1,872. Maamar

Yibum v’Chalitzah 2:1

It is a rabbinic enactment that a surviving brother shouldn’t engage in relations with his deceased brother’s widow until he has betrothed her in front of two witnesses by giving her a prutah (a small denomination of coin) or an object worth a prutah. This act is called maamar and it does not complete the process of acquiring a yevama, as we shall see. If a man performs maamar without the woman’s knowledge, his actions are ineffective because a woman can only be consecrated with her consent. If a minor is widowed after betrothal, maamar can only be performed with her father’s consent.

Yibum v’Chalitzah 2:2

Just as a man must betroth his yevama, he must also recite the marriage benedictions in front of a minyan and write a kesubah, just like any other groom. If a man has relations with his yevama without first performing maamar, it is effective. There is no need for him to betroth her after yibum, though he should be lashed for acting rebelliously and he must write a kesubah for her.