## Sifrei Devarim Paragraph 289

###### Sifrei Devarim 289:1
[Sifrei Devarim 289:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/289:1)

(דברים כה ו) **וְהָיָה הַבְּכוֹר אֲשֶׁר תֵּלֵד**, יָכוֹל אִם הָיָה שְׁמוֹ יוֹסֵי יִקָּרֵא שְׁמוֹ יוֹסֵי, הָיָה שְׁמוֹ יוֹחָנָן יִקָּרֵא שְׁמוֹ יוֹחָנָן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: **יָקוּם עַל שֵׁם אָחִיו** מִכָּל מָקוֹם. אִם כֵּן לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר **וְהָיָה הַבְּכוֹר אֲשֶׁר תֵּלֵד**? מְלַמֵּד שֶׁמִּצְוָה בַּגָּדוֹל לְיַבֵּם.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
**Pisqa’ 289**⁴⁶³
1. “Then, the first *son* she shall bear” (Dt. 25:6).
Is it possible to say that
if [the deceased brother’s] name was “Yose,”
[the son sired by the levir should] also be called “Yose?”
Or if [he was named] “Yohanan,”
[the son should] also be called “Yohanan?”
The Teaching states:
“Shall be *assigned* the name of his dead brother” (Dt. 25:6)—
Any name [*assigned* to the infant] will do
[to transmit the deceased’s lineage].
If so, why, does it state:
“Then, the *first son* she shall bear” (Dt. 25:6)?
This teaches that:
**It is *appropriate* for the oldest [surviving brother]**
**to take the levirate privilege**
**[but not an absolute requirement]**.⁴⁶⁴

footnotes:
⁴⁶³ H:280-282;JN2:250-252.
⁴⁶⁴ =M.Yev.2:8, 4:5.


###### Sifrei Devarim 289:2
[Sifrei Devarim 289:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/289:2)

**אֲשֶׁר תֵּלֵד**, פְּרָט לְאַיְלוֹנִית שֶׁאֵינָהּ רְאוּיָה לֵילֵד.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
2. “She shall bear” (Dt. 25:6)—
this excludes a ram-like woman⁴⁶⁵ indicates a barren woman with masculine features. The term is apparently based upon *‘ayal,* “ram.” (Jastrow: p. 49)
—[who has proven] incapable of bearing—
[from the rule of levirate privilege]

footnotes:
⁴⁶⁵ Heb: ‘aylonit;


###### Sifrei Devarim 289:3
[Sifrei Devarim 289:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/289:3)

**יָקוּם עַל שֵׁם אָחִיו**, וְלֹא עַל שֵׁם אֲחִי אָבִיו.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
“Shall be assigned the name of his . . . *brother*” (Dt. 25:6)—
but not the name of his *father’s* [dead] brother.


###### Sifrei Devarim 289:4
[Sifrei Devarim 289:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/289:4)

**הַמֵּת**, לְפִי שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ לְהַלָּן אֵשֶׁת אֶחָד מִתְיַבֶּמֶת וְלֹא אֵשֶׁת שְׁנַיִם, מִנַּיִן מֵת רִאשׁוֹן יְיַבֵּם שֵׁנִי, מֵת שֵׁנִי יְיַבֵּם שְׁלִישִׁי, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: **הַמֵּת** **הַמֵּת** רִבָּה.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
“His dead *brother*” (Dt. 25:6)—
since we have taught elsewhere:⁴⁶⁶ 288.3
**The widow of only one brother**
**can be subject to levirate privilege,**
**but not two widows—**
**[only one brother may exercise the levirate privilege**
**with only one widow.]**
On what basis do we know that
if the first brother dies [childless],
the second shall exercise the levirate privilege.
And if the second dies [childless],
then the third shall exercise the levirate privilege?
The Teaching states:
“his *dead* brother” (Dt. 25:6)—
*dead* is interpreted inclusively
[such that a succession of brothers
is mandated until the widow bears a male heir].

footnotes:
⁴⁶⁶ Pisqa


###### Sifrei Devarim 289:5
[Sifrei Devarim 289:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/289:5)

**וְלֹא יִמָּחֶה שְׁמוֹ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל**, פְּרָט לְסָרִיס שֶׁכְּבָר שְׁמוֹ מָחוּי.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
“So that his name is *not obliterated* in Israel” (Dt. 25:6)—
**this excludes a eunuch [from exercising the levirate privilege],**
**for his name has already *been obliterated***
**[by virtue of his castration].**⁴⁶⁷ 289.1.

footnotes:
⁴⁶⁷ Cf. M. Yev. 8:4 and Pisqa’


###### Sifrei Devarim 289:6
[Sifrei Devarim 289:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/289:6)

(דברים כה ז) **וְאִם לֹא יַחְפֹּץ הָאִישׁ**, וְלֹא שֶׁלֹּא חָפֵץ בָּהּ הַמָּקוֹם. מוֹצִיא אֲנִי אֶת הָעֲרָיוֹת שֶׁחַיָּבִים עֲלֵיהֶן מִיתַת בֵּית דִּין, וַעֲדַיִן לֹא אוֹצִיא עֲרָיוֹת שֶׁחַיָּבִים עֲלֵיהֶן כָּרֵת בִּידֵי שָׁמַיִם. תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: **מֵאֵן יְבָמִי**, וְלֹא שֶׁמֵּאֵן בָּהּ הַמָּקוֹם. מוֹצִיא אֲנִי אֶת הָעֲרָיוֹת שֶׁחַיָּבִים עֲלֵיהֶן כָּרֵת בִּידֵי שָׁמַיִם, וַעֲדַיִן לֹא אוֹצִיא אֶת הָעֲרָיוֹת שֶׁהֵן בְּלֹא תַעֲשֶׂה. תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: **לֹא אָבָה יַבְּמִי**, וְלֹא שֶׁלֹּא אָבָה בָּהּ הַמָּקוֹם.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
3. “Now, if the *man has no desire* to take” (Dt. 25:7).
But not if the *All-Present has no desire*
for her [remarriage].
Shall I reject incestuous marriages involving partners,
for whom the penalty is judicial execution,
yet *not* reject marriages involving partners
for whom the penalty is excision at the hands of Heaven?
The Teaching states:
“My levir *refuses* to build his brother’s name in Israel!” (Dt. 25:7)—
but not if the All-Present *refuses*
to sanction her [remarriage].
Shall I reject incestuous marriages involving partners
for whom the penalty is excision at the hands of Heaven,
yet *not* reject incestuous marriages involving proscribed partners
[for whom Scripture provides no death penalty]?
The Teaching states:
“He does *not consent* to betroth me!” (Dt. 25:7)—
but not if the All-Present *denies consent*
to her [remarriage].


###### Sifrei Devarim 289:7
[Sifrei Devarim 289:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/289:7)

**לָקַחַת אֶת יְבִמְתּוֹ**, מָה אֲנִי צָרִיךְ? מִפְּנֵי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״וְהָיָה הַבְּכוֹר אֲשֶׁר תֵּלֵד״, יָכוֹל שֶׁאֲנִי מוֹצִיא עֲקָרָה וּזְקֵנָה וּקְטַנָּה שֶׁאֵינָן רְאוּיוֹת לֵילֵד, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: **יְבִמְתּוֹ** **יְבִמְתּוֹ** רִבָּה.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
4. “To take his *childless* sister-in-law” (Dt. 25:7).
Why do I need this verse?
Because it is stated:
“Then the first son she shall *bear*” (Dt. 25:6)—
is it possible to say that
I should exclude [from the levirate bond]
an infertile woman, an aged woman, or a minor,
since they are [proven] *incapable of bearing*?
The Teaching states:
“To take his *childless* sister-in-law . . .”
and “his *childless* sister-in-law shall go up” (Dt. 25:7)—
this [repetition of *childless* in a single verse] is inclusive,
[implying that some forms of infertility, mentioned above,
exempt the widowed sister-in-law from the levirate bond].


###### Sifrei Devarim 289:8
[Sifrei Devarim 289:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/289:8)

**וְעָלְתָה יְבִמְתּוֹ הַשַּׁעְרָה**, מִצְוָה בְּבֵית דִּין שֶׁיְּהֵא בַּגָּבוֹהַּ שֶׁבָּעִיר וְשֶׁיְּהֵא בִּזְקֵנִים.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
5. “Then [she] shall *go up* to the gate” (Dt. 25:7)—
*going up* implies that
the court should be the most august in the city,
and under the auspices of the elders.


###### Sifrei Devarim 289:9
[Sifrei Devarim 289:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/289:9)

**מֵאֵן יְבָמִי**, וְלֹא שֶׁמֵּאֵן בָּהּ הַמָּקוֹם. **לְהָקִים לְאָחִיו**, פְּרָט לְסָרִיס שֶׁאִם רָצָה לְהָקִים אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל. **שֵׁם**, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: נֶאֱמַר כָּאן שֵׁם וְנֶאֱמַר לְהַלָּן שֵׁם, מַה שֵּׁם הָאָמוּר לְהַלָּן נַחֲלָה אַף שֵׁם הָאָמוּר כָּאן נַחֲלָה, וּמַה שֵּׁם הָאָמוּר כָּאן זֶרַע אַף שֵׁם הָאָמוּר לְהַלָּן זֶרַע.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
“My *levir refuses*” (Dt. 25:7)—
but not if the *All-Present refuses*
to sanction her [remarriage].
“To *build* his brother’s name” (Dt. 25:7)—
**this excludes a castrate**
**[from the levirate privilege,]**
**for even if he wanted to build,**
**he would be unable to,**
**[by virtue of his castration].**⁴⁶⁸ 289.5.
“Build his brother’s *name*” (Dt. 25:7)—
R. Judah says:
Here, *name* (Dt. 25:7) is specified, and elsewhere (Dt. 25:6),
[the verse] specifies “the *name* of his dead brother.”
Just as *name*, specified elsewhere (Dt. 25:6),
implies a bequest,
so, too, *name* specified here (Dt. 25:7)
implies a bequest.
And just as *name* specified here (Dt. 25:7)
implies offspring [to receive the bequest],
so, too, *name* specified elsewhere (Dt. 25:6)
implies offspring.

footnotes:
⁴⁶⁸ Cf. M. Yev.8:4 and Pisqa’


###### Sifrei Devarim 289:10
[Sifrei Devarim 289:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/289:10)

**בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל**, וְלֹא בְּגֵרִים. מִכָּן אַתָּה אוֹמֵר: שְׁנֵי אַחִים גֵּרִים שֶׁהָיְתָה הוֹרָתָם שֶׁלֹּא בִּקְדֻשָּׁה וְלֵידָתָם בִּקְדֻשָּׁה, פְּטוּרִים מִן הַחֲלִיצָה וּמִן הַיִּבּוּם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: **בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל** וְלֹא בְּגֵרִים.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
6. “In Israel” (Dt. 25:7)—
but not among proselytes.
On this basis you can teach:
**two proselyte brothers**
**whose conception was not consecrated**
**[by the mother’s conversion prior to pregnancy],**
**but whose birth [after conversion] was consecrated—**
**are exempt from “loosening the shoe”**
**and the rule of levirate privilege,**
**as it is said:**
**“In Israel” (Dt. 25:7)—**
**but not among proselytes.**⁴⁶⁹

footnotes:
⁴⁶⁹ Cf. M. Yev.8:2.


###### Sifrei Devarim 289:11
[Sifrei Devarim 289:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/289:11)

**לֹא אָבָה יַבְּמִי**, וְלֹא שֶׁלֹּא אָבָה בָהּ הַמָּקוֹם.

**Trans. by Marty Jaffee, 2015:**
“He does not *consent* to betroth me!” (Dt. 25:7)—
but not if the All-Present *denies consent*
to her [remarriage].