Negative Commandment 357 (Digest)
Relations with a Widow who has not Performed Chalitzah
"The wife of the dead man shall not be to an outsider"—Deuteronomy 25:5.
It is forbidden for anyone – besides the deceased's brother – to engage in sexual relations with the widow of a childless man, unless she has performed chalitzah.
Unabridged English Text of this Mitzvah »
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> The 357th prohibition is that other;) men are prohibited from having relations with a yevamah;) while she is still waiting for the yavam.;)
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> The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement,;) "The wife of the deceased is not allowed to marry an outsider."
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> Both the woman and the man are punished by lashes for transgressing this prohibition.
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> The details of this mitzvah are explained in tractate Yevamos.
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> Footnotes
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> 1.
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> Other than the yavam, who is commanded to marry her.
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> 2.
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> See note above (P217).
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> 3.
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> I.e. she is still in an intermediate status: they have not become man and wife through yibum, and they have not broken the relationship through chalitzah.
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> Although the brother-in-law has not given any indication that he wishes to marry her, the brother's death nevertheless creates an automatic connection between them similar to marriage. Therefore, she is not free to remarry until this relationship is broken.
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> 4.
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> Deut. 25:5.