Talmud Bavli
Talmud Bavli

Responsa for Yevamot 209:15

ת"ר משפחה אחת היתה בירושלים שהיו מתים כבן שמנה עשרה שנה באו והודיעו את רבן יוחנן בן זכאי אמר להם שמא ממשפחת עלי אתם שנא' (שמואל א ב, לג) וכל מרבית ביתך ימותו אנשים לכו ועסקו בתורה ותחיו הלכו ועסקו בתורה וחיו והיו קורין אותן משפחת יוחנן על שמו

— From the Scriptural text, Therefore I have sworn unto the House of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be expiated with sacrifice nor offering for ever.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I Sam. III, 14, emphasis on 'sworn' and 'for ever'. ');"><sup>38</sup></span> Rabbah said: It will not be expiated 'with sacrifice nor offering', but it will be expiated with the words of the Torah. Abaye said: It will not be expiated 'with sacrifice nor offering' but it will be expiated with the practice of lovingkindness.

Teshuvot Maharam

Q. A levir performed the rite of halitzah with a shoe sewed with flaxen thread, but which did not belong to him. The levir refuses to repeat the rite with another shoe. The law provides that halitzah performed with a shoe not belonging to the levir is valid bediabad (after the act has been performed). What does bediabad mean in this case; does it mean after the rite was performed, or only after the woman remarried?
A. Bediabad, in this case, means after the rite was performed. Nevertheless, the aforementioned performance of the rite is invalid, for a different reason: the shoe used was sewed with flaxen thread and, therefore, was never fit for this purpose. Since, however, the levir performed an invalid rite of halitzah, neither he nor his brothers are now permitted to marry the widow. Halitzah by the same levir being the only manner of releasing her, he may be forced, by persuasion or by flagellation, to repeat the rite with the proper shoe. For now the Mitzvah revolved on him alone, and we are permitted to scourge a Jew until he perform the required Mitzvot.
This Responsum is addressed to Rabbi Menahem of Würzburg.
SOURCES: Am I, 93, 94.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Previous VerseFull ChapterNext Verse