[ 36 ]IndexBrother of childless deceased. See
Levir
Brothers, relationship among. See
Fraternal relationships
Brothers born after deceased’s death,
104, 220n27
Brothers married to sisters, 57, 68, 85,
108–9, 216n39
Brother’s wife, definitions, 61. See also
Yevama
Canaanites as source of biblical
levirate, 211n6
Carnal Israel (Boyarin), 191–92
Caste and remarriage rules in
Hinduism, 17, 19
Childlessness: biblical perspective,
31–32, 43, 183; as criterion for
levirate, 5, 25, 39–40, 60, 61, 123,
169–70; and incest vs. levirate
definition, 60; levirate as attempt
to alleviate, 30, 36; rabbinic vs.
biblical definition, 43; and widow’s
status, 10, 26, 128
Children: adoption of, 19, 20, 36,
186–87, 192; daughters as heirs, 25,
36, 43, 169, 182, 185–86, 217n84;
as definer of widow, 222n9; and
disposition of inherited widows
from father, 15–16; father’s
responsibility to, 175–76; as gift
to childless widow, 30; as heirs of
deceased father, 4, 12, 19–20, 26,
27, 38, 43, 109–12, 116, 171, 186, 188;
as heirs of levir, 4, 12, 21, 110–11,
168, 172, 174, 177, 182–83, 188, 191,
209n11; as heirs of mother, 9, 82,
174; illegitimate, 102–3, 130, 169,
191; incest taboos concerning,
58; levirate as support system for,
8, 183; loss of father’s property
through levirate, 111–12; minors
in levirate unions, 121, 137, 163;
name continuity through, xviii,
x x, 59, 82, 93, 100, 174; as primary
inheritors, 81–82; as primary
motive for levirate, 167–70; social
status of levirate children, 176–83;
stepchildren, 56, 58, 89, 186–87;
strategies for continuity to add,
185; as support for widow, 9, 10;
and widow’s return to natal family,
9, 11, 13; women as legal “fathers”
of, 20. See also Paternity
Clan. See Extended family
Cognitive dissonance, 209n17
Cohen, Shaye, 71, 72
Compound family structure, 34–35,
48–49, 65–66. See also Extended
family
Compound terms for kinship
nomenclature, 55–56
Concubinage as strategy of
continuity, 36, 184
Conditional divorce, 165
Consanguinity, relationships
through, 52–58. See also Incest
taboos
Context, importance in interpretation
of levirate law, xiv–x xvi, 5–8, 21,
22, 127, 161. See also Cross-cultural
analysis
Continuity. See Strategies of
continuity
Cousins, 55, 59, 67, 77
Co-wives situation: as continuity
strategy, 36, 184; and family
definition after levirate, 45–46;
and levirate eligibility, 83; levirate
vs. non-levirate situations, 64–65;
and sexual relationship rules, 61,
62–64, 129; and tension between
sisters-in-law, 55, 116, 120; and
yevama’s lack of choice in levirate
decision, 133
Cross-cultural analysis: African
levirate traditions, 10–14,
209n11, 210n58; defining levirate,
3–5; extended family’s role in
levirate, 120–21; and family/
kinship definitions, 47–48, 103;
Hindu levirate traditions, 17–19;
inheritance issues, 14–19, 105;
kindred vs. descent system, 72–73;
levirate child as heir to deceased
father, 116, 171; levirate union vs.
marriage, 119; and levirate usage,
187–88; levir’s position, 11, 12, 13,
21, 197, 209n11; lineage issues,
19–21; marriage system context,
5–8, 21, 22, 66–68; overview,
x xi–x xii, 1–3; and psychological