halitzah

Halitzah is a Jewish religious ceremony described in the Torah, specifically in Deuteronomy 25:5-10. It is a ritual performed when a man dies without children, leaving a widow. In such a situation, his brother is obligated to marry the widow in a practice known as yibbum, or levirate marriage. If the brother refuses to marry the widow, or if he is unable to do so, the ceremony of halitzah takes place.

During halitzah, the widow and the brother (or surviving brother) stand before a court of three Jewish elders. The widow removes the brother's shoe, spits in front of him, and recites a specific declaration. The declaration states that the man refuses to build a house for his brother's lineage and that he will not be called by his brother's name. This act releases the brother from his obligation of yibbum and frees the widow to remarry any man she chooses, except for a member of the priesthood.

The purpose of halitzah is to prevent the dissolution of the deceased's name and inheritance from Israel. However, it also allows for the widow's remarriage and prevents forced unions. The ceremony is designed to be a public and formal renunciation of the levirate obligation. Historically, yibbum was more common, but with the passage of time and evolving interpretations of Jewish law, halitzah became the preferred and more frequently practiced option.