Ki Seitzei 25:07 · unit 2

TT #701 · Parashas Ki Seitzei · Seventh Aliyah · Passuk 25:07

The Complete Passuk

וְאִם־לֹ֤א יַחְפֹּץ֙ הָאִ֔ישׁ לָקַ֖חַת אֶת־יְבִמְתּ֑וֹ וְעָלְתָה֩ יְבִמְתּ֨וֹ הַשַּׁ֜עְרָה אֶל־הַזְּקֵנִ֗ים וְאָֽמְרָה֙ מֵאֵ֨ן יְבָמִ֜י לְהָקִ֨ים לְאָחִ֥יו שֵׁם֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לֹ֥א אָבָ֖ה יַבְּמִֽי׃

And if the man does not desire to take his yevamah, then his yevamah shall go up to the gate to the elders and say: “My husband’s brother refuses to establish a name for his brother in Israel; he will not perform the duty of a husband’s brother for me.”

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Yevamot 39b.

TT lemma: וְאִם לֹא יַחְפֹּץ הָאִישׁ.

Sefaria

Core Text of Chazal

לֹא יַחְפֹּץ – מִשְׁמַע שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ בְּרֵרָה; אֲבָל אִם אֵינוֹ רָאוּי לְיַבֵּם – אֵין כָּאן חֲלִיצָה.

English: “Does not desire” — implies that he has a choice; but if he is not fit to perform yibbum, there is no chalitzah either.

On the daf / in context: The verse presupposes a man who could have chosen yibbum but declines it.

Type of Learning

Implication from the language of desire/choice.

What Is Learned

Chalitzah is available only to a man who was eligible to perform yibbum.