1,928. Women Who Are Obligated in Neither Chalitzah nor Yibum

Yibum v’Chalitzah 6:8

These women are obligated in neither chalitzah nor yibum: the wife of a man with congenital impotence or of a hermaphrodite, the wife of a man lacking mental competence or of a minor, a woman with congenital infertility and a woman prohibited to the yavam as one of the forbidden relationships. This is because Deuteronomy 25:6 says that yibum is performed so that the name of the deceased should not be eradicated in Israel. This excludes the wife of a man with congenital impotence or of a hermaphrodite because their deceased husbands weren’t going to father children anyway. The same verse also refers to the firstborn that this woman will give birth to, which excludes a woman with congenital infertility since she can’t bear children. Verse 5 refers to the wife of the deceased, which excludes the wife of a man lacking mental competence or of a minor because there’s no concept of marriage with them. The same verse says that the yavam will take this woman for a wife, which excludes a woman prohibited to him as one of the forbidden relationships.

Yibum v’Chalitzah 6:9

A yevama can be prohibited to the yavam as one of the forbidden relationships if she’s the sister, mother or daughter of his wife. Such a woman has no levirate bond whatsoever based on Deuteronomy 25:6, “He shall take her for a wife and perform yibum with her.” Only a woman whom he can marry and whose betrothal is binding has a levirate bond.