Chalitzah

Chalitzah is a Jewish religious ceremony performed when a man dies without leaving any male heirs, and his surviving brother is obligated to marry the widow. The ceremony is an alternative to the more involved ritual of yibbum, or levirate marriage. Chalitzah literally translates to "drawing off" or "release" in Hebrew, referring to the symbolic act of removing the widow's shoe.

The ritual is performed in front of a rabbinical court. The widow, referred to as the yevamah, approaches the brother-in-law, known as the chalutz, and declares her intention to perform chalitzah. The chalutz then states that he refuses to marry her, and the court witnesses this refusal. Following this, the widow takes the chalutz's right shoe and, with her left hand, removes it. She then walks away seven paces and throws the shoe.

After the shoe is removed and the declaration is made, the widow recites a specific blessing and states that her brother-in-law has been released from his obligation. The ceremony is completed when the shoe is removed and the declarations are made. The primary purpose of chalitzah is to free the widow from the obligation of yibbum, allowing her to remarry whomever she chooses, outside of her deceased husband's family. This practice is codified in Jewish law, found in Deuteronomy.