## Sifrei Devarim Paragraph 291

###### Sifrei Devarim 291:1
[Sifrei Devarim 291:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/291:1)

(דברים כה ט) **וְנִגְּשָׁה יְבִמְתּוֹ אֵלָיו לְעֵינֵי הַזְּקֵנִים וְיָרְקָה בְּפָנָיו**, רֹק הַנִּרְאֶה לְעֵינֵי הַזְּקֵנִים, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁמִּתְיַחֶדֶת עִמּוֹ לְעֵינֵי הַזְּקֵנִים.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
(Devarim 25:9) "Then his *yevamah* shall draw near to him before the eyes of the elders": We are hereby taught that she goes after him to the elders. "before the eyes of the elders … and she shall spit": spittle that is visible to the eyes of the elders.


###### Sifrei Devarim 291:2
[Sifrei Devarim 291:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/291:2)

**וְחָלְצָה נַעֲלוֹ**, אֵין לִי אֶלָּא נַעֲלוֹ שֶׁלּוֹ, שֶׁל אֲחֵרִים מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר ״חֲלוּץ הַנָּעַל״ (דברים כה י) מִכָּל מָקוֹם. אִם כֵּן לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר **וְחָלְצָה נַעֲלוֹ**? פְּרָט לְגָדוֹל שֶׁאֵין יָכוֹל לְהַלֵּךְ בּוֹ, וְקָטָן שֶׁאֵין חוֹפֶה אֶת רֹב רַגְלוֹ, וְסוֹלְיָיס שֶׁאֵין לוֹ עָקֵב, שֶׁחֲלִיצָתָהּ פְּסוּלָה.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
"and she shall remove his shoe": This tells me only of *his* shoe (i.e., a shoe that he owns). Whence do I derive (that *chalitzah* is valid with) anyone's shoe? From (the repetition of) "shoe" (here), "shoe" (verse 10) — in any event. If so, why is it written "and she shall remove *his* shoe"? To exclude as valid for *chalitzah* (a shoe) so large that he cannot walk in it or one so small that it does not cover most of his foot, or one that lacks a heel.


###### Sifrei Devarim 291:3
[Sifrei Devarim 291:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/291:3)

**מֵעַל רַגְלוֹ**, נֶאֱמַר כָּאן רַגְלוֹ וְנֶאֱמַר לְהַלָּן (ויקרא יד יד) רַגְלוֹ, מַה רַגְלוֹ הָאָמוּר לְהַלָּן יְמָנִית אַף רַגְלוֹ הָאָמוּר כָּאן יְמָנִית. **מֵעַל רַגְלוֹ**, מִכָּן אַתָּה אוֹמֵר: מִן הָאַרְכֻּבָּה וּלְמַטָּה חֲלִיצָתָהּ כְּשֵׁרָה, מִן הָאַרְכֻּבָּה וּלְמַעְלָה חֲלִיצָתָהּ פְּסוּלָה.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
"from his foot": From here they ruled: (If she removed the shoe) from the knee-joint down (in the case of one whose foot was amputated), the *chalitzah* is valid. "his foot": It is written here "his foot," and elsewhere (Vayikra 14:18). Just as there the right (foot is specifically indicated), here, too, the right (foot is intended).


###### Sifrei Devarim 291:4
[Sifrei Devarim 291:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/291:4)

**וְיָרְקָה בְּפָנָיו**, יָכוֹל בְּפָנָיו מַמָּשׁ? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: **לְעֵינֵי הַזְּקֵנִים**, רֹק הַנִּרְאֶה לְעֵינֵי הַזְּקֵנִים. מִכָּן אָמְרוּ: חָלְצָה וְרָקְקָה וְלֹא קָרְאתָה – חֲלִיצָתָהּ כְּשֵׁרָה. קָרְאתָה וְרָקְקָה וְלֹא חָלְצָה – חֲלִיצָתָהּ פְּסוּלָה. חָלְצָה וְקָרְאתָה וְלֹא רָקְקָה – רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר: חֲלִיצָתָהּ פְּסוּלָה. וְרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר: חֲלִיצָתָהּ כְּשֵׁרָה.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
"and she shall spit in his face": I might think "in his face," literally; it is, therefore, written "before the eyes of the elders" (so that "in his face" is understood as "before him.")


###### Sifrei Devarim 291:5
[Sifrei Devarim 291:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/291:5)

**וְעָנְתָה וְאָמְרָה**, נֶאֶמְרָה כָּאן עֲנִיָּה וְנֶאֶמְרָה לְהַלָּן עֲנִיָּה, מָה עֲנִיָּה הָאֲמוּרָה לְהַלָּן בִּלְשׁוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ, אַף עֲנִיָּה הָאֲמוּרָה כָּאן בִּלְשׁוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
"and she shall answer and she shall say": "answering" is written here and elsewhere (*Ibid*. 27:14) . Just as there, in the holy tongue, so, here.


###### Sifrei Devarim 291:6
[Sifrei Devarim 291:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/291:6)

**כָּכָה יֵעָשֶׂה לָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר לֹא יִבְנֶה אֶת בֵּית אָחִיו**, רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר: אֲשֶׁר לֹא בָנָה וַאֲשֶׁר לֹא עָתִיד לִבְנוֹת.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
"Thus shall it be done with the man": From here it was ruled: If she removed the shoe and spat, but did not recite (the prescribed formula), the *chalitzah* is valid. If she recited and spat but did not remove the shoe, the *chalitzah* is invalid. If she removed the shoe and recited but did not spit — R. Eliezer says: The *chalitzah* is invalid; R. Akiva says: The *chalitzah* is valid. R. Eliezer said to him. (It is written) "Thus shall it be *done*" — Everything which is an act is a categorical requirement. R. Akiva: Is that a proof? It is written "with the man" — Everything that is done with the *man* (such as the removal of the shoe) is a categorical requirement.


###### Sifrei Devarim 291:7
[Sifrei Devarim 291:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/291:7)

**[כָּכָה יֵעָשֶׂה]** אָמַר רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר: **כָּכָה יֵעָשֶׂה** – בְּדָבָר שֶׁמַּעֲשֶׂה מְעַכֵּב. אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי עֲקִיבָה: מִשָּׁם רְאָיָה? **כָּכָה יֵעָשֶׂה לָאִישׁ** דָּבָר שֶׁמַּעֲשֶׂה בָּאִישׁ. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר: חֲלִיצָה מְעַכֶּבֶת וּרְקִיקָה מְעַכֶּבֶת. **וְנִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל**, רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אוֹמֵר: חֲלִיצָה בִּשְׁכִיבָה וּרְקִיקָה כְּדֵי שִׁכְבַת זֶרַע.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
"who would not build the house of his brother" — who would not build and who is not destined to build (i.e., Once he did not build it, he may build it no more.) (*Ibid*. 25:10) "And his name shall be called in Israel 'the house (of him) *chalutz hana'al*' ('whose shoe was removed')":


###### Sifrei Devarim 291:8
[Sifrei Devarim 291:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/291:8)

**וְנִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל**, נֶאֱמַר כָּאן בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וְנֶאֱמַר לְהַלָּן בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, מַה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל הָאָמוּר לְהַלָּן פְּרָט לְבֵית דִּין שֶׁל גֵּרִים, אַף בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל הָאָמוּר כָּאן פְּרָט לְבֵית דִּין שֶׁל גֵּרִים.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
"in Israel": Why is this written here? Is it not already written elsewhere? (*Ibid*. 7) — That excludes converts (from *yibum*), this excludes a *beth-din* of converts (from officiating at *chalitzah*.)


###### Sifrei Devarim 291:9
[Sifrei Devarim 291:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/291:9)

**בֵּית חֲלוּץ הַנָּעַל**, מִצְוָה בַּדַּיָּנִים וְלֹא מִצְוָה בַּתַּלְמִידִים. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: מִצְוָה עַל כָּל הָעוֹמְדִים שָׁם לוֹמַר: **חֲלוּץ הַנָּעַל** **חֲלוּץ הַנָּעַל**. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה: פַּעַם אַחַת הָיִינוּ יוֹשְׁבִים לִפְנֵי רַבִּי טַרְפוֹן, וְאָמַר לָנוּ: עֲנוּ כֻּלְּכֶם וְאִמְרוּ: **חֲלוּץ הַנָּעַל** **חֲלוּץ הַנָּעַל**.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
"the house *chalutz hana'al*": It is a mitzvah for the judges (to say this), and not for the disciples. R. Yehudah says: It is a mitzvah for all those standing there to say "*chalutz hana'al*, *chalutz hana'al*." R. Yehudah said: Once we were sitting before R. Tarfon (at a *chalitzah*) and he said to us: All of your answer "*chalutz hana'al*, *chalutz hana'al*."