[ 45 ]Index82, 104–5, 107, 174–75; and brother
vs. child as heir to deceased,
110–12; on co-widows situation,
62–64; cultural context, x xv;
encouragement of levirate, 43;
and endogamy, 68; and family
definition, 51; on halitza, 116,
151–52, 188–89; household
focus of, 196; on incest/levirate
complexities, 61–62, 83–88; on
kinship definitions, 56, 83–93;
mishpaha in, 50; and motivations
regarding levirate, 109, 112,
113–14, 115–16, 160–61, 164–65;
mourning laws, 73–75; origins
of, x xi; and paternity, 177–80,
181–82; and patrilineal descent,
71–72; on polygyny, 187, 228n47;
on power position of yevama,
151–53, 199–200; on procreation,
169, 191–92; on property rights of
yevama, 141–42, 144–47; protection
of yevama from unwanted levirate,
154–60; on sexual intercourse
prior to levirate union, 196;
testimony laws, 77–79; on vows of
yevama, 149 – 50
Talmud, Palestinian (Yerushalmi):
discouragement of levirate, x xv,
43, 65, 153–54; on halitza, 116, 119;
on incest, 60–61, 92–93; marriage
rules, 67–68; origins of, x xi; and
paternity uncertainty, 180–81,
182; on property rights of yevama,
141–44; protection of yevama from
unwanted levirate unions, 156–58,
199 –200
Tamar (widow in Genesis 38), xix, 28,
123
Tannaitic period, levirate in, x xiv–x xv,
42–43. See also Mishnah; Tosefta
Teacher-student vs. father-son
relationship, 203–4, 215n26,
230n25
Terms of address for kinship
members, 53–54, 219n118
Te r um a , 131– 32
Testament of Judah, The, 38
Testament of Zebulon, The, 38
Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs,
The, 38
Testimony laws, 76–79, 101, 218n91
Tor a h. See Deuteronomy; Genesis 38;
Leviticus; Numbers
Torah study, family structure and
tensions in, 203
Tosefta: chronology of, 208n12;
Deuteronomy as source for, 39, 43–
44; on fraternal relationships, 101–
9; on halitza, 127, 138; on levir’s
support obligation for yevama, 131;
origins of, x xi; overview, 39–43;
on power position of yevama, 151;
on procreation possibility and
levirate, 169; on social status of
yevama, 125–26, 127
Tribe, family subdivisions of, 49–50.
See also Extended family
Ulla, , 146, 147
Uncles, 55, 56, 67–68, 219n117
Unilineal descent, 53, 69–70, 94. See
also Patrilineal descent
Urbanization and shift to nuclear
family, 201
Vertical inheritance, 16, 184, 189,
218n106
Voice of women in levirate situation,
27, 28, 135, 136–38, 139–40
Vows: ambiguity in yevama’s control
over, 131; and avoiding levirate
union, 138, 158–59, 165; husband’s
power to annul wife’s, 148–50,
224n70; widow’s power to make,
124, 148–50
Waiting period for yevama, 40, 128,
130–33, 140–41, 177, 192–93
Wegner, Judith Romney, 126, 140, 141
Widow: almana vs. yevama, 41–42,
128–29; childlessness and social
status of, 10, 26, 128; children
as definer of, 222n9; children as
support for, 9, 10; cross-cultural
analysis, 8–14, 134–35, 221n2;
economic issues for, 9, 10, 12, 15,
26, 131–32; and family of origin,
9, 11, 13, 46, 161, 171; husband’s
family’s interest in keeping, 6; as
husband’s heir, 15, 26, 57; incest
taboos, 128; as inherited property,