[Avodah] Yebamoth and Megilath Ruth

[Daniel Israel]

Your point, that l'halacha no son of Naomi could be a yavam to Ruth 
is very interesting, I never noticed.  However, I would point out 
that in the end Ruth marries Boaz, and the Megillah/m'farshim 
clearly connect this to yibum, even though Boaz was only a cousin.  
So it would seem clear that there is a concept in Nach of yibum 
even with more distant relatives.

Also note that in the story of Yehudah and Tamar, there is clearly 
a concept of yibum, even though yibum through the father would not 
work (in fact would be assur) min ha'Torah.  And in this case we 
see that it really is yibum, since the yerusha is through Peretz.  
Of course this is before matan Torah, so some of the mechanics are 
different.

The question I would ask is why is this inyan of yibum via more 
distant relatives not mentioned l'maaseh today (or is it and I've 
just never heard it?)  Possible teretz: if there is a brother who 
performs chalitzah, maybe the possibility of a distant relative 
effecting yibum is removed.  But it that's the case, then when 
someone has no brothers, why shouldn't we encourage a cousin to 
marry the almanah?

--
Daniel M. Israel
dmi1 at cornell.edu