Meaning of halitzah | Babel Free

Definitions

A rite by which a widow absolves herself of the duty of levirate marriage. It involves making a declaration, removing a shoe, and spitting on the floor.

Judaism

Examples

“Halitzah carries with it the implication of shame on the male who by refusing to marry his sister-in-law is guilty of not fulfilling his obligation to his dead brother and his dead brother's estate.”

“To discourage sexual attraction between brothers and sisters-in-law, later Jewish law expressed a clear preference for ḥalitzah (the ritual of the sandal) rather than levirate marriage.”

CEFR level