Ki Seitzei 25:09 · unit 11

TT #739 · Parashas Ki Seitzei · Seventh Aliyah · Passuk 25:09

The Complete Passuk

וְנִגְּשָׁ֨ה יְבִמְתּ֣וֹ אֵלָיו֮ לְעֵינֵ֣י הַזְּקֵנִים֒ וְחָלְצָ֤ה נַעֲלוֹ֙ מֵעַ֣ל רַגְל֔וֹ וְיָרְקָ֥ה בְּפָנָ֖יו וְעָנְתָ֣ה וְאָמְרָ֑ה כָּ֚כָה יֵעָשֶׂ֣ה לָאִ֔ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־יִבְנֶ֖ה אֶת־בֵּ֥ית אָחִֽיו׃

Then his yevamah shall approach him in the presence of the elders, and draw his shoe off his foot, and spit in his face, and respond and say: “Thus shall be done to the man who will not build up his brother’s house.”

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Yevamot 103a.

TT lemma: וְיָרְקָה בְּפָנָיו.

Sefaria

Core Text of Chazal

הַסּוּמָא אֵינוֹ חוֹלֵץ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְיָרְקָה בְּפָנָיו – וְאֵין זֶה רוֹאֶה אֶת הָרוֹק.

English: A blind man does not perform chalitzah, for it is said “and she shall spit in his face” — and this one does not see the spittle.

On the daf / in context: Some authorities treat the inability of the yavam to see the spittle as a disqualification (at least le-khatehillah).

Type of Learning

Derash regarding a blind yavam.

What Is Learned

A blind yavam is preferably not the one who performs chalitzah (or, according to some, his chalitzah is invalid).