Mitzvah —
129
To do Chalitzah (freeing a widow from yibum)
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וְנִגְּשָׁ֨ה יְבִמְתּ֣וֹ אֵלָיו֮ לְעֵינֵ֣י הַזְּקֵנִים֒ וְחָלְצָ֤ה נַעֲלוֹ֙ מֵעַ֣ל רַגְל֔וֹ וְיָרְקָ֖ה בְּפָנָ֑יו וְעָֽנְתָה֙ וְאָ֣מְרָ֔ה כָּ֚כָה יֵעָשֶׂ֣ה לָאִ֔ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־יִבְנֶ֖ה אֶת־בֵּ֥ית אָחִֽיו׃ - פָּרָשַׁת כִּי־תֵצֵא
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Deuteronomy 25:9 - "Then his brother's wife shall approach him before the eyes of the elders and remove his shoe from his foot. And she shall spit before his face and answer [him] and say, "Thus shall be done to the man who will not build up his brother's household!"
This Mitzvah's Summary
מִצְוָה עֲשֵׂה - Positive Commandment
מִצְוָה לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה - Negative Commandment
Family – מִשְׁפָּחָה
Perform chalitzah to release a widow from the obligation of yibbum.
This mitzvah commands performing chalitzah when the surviving brother does not wish to marry his childless brother’s widow. The chalitzah ceremony formally severs the bond of levirate marriage, allowing the widow to remarry freely. It involves the widow removing the brother-in-law’s shoe before the elders and declaring the release of obligation. Though the Torah presents yibbum as the primary mitzvah, rabbinic tradition emphasized chalitzah to ensure that marriages are founded on pure intentions and not ulterior motives.
Commentary & Classical Explanation:
- Rambam (Hilchot Yibbum v’Chalitzah 4:1): Describes the detailed process of chalitzah and establishes its validity as a Torah mitzvah.
- Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 599): The root is to uphold family dignity, freeing both the widow and the brother-in-law from forced connection, while preserving respect for the deceased.
- Talmud (Yevamot 39b–40a): Explains that chalitzah is preferable in most cases to ensure the mitzvah is fulfilled without improper intention.
Commentaries
(Source: Chabad.org)
