Mishnah Yevamot
משנה יבמות
Sefaria Community Translation
https://www.sefaria.org
Mishnah Yevamot
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
What's the definition of a mamzer? [The offspring of a union with] someone who shares the same flesh who the Torah forbids to you, according to Rabbi Akiva. Shimon the Yemenite says, a mamzer is [the offspring resulting from] any [sexual] prohibition that carries the penalty of excision by the Hand of Heaven ["kareit"]. The halacha is according to Shimon the Yemenite. Rabbi Joshua says, any [offspring resulting from a union] where there is a penalty of death by the court. Rabbi Simon the son of Azai said, "I found that it was written in the scroll where the courts would record the lineages of the families of Jerusalem that someone is a mamzer if he is the offspring of a married woman [and a man other than her husband], supporting the words of Rabbi Joshua.
If a man's wife died, he is permitted to marry her sister. If they divorced, and then the wife died, he is permitted to marry her sister. If [they divorced and] the wife married another, and then the former wife died, he is permitted to marry his former wife's sister. If he performed the ritual of yevamot with a woman, and that woman died, he is permitted to marry that woman's sister. If he performed the ritual of chalitza with a woman and then she died, he is permitted to marry that woman's sister.
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
[If] one had relations with his Yevama [a woman whose husband died childless and whose brother-in-law must marry or dismiss her] he acquires [marries her thereby]. [This is so] whether he [had relations] unknowingly [he thought she was somebody else] or knowingly, by force [he was compelled by somebody else] or willingly. [This is so] even [if] he [acted] unknowingly and she [acted] knowingly, [or] he [acted] knowingly and she [acted] unknowingly, [or] he [acted] by force and she did not [act] by force, [or] she [acted] by force and he did not [act] by force. [This is so] whether he did not complete the intercourse or he did complete the intercourse. And it makes no difference whether there was [natural] relations or [unnatural] relations.
Similarly, [if] one had relations with any of those with whom such unions are forbidden by the Torah, or with a woman who is disqualified for him - such as a widow to a High Priest or a divorced woman or a Chalutzah [a woman who performs Chalitzah] to a common priest, or a Mamzeret [the offspring of a severely prohibited union between a Jewish man and woman] or a Netinah [a member of a caste of Temple servants historically descended from the Gibeonites] to a Jew, she is disqualified [from later marrying a priest]. And it makes no difference whether there was [natural] relations or [unnatural] relations.
Once there has been betrothal of a widow to a High Priest, or of a divorced woman or a Chalutzah to a common priest, they [the women] may not eat Terumah [a portion of a crop given to a priest which becomes holy upon separation and may only be consumed by priests and their households]. Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Shimon allow her [to eat Terumah]. If they [these women] become widowed or divorced [from these priests] following marriage they are disqualified [from marrying priests]; if they [become widowed or divorced] following betrothal they are permitted [to marry priests].
The High Priest may not marry a widow, either a widow from marriage or a widow from betrothal, and he may not marry a bogeret [a girl past the age of twelve years and six months]. Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Shimon allow him [to marry] a bogeret. He may not marry a woman [who is not a virgin due to being] wounded by a piece of wood [in her vagina]. [If] he has betrothed a widow and [subsequently] is elected High Priest, he may marry [her]. It once happened that Yehoshua ben Gamla betrothed Marta bat Baytos, and the king appointed him High Priest, and he married her. If a woman who was a Shomeret Yavam [the widow of a childless man whose brother-in-law has not yet married her nor released her from the obligation of Levirate marriage] was awaiting [Yibum - Levirate marriage wherein a man weds his childless brother's widow] from a common priest and he was appointed High Priest, he may not marry her even if he's performed Ma’amar [semi-betrothal of a Yevama widow through money or a document]. [If] the brother of a High Priest dies he undergoes Chalitzah but does not perform Yibum.
A common priest may not marry an aiylonit [a woman with arrested sexual development who cannot bear children] unless he [already] has a wife and children. Rabbi Yehudah says: He may not marry an aiylonit even if he [already] has a wife and children because she is the zonah mentioned in the Torah. But the Sages say: By zonah the Torah refers to a convert, or a freed maidservant, or a woman who had licentious relations.
One may not abstain from procreation unless he [already] has children. Beit Shammai say: [One must have] two boys, and Beit Hillel say: [One must have] a boy and a girl, as it says, "Male and female He created them" (Bereishit 5:2). [If] one married a woman and waited for ten years and she did not bear children, he is not permitted to abstain [from his obligation]. [If] he divorced her she is permitted to marry somebody else, and the second [husband] is permitted to wait ten years with her. And if she miscarries he counts [ten years] from the point she miscarried. A man is commanded to procreate but a woman is not. Rabbi Yochanan ben Beroka says: It states to both of them, "And God blessed them and He said to them... be fruitful and multiply" (Bereishit 1:25).
Chapter 7
A fetus, a brother-in-law [who is required to fulfill yibum], a betrothal, a deaf mute and a boy nine days and one year old disqualify [a woman from eating teruma] but do not give them the right to eat, and [this is the case] even if it is unclear that he is nine years old and a day or unclear that he is not, or unclear if he has grown two pubic hairs or not. If a house collapses on a man and on his brother's daughter and it is unknown who died first, the rival must perform chalitza but does not contract levirate marriage.
The rapist, the seducer, and the mentally incompetent can neither deprive a woman of the right of eating terumah, nor can they grant the right upon her. If, however, they are unfit to enter into the assembly of Israel, they do deprive a woman of her right to eat terumah. How so? If an Israelite had relations with the daughter of a kohen, she may still continue to eat terumah. Iif she gets pregnant, she may no longer eat terumah. If the fetus was aborted in her womb, she may eat. But if she gave birth to a child, she may eat. The power of the son is thus greater than the father's power. A slave deprives a woman, due to his cohabitation, from eating terumah, but not as her offspring. How so? If the daughter of an Israelite was wed to a kohen, or if the daughter of a kohen was married to an Israelite, and she had a son by him, and that son went and violated a bondswoman who had a son by him, such a son is a slave. And if his paternal grandmother was a bat yisrael (daughter of an Israelite) married to a kohen (priest), she is not allowed to eat terumah. But if she were a bat kohen (priest's daughter) and married to an Israelite, she may eat terumah. A mamzer (bastard, illegitimate child) deprives a woman from eating terumah, and also bestows the privilege on her? How so? If an Israelite's daughter was married to a kohen, or a kohen's daughter was married to an Israelite, and she bore him a daughter, and the daughter married a slave or idolater, and had a son by him, the son is a mamzer. If his maternal grandmother was a bat yisrael (daughter of an Israelite) married to a kohen, she may eat terumah. But if she was a kohen's daughter married to an Israelite, she may not eat terumah.
Chapter 8
An uncircumcised [priest] and all impure individuals [usually allowed to eat Terumah] may not eat Terumah [a portion of a crop given to a priest which becomes holy upon separation and may only be consumed by priests and their households]. Their wives and slaves may [nevertheless] eat Terumah. A priest "injured by crushing" or whose "flow was cut off" may eat [Terumah] as may their slaves, but their wives may not. But if he [the priest] did not have relations with her after he was injured by crushing or his flow was cut off she [his wife] may eat [Terumah].
Who is [considered] one "injured by crushing"? Anyone whose testicles were wounded, even if just one of them was. And [who is considered] one whose "flow was cut off"? One whose member was cut off. And if [any part] of the corona remained, even so much as a hair’s breadth, he is fit. A man whose testicles were wounded and one whose member was cut off are permitted [to marry] a convert or a freed maidservant. They are only forbidden to enter into the congregation [of Israel] as it is said, “One injured by crushing or whose flow is cut off may not enter the congregation of God” (Devarim 23:2).
An Ammonite and a Moabite are forbidden [to enter into the congregation of Israel] and their prohibition is forever. However, their women are permitted immediately [following conversion]. Both male and female Egyptians and Edomites are forbidden only until the third generation. Rabbi Shimon permits their women immediately. Said Rabbi Shimon: This follows a fortiori reasoning: If in a case where males are forbidden forever the females are [nevertheless] permitted immediately [upon conversion], then in a case where males are forbidden only until the third generation how much more so should females be permitted immediately [upon conversion]. They [the Sages] said to him: If this is a received tradition we shall accept it, but if it is only a logical inference there is a refutation. He replied: No! I am in fact reporting a received tradition. Mamzerim [a Mamzer is the offspring of a severely prohibited union between a Jewish man and woman] and Netinim [a Netin is a member of a caste of Temple servants historically descended from the Gibeonites] are forbidden [from marrying into the nation] and their prohibition is forever. [This restriction bans] both males and females.
Rabbi Yehoshua said: I have heard that a eunuch undergoes Chalitzah [the ceremony releasing the widow of a childless man from the obligation of Levirate marriage] and that one undergoes Chalitzah for his wife; and that a eunuch does not undergo Chalitzah and that one does not undergo Chalitzah for his wife, but I am unable to explain this. Rabbi Akiva said: I will explain it: a man-eunuch [castrated by a person] undergoes Chalitzah and one undergoes Chalitzah for his wife because there was a time when he was fit [to have children]; a sun-eunuch [who was born that way] does not undergo Chalitzah nor does one undergo Chalitzah for his wife since there was never a time when he was fit. Rabbi Eliezer says: Not so! Rather, a sun-eunuch undergoes Chalitzah and one undergoes Chalitzah for his wife because because there is a cure; a man-eunuch does not undergo Chalitzah nor does one undergo Chalitzah for his wife since he has no cure. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Betiera testified concerning Ben Megusat who was a man-eunuch in Jerusalem and they performed Yibum [Levirate marriage wherein a man weds his childless brother's widow] for his wife, to uphold the opinion of Rabbi Akiva.
The eunuch neither undergoes Chalitzah nor performs Yibum. Similarly, an aiylonit [a woman with arrested sexual development who cannot bear children] neither performs Chalitzah nor undergoes Yibum. [If] a eunuch underwent Chalitzah from his Yevama [a woman whose husband died childless and whose brother-in-law must marry or dismiss her] he does not disqualify her [from subsequently marrying a priest]. If he had relations with her he does disqualify her since this is licentious relations [because she is forbidden to him]. Similarly, [if] brothers underwent Chalitzah from aiylonit they do not disqualify her [from marrying a priest]. If they had relations with her they do disqualify her since this is licentious relations.
[If] a priest who was a sun-eunuch married the daughter of an Israelite, he confers upon her the right to eat Terumah [a portion of a crop given to a priest which becomes holy upon separation and may only be consumed by priests and their households]. Rabbi Yose and Rabbi Shimon said: [If] a priest who was an androginos [person with both male and female sexual organs. It is halachically uncertain whether such a person is male, female or, perhaps, has a uniquely defined halachic gender] married the daughter of an Israelite, he confers upon her the right to eat Terumah . Rabbi Yehudah said: [If] a tumtum [person with recessed sexual organs whose gender is therefore impossible to determine, presently, by external examination. It is halachically uncertain whether such a person is male or female] was torn and found to be male he may not undergo Chalitzah because he is like a eunuch. An androginosmay marry [a woman] but may not be married [to a man]. Rabbi Eliezer said: [If one has relations with] an androginos he is liable to be stoned like one [who has relations with] a male.
Chapter 9
There are women who are permitted to their husbands but who are forbidden to their Yevamim [a Yavam is one upon whom has fallen the obligation to perform Levirate marriage]. [There are] women who are permitted to their Yevamim but are forbidden to their husbands. [There are] women who are permitted to these and to these; and [there are] women who are forbidden to these and to these. And these are they who are permitted to their husbands and forbidden to their Yevamim: [The widow of] a common priest who married a widow [that is, she is a widow for the second time] and who has a brother who is a High Priest; [the widow of] a Chalal [the son of a priest and a woman whom the priest was forbidden to marry] who married a woman fit [to marry a priest] and who has fit brother [a priest]; [the widow of] an Israelite who married the daughter of an Israelite and who has a brother who is a Mamzer [the offspring of a severely prohibited union between a Jewish man and woman]; [the widow of] a Mamzer who married a Mamzeret [a female Mamzer] and who has an Israelite brother - these women are permitted to their husbands but are forbidden to their Yevamim.
And these are they who are permitted to their Yevamim but are forbidden to their husbands: [The widow of] a High Priest who betrothed a widow [that is, she is now a widow for the second time] and who has a brother who is a common priest; [the widow of] a fit priest who married a Chalalah [the daughter of a priest and a woman whom the priest was forbidden to marry] and who has a brother who is a Chalal; [the widow of] an Israelie who married a Mamzeret and who has a brother who is a Mamzer; [the widow of] a Mamzer who married the daughter of an Israelite and who has a brother who is an Israelite - these women are permitted to their Yevamim but are forbidden to their husbands. [And these are] women who are forbidden to these and to these: [The widow of] a High Priest who married a widow and who has a brother who is a High priest or a common priest; [the widow of] a fit priest who married a Chalalahand who has a brother who is [also] fit; [the widow of] an Israelite who married a Mamzeret and who has a brother who is an Israelite; [the widow of] a Mamzer who married the daughter of an Israelite and who has a brother who is a Mamzer — these women are forbidden to these and to these. And all other women are permitted to their husbands and to their Yevamim.
[With respect to] secondary [relatives whom one is forbidden to marry] due to rabbinic decree: [If] the woman is [related to the] secondary [degree] to the husband but is not secondary to the Yavam she is forbidden to the husband but is permitted to the Yavam; [if] she is secondary to the Yavam but is not secondary to the husband, she is forbidden to the Yavam but is permitted to the husband. [If] she is secondary to him and to him, she is forbidden to him and to him. [Such a woman] has [receives] no Ketubah [a monetary settlement payable to a woman upon divorce or the death of her husband], nor [repayment for the] usufruct [she brought into the marriage], nor maintenance, nor [repayment for the] deterioration [of her usufruct]; but the child [of a union with her] is fit [as a priest], and we compel him [the husband] to divorce her. These women have [receive] a Ketubah: A widow [married] to a High Priest; a divorced woman or a Chalutzah [a woman who performs Chalitzah, married] to a common priest; a Mamzeret or a Netinah [a member of a caste of Temple servants historically descended from the Gibeonites, married] to an Israelite; the daughter of an Israelite [married] to a Netin or to a Mamzer.
[If] the daughter of an Israelite is betrothed to a priest, or is pregnant by a priest, or is a Shomeret Yavam [the widow of a childless man whose brother-in-law has not yet married her nor released her from the obligation of Levirate marriage] to a priest, and similarly [if] the daughter of a priest [is betrothed] to an Israelite - she [these women] may not eat Terumah [a portion of a crop given to a priest which becomes holy upon separation and may only be consumed by priests and their households]. [If] the daughter of an Israelite [is betrothed] to a Levite, or is pregnant by a Levite, or is a Shomeret Yavam to a Levite, and similarly the daughter of a Levite [betrothed] to an Israelite - she [these women] may not eat Ma'aser [Ma'aser Rishon is the first tithe of produce which must be given to the Levite]. [If] the daughter of a Levite is betrothed to a priest, or is pregnant by a priest, or is a Shomeret Yavam to a priest, and similarly [if] the daughter of a priest [is betrothed] to a Levite - she [these women] may not eat Terumah or Ma'aser.
[If] the daughter of an Israelite is married to a priest she may eat Terumah. [If] he dies and she bore him a child, she may [still] eat Terumah. [If] she [subsequently] marries a Levite she may eat Ma'aser. [If] he [the Levite] dies and she bore him a child, she may [still] eat Ma'aser. [If] she [subsequently] married an Israelite, she may not eat Terumah or Ma'aser [anymore]. [If] he [the Israelite] dies and she bore him a son she may not eat Terumah or Ma'aser; [if] her son from the Israelite dies, she may eat Ma'aser [again]. [If then] her son from the Levite dies, she may eat Terumah [again]. [If then] her son from the priest dies she may not eat Terumah or Ma'aser [anymore].
[If] the daughter of a priest [is married] to an Israelite she may not eat Terumah. [If] he [the Israelite] dies and she bore him a son, she may [still] not eat Terumah. [If] she [subsequently] marries a Levite she may eat Ma'aser. [If] he [the Levite] dies and she bore him a son she may [still] eat Ma'aser. [If] she [subsequently] marries a priest she may eat Terumah. [If] he [the priest] dies and she bore him a son she may she may [still] eat Terumah. [If] her son from the priest dies, she may she may not eat Terumah [anymore]. [If] her son from the Levite dies she may not eat Ma'aser [anymore]. [If] her son from the Israelite dies she returns to her father's house, and about her it says, "And she shall return to her father's house as in her youth, and shall eat of her father's bread," (Vayikra 22:13).
Chapter 10
A boy of the age of nine years and one day disqualifies [his sister-in-law for marriage] with his brothers, and his brothers disqualify her for him, but while he disqualifies her from the outset only, the brothers disqualify her from the outset and at the end. How is this so? A boy of the age of nine years and one day who had intercourse with his sister-in-law disqualifies her [for marriage] with his brothers; If the brothers had intercourse with her, or did ma’amar with her, or gave her a get or submitted to her chalitsah they have disqualified her for marriage with him.
A boy of the age of nine years and one day who had intercourse with his dead brother's wife and then another brother who was of the age of nine years and one day had intercourse with her, [the latter] disqualifies her for [the former]. Rabbi Shimon says: he does not disqualify.
A boy of the age of nine years and one day who had intercourse with his dead brother's wife and afterwards had intercourse with her rival wife, he has disqualified [both women for marriage] with himself. Rabbi Shimon says: he does not disqualify them. A boy of the age of nine years and one day had intercourse with his dead brother's wife and then died, she must undergo chalitsah but may not be taken in Levirate marriage. If he had married [any other] woman and she subsequently died, she is exempt.
A boy of the age of nine years and one day had intercourse with his dead husband's wife, and after he had come of age he married another woman and then died, if he had not known the first woman after he had become of age, the first one must have chalitsah but may not be taken in chalitsahmarriage, while the second may either have chalitsah or Levirate marriage. Rabbi Shimon says: he may perform Levirate marriage with whichever one he wants, and he must perform chalitsah for the other [woman]. [The same law applies] whether he is nine years and one day, or whether he is twenty years but had not produced two pubic hairs.
Chapter 11
One may marry [the relatives of] a woman he has violated or has seduced; but one who violates or seduces [the relatives] of his married woman [that is, his wife] is liable. One may marry a woman who has been violated by his father or seduced by his father, or a woman who has been violated by his son or seduced by his son. Rabbi Yehudah forbids one [to marry] a woman who has been violated by his father or seduced by his father.
[If] the sons of a female convert converted with her [and one marries and then dies] they do not undergo Chalitzah [the ceremony releasing the widow of a childless man from the obligation of Levirate marriage] nor do they perform Yibum [Levirate marriage wherein a man weds his childless brother's widow]. [This is so] even if the conception of the first [son took place] not in sanctity [before the mother's conversion] but his birth [took place] in sanctity [after her conversion], and the conception and birth of the second one took place in sanctity. [The law is] similar with a maidservant who was freed along with her sons.
[If] the sons of five women [each of whom has an additional son] become mixed up [making their maternity unknown] and they attained majority [remaining] mixed up, and they married wives and died, four [of the surviving sons] undergo Chalitzah from one [Yevama] and one performs Yibum. He [the one who performed Yibum] and three others undergo Chalitzah from a different [second widow] and one performs Yibum. What emerges is four acts of Chalitzah and one act of Yibum for each one [woman].
[If] the son of a woman becomes mixed up with her daughter-in-law's son [and each woman has other sons] and they attained majority [remaining] mixed up, and they married and died, the [other] sons of the daughter-in-law undergo Chalitzah but do not perform Yibum since there is doubt whether she [each Yevama] is the wife of his brother or the wife of his father's brother. And the [other] sons of the grandmother either undergo Chalitzah or perform Yibum since there is doubt whether she [each Yevama] is the wife of his brother or the wife of his brother's son. [If] the fit [certain] sons die, the mixed up sons undergo Chalitzah from [the wives of] the grandmother's sons but do not perform Yibum since there is doubt whether she [each Yevama] is the wife of his brother or the wife of his father's brother, and [with regard to] the daughter-in-law's sons - one undergoes Chalitzah and one performs Yibum.
[If] the son of a woman [married to a] priest becomes mixed up with the son of her maidservant, they [both] may eat Terumah [a portion of a crop given to a priest which becomes holy upon separation and may only be consumed by priests and their households], and they receive one share [of Terumah] at the threshing floor, and they may not become impure [through contact] with a corpse, and they may not marry women - either those eligible [to marry priests] or those ineligible [to marry priests]. [If] they attained majority [remaining] mixed up and freed each other, they may marry women fit [to marry into] the priesthood, and they may not become impure with a corpse - but if they do become impure with a corpse they do not endure the forty [lashes]. And they may not eat Terumah, but if they do they do not repay the principal or the fifth. And they do not receive a share [of Terumah] at the threshing floor, and they sell the Terumah [from their own crops to certain priests] and keep the revenue themselves. And they do not receive a share from the consecrated Temple items, nor do they give them consecrated things, and they do not take away their [sacrifices] from them, and they are exempt from the shoulder, and the cheeks and the maw [donations given to priests]. And his [each of their] firstborn [animals] grazes until it becomes blemished. Stringencies of priests and stringencies of Israelites are placed upon them.
[If] a woman did not wait three months [to re-marry] after [the death of or divorce from] her husband, and bears a child, and it is uncertain whether the child was born [after] nine months from the first [husband], or [after] seven months from the second [lit. last husband, and the uncertain son married and died]: [If] she had sons from the first [husband] and sons from the second [husband], they [one from each group] undergo Chalitzah but do not perform Yibum. Similarly does he act for them [if one of the certain sons dies and the uncertain one survives] - he undergoes Chalitzah but does not perform Yibum. If he [the uncertain son] has brothers from the first [husband] and brothers from the second [husband] who are not from the same mother, he undergoes Chalitzah or performs Yibum, and [if he dies] one of them undergoes Chalitzah and one performs Yibum.
[If] one [of the two husbands of the woman with the uncertain child] is an Israelite and the other is a priest, the [uncertain] son may [only] marry a wife eligible for a priest. He may not become impure through [contact with] a corpse, but if he does become impure he does not endure the forty [lashes], and he may not eat Terumah, but if he does he does not repay the principal or the fifth. And he does not receive a share [of Terumah] at the threshing floor, and he sells the Terumah [from his own crops to certain priests] and keeps the revenue himself. And he does not receive a share from the consecrated Temple items, nor does he give them consecrated things, and they do not take away his [sacrifices] from him, and he is exempt from the shoulder, and the cheeks, and the maw [donations given to priests]. And his firstborn [animal] grazes until it becomes blemished. And stringencies of priests and stringencies of Israelites are placed upon him. [If] both [husbands] are priests, he [the uncertain son] has the status of an Onen [a person whose close relative has died but has not yet been buried] for them [if they die] and they have the status of an Onen for him [if he dies]. He may not become impure for them and they may not become impure for him. He does not inherit from them but they do inherit from him. He is exempt if he strikes either one or if he curses either one. And he participates in the priestly shift of this one and the priestly shift of this one. And he does not share [in either shift's portions], but if both [uncertain fathers] are in the same shift he does receive a portion.
Chapter 12
The Mitzvah of Chalitzah [the ceremony releasing the widow of a childless man from the obligation of Levirate marriage, takes place before a court of] three judges, even if the three are laymen. If she performs Chalitzah with a shoe her Chalitzah is valid, but [if she used] a cloth slipper her Chalitzah is invalid. [If it was done] with a sandal which has a heel it is valid, but with no heel - it is not valid. [If she untied the shoe's straps] from the knee and below - her Chalitzah is valid, [but] if from the knee and above - her Chalitzah is invalid.
[If] she performed Chalitzah with a sandal which is not his [the Yavam - one upon whom has fallen the obligation to perform Levirate marriage], or with a sandal of wood, or with the left [sandal worn] on the right foot - her Chalitzah is valid. [If] she performed Chalitzah with [a sandal] which was too large [for him] but with which he was able to walk [anyway], or with one too small [for him], but which [nevertheless] covers most of his foot, her Chalitzah is valid. [If] she performed Chalitzah at night her Chalitzah is valid, but Rabbi Eliezer deems it invalid. [If] she performed Chalitzah on his left [foot] her Chalitzah is invalid, but R. Eliezer deems it valid.
[If] she performed Chalitzah and spat [before the Yavam], but did not read [the verses associated with the ceremony], her Chalitzah is valid. [If] she read [the text] and spat but did not perform Chalitzah [loosen his shoe] her Chalitzah is invalid. [If] she performed Chalitzah and read [the text] but did not spit - Rabbi Eliezer says: Her Chalitzah is invalid; [but] Rabbi Akiva says: Her Chalitzah is valid. Rabbi Eliezer said [interpreted the words], "So shall it be done" (Devarim 25:9), [implies that] all actions are critical. Rabbi Akiva said to him: [Will you bring] a proof from there? [Does the phrase not conclude with the words] "So shall it be done to the man" [which implies that only] actions done to the man [are critical, which excepts spitting].
[If] a deaf-mute [Yavam] underwent Chalitzah, or if a deaf-mute [Yevamah] performed Chalitzah, or if a [Yevamah] performed Chalitzah for a minor, her Chalitzah is invalid. [If] a minor [Yevama] performed Chalitzah, she must perform Chalitzah [again] when she attains majority. And if she does not perform Chalitzah [again] her Chalitzah is invalid.
[If] a [Yevamah] performed Chalitzah before [a court of] two, or [if] she performed Chalitzah before three but one of them is found to be a relative or ineligible [to serve as a judge] her Chalitzah is invalid. Rabbi Shimon and Rabbi Yochanan HaSandlar deem it valid. It happened once that a man underwent Chalitzah from a woman when they were alone in prison, and when the case came before Rabbi Rabbi Akiva, he deemed it valid.
The Mitzvah of Chalitzah [is as follows]: He [the Yavam] and his Yevamah come to a court and they advise him according to circumstances, for it is said, "And the elders of his city shall call him, and speak to him," (Devarim 25:8), and she says, "My husband's brother refuses to raise up for his brother a name in Israel; he will not perform for me the duty of a husband's brother" (Devarim 25:7). And he says, "I do not wish to take her" (Devarim 25:8). And they would recite [these statements] in the Holy language [Hebrew]. "Then shall the brother's wife approach him in the presence of the elders and loosen his shoe from his foot, and spit before him" (Devarim 25:9) - spit that can be seen by the judges. "And she shall respond and say, 'So shall it be done to the man who will not build up his brother's house'" (Devarim 25:9). This is as far as they read, but when Rabbi Hurcanus had [the text] read under the terebinth in the village of Etam, and had the passage completed, it became customary to read the whole passage. "And his name shall be called in Israel 'The house of him who had his shoe loosed'", (Devarim 25:10). It is a Mitzvah upon the judges but it is not a Mitzvah upon the students. Rabbi Yehudah says: It is a Mitzvah upon all standing there to state, "The man who had his shoe loosed! The man who had his shoe loosed! The man who had his shoe loosed!"