Ki Seitzei 25:09 · unit 5

TT #733 · 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 101a–b.

TT lemma: וְחָלְצָה נַעֲלוֹ.

Sefaria

Core Text of Chazal

בָּעֵי רַבִּי יַנַּאי: קְרַעְתְּהוּ מַהוּ? שְׂרַפְתְּהוּ מַהוּ? מִי בָּעֵינַן גִּלּוּי כְּרָעַי וְהָא אִיכָּא, אוֹ דִּילְמָא חֲלִיצָה בָּעֵינַן וְלֵיכָּא? תֵּיקוּ.

English: Rabbi Yannai asked: If she tore it, what is the law? If she burned it, what is the law? Do we require the uncovering of the foot — and that is present — or do we require the act of drawing off — and that is absent? The question remains unresolved.

On the daf / in context: The essential nature of “chalitzah” (drawing off) versus mere exposure of the foot is left as a teiku.

Type of Learning

Unresolved inquiry (teiku) on the essence of the act.

What Is Learned

Whether destroying the shoe while it is on the foot constitutes valid chalitzah remains an open question.