Levirate Marriage and the Family in Ancient Judaism

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Index

Family (continued)
roles in, 47, 52–58; and inheritance,
79–82, 95; kinship structures
and terminology, 10, 48–50,
52–58, 83–96, 219n118; levirate’s
impact on, xviii, xx, 45–48, 93–95,
120–21, 204–5; and marriage, 8,
66–69; modern changes, xv–xvi;
mourning laws, 73–76, 93–94,
226n99; nation as, 99–100; rabbinic
perspective, xvi–xvii, 44, 95, 128,
195–97, 204; testimony laws, 76–79,
101, 218n91; vs. Torah scholarship,
203; yevama’s ambiguous
relationship to, 132, 161–64. See
also Extended family; Incest
taboos; Nuclear family
Family of origin: claim on yevama’s
property, 132–33, 143, 146–47;
defining, 47, 74; interest in levirate
decision, 162; married woman’s
relationship to, xvi, 6, 48, 75–76,
200; widow’s access to, 9, 11, 13, 46,
161, 171
Father: beit av (the father’s house),
48; genitor vs. pater, 19–21; as
inheritor, 81; Judah in Genesis 38
narrative, 28, 38, 98, 123; lack of
legal authority over sons, 196–97;
as levir instead of brother, 28, 29;
obligations to family, xvi, 175–76;
teacher-student vs. father-son
relationship, 203–4, 215n26,
230n25; women as legal “fathers”
of children, 20
Financial issues. See Economic issues
Fox, Robin, 47
Fraternal relationships: defining,
99–100, 102, 105; dwelling together,
xviii, 27, 43, 101, 196, 201; eligibility
of brothers for levirate, 104–5, 107;
in Hebrew Bible, 99–101, 102; ideal
vs. real, xix; and inheritance, 27,
109–13, 122, 173–75; and obligation
of levirate, 38; potential conflict
in, 18, 98, 100, 107–10, 112–13;
precedence of brothers in levirate,
107, 174–75; in rabbinic literature,
101–13. See also Deceased brother/
husband; Levir
Full vs. half brothers, 99

Gamaliel, Rabban, 134, 152

Gemara. See Talmud, Babylonian;

Talmud, Palestinian

Genealogy, rabbinic concern with,

202–3, 230n20

Generational model of family, 77–79,

88, 93

Genesis 38: birth of child as central to

levirate’s success, 167; and brother

definition, 102; vs. Deuteronomy

and Ruth, 29–30, 32, 33–36;

extended family’s role in levirate,

161; father’s role in levirate, 98;

influence on rabbinic literature,

43–44; levirate preference of, 133;

and levirate union vs. marriage,

119; and levir’s position, 97, 100;

and origins of levirate, 28–30;

overview, xix; social status of

yevama, 123; and Testament of

Judah, 38

Genitor vs. pater, 19–21

Ghost marriage, 4, 16, 20, 185,

208–9n9

Gis, 56, 57

Gittin, 55

Goody, Jack, 19, 183

Gospels, levirate mention in, 39

Greco-Roman culture:

discouragement of levirate, 187;

epiclerate, x xiv, 185; influence on

Jewish family, x xiv–x xv; marriage

and kinship in, x xii, 43, 67, 207n2;

strategies of continuity in, 186

Greenspahn, Frederick, 211n9

Guilt offering for uncertain paternity

situation, 177

Half vs. full brothers, 99

Halitza: biblical perspective, xvii–xix,

25–26, 42, 99, 117–19, 198; for

brothers married to sisters

situation, 108–9; continuity of, 34;

for co-wives, 64–65; as divorce-

like procedure, 41, 128, 139;

evolution of, 34, 38, 117–19; and

forbidden relationship prior to

deceased’s passing, 61; levir’s role

in, 117–19, 137, 152–54, 225n86;

and precedence of brothers, 107;

property disposition after, 111–12,