the first one without her permission. And as I understand it, ...
Shalom's user avatar
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What should a woman who can only do Chalitza do if her Yevam can't do it?

In some cases of Zikas Yibum, there is a Rabbinic prohibition against their doing Yibum (eg. the deceased husband's brother is a Mamzer, cf. Shulchan Aruch Even Haezer 174) and as such they must ...
ertert3terte's user avatar
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9 votes
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Kohen Gadol Yibum

Is it ever possible for a Kohen Gadol to perform the Mitzvah of Yibum. After all, every case of Yibum involves a widow which the Kohen Gadol is not allowed to marry?
yydl's user avatar
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When does chalitza become effective?

Suppose a chalitza ceremony is interrupted partway through, because of some external circumstance, or because the yevam changes his mind and decides he should build a name for his brother after all. ...
Leopold says Reinstate Monica's user avatar
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1 answer
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Is there still yibum if executed by beis din?

If a married man who is childless is executed by beis din, does his brother still have an obligation to perform yibum?
cyclops's user avatar
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"There is a son born to Naomi"? But it's a grandson -- what's up with that?

In chapter 4 of Rut, after Boaz performs yibum with Rut and she bears a son, it says: וַתִּקְרֶאנָה לוֹ הַשְּׁכֵנוֹת שֵׁם לֵאמֹר, יֻלַּד-בֵּן לְנָעֳמִי; וַתִּקְרֶאנָה שְׁמוֹ עוֹבֵד, הוּא אֲבִי-יִשַׁי ...
Monica Cellio's user avatar
9 votes
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430 views

Yibum against her will

It says in Yevamos 53b among other places that Yibbum (levirate marriage to the wife of one's brother when a brother died childless) works against her will. So I was wondering if while it works is it ...
Orion's user avatar
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8 votes
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Can a 9 year old do Yibbum?

Back then was a 9 year old and 1 day boy allowed to do yebam to his dead brothers wife?
cookie monster's user avatar
8 votes
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Are Noahides obligated in the commandment of Yibum?

Regarding the subject of Yibum (Levirate marriage), what is the source, if any, that this is also an obligation on a Noahide? Many of the discussions on this Q&A site concerning Yibum connect to ...
Yaacov Deane's user avatar
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Murderous Yibum

What is the Halacha in the following case: Reuven and Shimon are brothers. Reuven marries Rachel and has no children (Rachel is not pregnant). Shimon decides that he wants to be married to Rachel, ...
moses's user avatar
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Sons of a female convert and yibum?

A mishna on Yevamot 97b says (Soncino translation): The sons of a female proselyte who become proselytes together with her neither participate in chalitzah nor contract levirate marriage. Even if ...
Monica Cellio's user avatar
7 votes
3 answers
499 views

Schrödinger's cat and yibbum

Over Shabbos, the Shalosh Seudos discussion turned to the Monty Hall problem, which confused a lot of people [and which (#Humblebrag) I was able to clear up for them in under 30 seconds ;)]. Then, ...
MTL's user avatar
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Why can't a yavam marry a chalutzah?

As recorded in Yevamos 10b and Yevamos 32a, a yavam (brother of a man who died married, but childless) cannot marry his sister-in-law (yevamah) after performing chalitzah (the ritual in which he ...
MTL's user avatar
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How common are Levirate marriages today?

Under Jewish law, if a woman's husband dies without giving her a child, the brother of the deceased husband has an obligation to give his wife a child. In the event that they don't wish to go through ...
user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
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May coercion be used to facilitate halitzah?

From my understanding there are opinions that some form of coercion, such as public embarrassment, may be used to facilitate a recalcitrant husband giving his estranged agunah (bound) wife a get/...
rikitikitembo's user avatar
6 votes
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Chalitzah where Yibum is forbidden

The Tur, Even Haezer 169 (Hilchos Chalitzah), says that even where Yibum is not allowed, the parts of Chalitzah like "He refuses to do yibum" and "I do not want to marry her" must ...
MichoelR's user avatar
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Why was Boaz obligated to make yibum to get the field

Inspired by this weekly challenge. Why did Boaz choose to make yibum to get the field of Machlon and Kilion. Couldn't he just buy the field from Ruth?
jutky's user avatar
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What do we do when chalitza is impossible?

The Mishna at the end of the 14th perek of יבמות gives a few examples where יבום is required and חליצה cannot be done. For example, if there are two brothers, one a חירש (deaf-mute) and one a פיקח (...
Daniel's user avatar
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"A y'vama acquires herself through chalitza", really?

The first mishnayos of Kidushin, in Sefaria's Silverstein translation, bracketed remarks omitted: A woman is acquired in three ways, and she acquires herself in two ways. She is acquired by money, by ...
msh210's user avatar
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5 votes
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Understanding a Fine Point in the Rambam's Laws of Yibbum

In MT, Hilkhot Yibbum veChalitzah 7:11, the Rambam presents the case of three brothers, two of whom are married to two sisters and the third of whom is married to an unrelated woman. In the event that ...
Shimon bM's user avatar
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Who's a person with two independant zikas supposed to marry?

Woman A was married to B, and B died without children. A should do Yibum with C but never got around to it. Instead she married D. D then died without children, but has a brother E. Who should A ...
ertert3terte's user avatar
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5 votes
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Yibum & Chalitzah: Questionable hekesh with wife's sister

In Yevamoth 3b, we learn that the reason for exempting fourteen women (of the fifteen enumerated in mishna 1:1) and their co-wives from yibum (levirate marriage) and chalitzah (the decision not to do ...
magicker72's user avatar
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Negiah before Nisuin

Unless I'm mistaken, after a non-ervah goes to the mikvah, affectionate touch would at most be prohibited rabbinically. I assume here it is prohibited rabbinically. If so, there are two cases I am ...
robev's user avatar
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4 votes
1 answer
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Brocho on Chalitzo

Is there a Brocho that is said on Chalitzo? If so, what is it?
yydl's user avatar
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4 votes
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When can the brother of a man who died childless do neither yibbum nor chalitzah?

I was under the impression that if a man dies childless and has a brother, then the brother must do either yibbum (marrying his wife) or chalitzah (rejecting the marriage) -- his choice, but he has to ...
Monica Cellio's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
251 views

Was Onan turning Yibum into Arayot?

There are many commentators that invoke the story of Onan as a source for the prohibition behind onanism, but there seems to be a distinctly different issue going on that is "evil in the eyes of ...
Isaac Kotlicky's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
189 views

Yibum and Chalitzah: stringency or leniency?

In Yevamoth 8a, we discuss a group of women (enumerated in mishna 1:1) with whom neither yibum (levirate marriage) nor chalitzah (the rejection of levirate marriage) takes place. According to the ...
magicker72's user avatar
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Can the Mitzvah of being fruitful be fulfilled through Yibbum?

If one had children from his late brother’s wife, fulfilling the Mitzvah of Yibbum, did he also fulfill the Mitzvah of being fruitful, or do we say that for this purpose they are not considered his ...
שלום's user avatar
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Chizkuni Bereshis 38:9 - Why Was Onan Worried about his Crops?

Chizkuni, Bereshis 38:9 וידע אונן כסבור היה, כמו הידוע נדע כי לא לו יהיה הזרע וגו' אמר בלבו אם אבא אל אשת אחי אשחית את ארצי שלא אמצא מי חורשה ומי זורעה. לבלתי נתן זרע לאחיו לא רצה לתת זרע השדה לאחיו ...
Shalom's user avatar
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Paternity of Peretz, with regards to Yehudah's act of "Yibbum"

In Parshat Vayeishev, the Torah records the lineage of Yehudah. Er, his eldest, is married to Tamar and then dies without offspring. The same occurs with Onan. Yehudah then has children with Tamar (...
Noach MiFrankfurt's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
156 views

What is the deadline for yibbum?

If a man dies without children his brother is expected to marry his widow. He's not required to; he could instead perform chalitzah and then the woman is free to marry somebody else. While his ...
Monica Cellio's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
130 views

Does a Mitzvas Asei doche a lav by Yibum in the case of Mamzeirus?

Hypothetical case: 2 half brothers with a common father. One brother is kosher and the other brother is a mamzer. The mamzer marries a mamzerres and they have no offspring. The mamzer dies and the ...
Chadav's user avatar
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How could Ruth do yibbum if she converted only after her husband died?

How could Boaz be required to do Yibbum with Ruth being that she was a non jew when she was married to?
yosef lavi's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
180 views

Yibbum and Jewish brothers who share a Gentile father

Suppose there are two brothers who share the same Jewish mother and non-Jewish father. One marries a Jewish woman but subsequently dies childless. Does yibbum/chalitzah apply in this situation, or are ...
Premundane's user avatar
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Why is the case of the near-simultaneous deaths in Y'vamos chapter 7?

The seventh chapter of Mishayos Y'vamos discusses under what circumstances someone related to a kohen can eat t'ruma, depending on their relation and on what other relatives are alive. But in the ...
msh210's user avatar
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3 votes
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Understanding the Rambam's commentary to Yevamos 3:7 and 3:9

The first half of Yevamos 3:7 says שְׁלֹשָׁה אַחִים, שְׁנַיִם מֵהֶן נְשׂוּאִים שְׁתֵּי אֲחָיוֹת, וְאֶחָד נָשׂוּי נָכְרִית, מֵת אֶחָד מִבַּעֲלֵי אֲחָיוֹת, וְכָנַס נָשׂוּי נָכְרִית אֶת אִשְׁתּוֹ, ...
Heshy's user avatar
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Yebum, the man wants it but the woman doesn't [duplicate]

Let's say, Chas V'Shalom, a man died childless, leaving his wife a Yivamah. He has a brother, who by Torah law must either marry his diseased brother's wife, or perform Chalitzah. What if he wants to ...
M. Broder's user avatar
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2 votes
2 answers
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Does the remarriage delay apply even in the case of yibbum?

If a woman is widowed or divorced, she must wait long enough before remarrying to firmly establish the paternity of a child who might be forthcoming (Daily Halacha cites SA Even Ha'ezer 13). The ...
Monica Cellio's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
1k views

If a widow married the brother of her deceased husband

If a widow married the brother of her deceased husband so the deceased husband can have children in the deceased husband's name, then how does the brother have any children in his own name?
blockaj's user avatar
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Why use impossible cases to illustrate laws?

In Bava Kamma 27a we find the following scenario: If a man fell from a roof and was inserted into a woman [due to the force of the fall, but with no intention to engage in sexual intercourse,] he ...
Maurice Mizrahi's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
254 views

If only a married woman can be a sotah, why does a non-spouse have authority to warn her?

Sotah 4:1 explains that certain women do not drink the sotah waters and do not receive the ketubah because they are not yet married and the torah says "she goes astray while married to her husband". ...
Monica Cellio's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
131 views

Why didn’t Yehuda (or Shelah) perform Chaliza for Tamar?

In (פרשת וישב (פרק לח we have the story of Yehuda marrying off Er to Tamar and then perform a pre-מתן תורה version of יבום with Onan, who also subsequently dies. Which left Yehuda’s third son,Shelah,...
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2 votes
2 answers
143 views

Can a levirate marriage yield a legitimate heir to the throne?

If a king dies, and his brother lives, can his brother marry the dead king's wife to raise an heir to the throne? Or would a new line of kings begin? Deuteronomy 25:5-6 כִּי-יֵשְׁבוּ אַחִים ...
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2 votes
1 answer
240 views

Why is halitzah mandatory and is subsequent marriage allowed?

Some batei din make halitzah mandatory and do not allow levirate marriage, even threatening jail if the surviving brother refuses halitzah and wants a levirate marriage. What is the law if the couple ...
Maurice Mizrahi's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
176 views

Halachically dead & Yibum

From organ donation discussions I learned that some don't view brain death as death and only view the cessation of the heart's beating to be death. According to that, if someone's heart was stopped ...
Clint Eastwood's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
182 views

How to understand the use of גֹאֵל in Rus

I'm really perplexed by what is going on in megillas Rus. In chapter 3 Rus and Boaz keep talking about Boaz being a גֹאֵל, but גֹאֵל of what? Boaz is the uncle of Machlon and Kilyon and as such he ...
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