TT #721 · Parashas Ki Seitzei · Seventh Aliyah · Passuk 25:07
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.”
Torah Temimah points to Yevamot / Abaye.
TT lemma: לֹא אָבָה יַבְּמִי.
אָמַר אַבַּיֵּי: הַאי מַאן דְּמַקְרֵי גֵּט חֲלִיצָה לֹא לִקְרֵי לְדִידָהּ ״לֹא״ לְחוּדֵיהּ וְ״אָבָה״ לְחוּדֵיהּ, דְּמַשְׁמַע ״אָבָה יַבְּמִי״.
English: Abaye said: One who dictates the chalitzah document should not read to her “lo” separately and “avah” separately, for that would sound like “he is willing to perform the duty of a husband’s brother for me.”
On the daf / in context: Care must be taken in the oral delivery of the formula so that the negative particle is not separated from the verb in a way that reverses the meaning.
Derash / practical caution on the precise recitation of the formula.
The negative declaration must be recited as a continuous phrase so that its meaning is not inverted.