Ki Seitzei 25:08 · unit 6

TT #727 · Parashas Ki Seitzei · Seventh Aliyah · Passuk 25:08

The Complete Passuk

וְקָֽרְאוּ־ל֥וֹ זִקְנֵֽי־עִיר֖וֹ וְדִבְּר֣וּ אֵלָ֑יו וְעָמַ֣ד וְאָמַ֔ר לֹ֥א חָפַ֖צְתִּי לְקַחְתָּֽהּ׃

Then the elders of his city shall call him and speak to him, and he shall stand and say: “I do not desire to take her.”

Torah Temimah points to Yevamot / Gittin.

TT lemma: וְאָמַר.

וְאָמַר – מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָאִלֵּם שֶׁחָלַץ חֲלִיצָתוֹ פְּסוּלָה, לְפִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ בַּאֲמִירָה.

English: “And he shall say” — teaching that a mute who performed chalitzah — his chalitzah is invalid, because he is not capable of speech.

On the daf / in context: The verbal declaration is an essential element; a man who cannot speak cannot fulfill it.

Derash invalidating chalitzah performed by a mute.

A mute yavam cannot perform a valid chalitzah because he cannot recite the required formula.