(Mishnah): The Mitzvah of Chalitzah is as follows. The Yavam and Yevamah come to Beis Din. They give to him counsel proper for him - "The elders will speak to him".

She says "Me'en Yevami Lehakim l'Achiv Shem b'Yisrael Lo Avah Yabmi", and he says "Lo Chafatzti Lekachtah." They speak in Leshon ha'Kodesh.

The Yevamah draws close to the Yavam, in view of the judges, and removes his shoe. She spits in front of him spit that is visible to the judges. She says "Kachah Ye'aseh la'Ish Asher Lo Yivneh Es Beis Achiv."

They used to be Makreh (recite, for the Yavam and Yevamah to repeat) until here. When R. Hurkenus was Makri under the tree in the village of Avus, and he finished the Parshah, it became established to be Makri the entire Parshah.

"V'Nikra Shemo b'Yisrael Beis Chalutz ha'Na'al" - the Mitzvah is for the judges to say this, and not the Talmidim;

R. Yehudah says, it is a Mitzvah on all present to say "Chalutz ha'Na'al Chalutz ha'Na'al."

(Gemara) Question: [The Mishnah said] 'they give to him counsel proper for him' - what is proper for him?

Answer: If he was old (and she was intermediate, Beis Din tells him to) say to her 'that old man - why should you [marry him, i.e. me]?!' If she was old (and he was intermediate, Beis Din tells her to) say to him 'that old woman - why should you [marry her, i.e. me]?!'

If she was young and he was old [Beis Din] says to him 'she is young - she will disgrace you!' (It is not good to marry her.) If he was young and she was old, [Beis Din] says to her 'he is young - he will disgrace you!' (It is not good to marry him. We explained this based on CHESHEK SHLOMO.)

If he wants [to do Yibum] and she does not want, we heed her. If she wants and he does not want, we heed him.

The Klal is, whoever opposes, we heed that person [and force the other to do Chalitzah].

If both of them want [even though one of them is much older than the other] - a case occurred in front of R. Yosi. He said, even if he is 100 [we allow Yibum].

Question (R. Yochanan): Regarding a Yevamah [who is far from her Yavam], who pursues whom?

Answer (R. Lazar): "V'Alsah Yevimto ha'Sha'arah" (she pursues him).

When R. Yochanan heard this, he said "R. Lazar taught us well!"

Question: Is reciting [the verses] essential?! R. Shmuel bar Rav Yitzchak said that if one is proper (able) to recite, reciting is not Me'akev. If one is not proper to recite, reciting is Me'akev! (Our Mishnah connotes that they must say the verses!)

Answer (R. Mana): Even though R. Shmuel bar Rav Yitzchak said that reciting is not Me'akev [if they are proper to recite], he agrees that if they come to say them, they say them in the proper order.

It is essential not to say "Me'en Yevami Lehakim Lo Avah Yabmi" (if she omits l'Achiv Shem b'Yisrael, she connotes that he does not want to fulfill "Lo Avah Yabmi" - it seems that this is MEICHAL HA'MAYIM's intent) or "Lo, Chafatzti Lekachtah" (if he pauses after 'Lo', this connotes 'no, I want to take her!' - PNEI MOSHE);

Rather, "Me'en Yevami Lehakim l'Achiv Shem b'Yisrael Lo Avah Yabmi", "Lo Chafatzti Lekachtah" (without a pause).

There (in Bavel) they say (write in a document of Chalitzah) 'she drew close in front of us and removed his shoe from his right foot, and spit in front of us spit visible on the ground, and said "Kachah Ye'aseh la'Ish Asher Lo Yivneh Es Beis Achiv."

(R. Avahu): Once the spit was seen leaving her mouth, even if the wind scattered it, it is Kosher.

If she spat blood - R. Ba citing R. Yehudah, R. Zerikan citing Rav, R. Yirmeyah citing Aba bar Aba, and R. Ze'ira citing Shmuel, said that if there are drops of saliva (in the blood), it is Kosher. (CHESHEK SHLOMO)

A woman without hands, how does she do Chalitzah? With her teeth.

The people of Simoniya came to Rebbi, and told him 'we want you to give to us a man who expounds, is a judge, Shali'ach Tzibur, teacher of children, and he will do all our needs.' He gave to them Levi bar Sisi;

They made a big podium for him, and seated him on it. They came and asked him, a woman without hands, how does she do Chalitzah? He did not answer them. If she spat blood [what is the law]? He did not answer them.

They said, perhaps he does not know Halachos. Let us ask him matters of Agadah!

They came and asked him, what is the meaning of "Aval Agid Lecha Es ha'Rashum bi'Chsav Emes" - if it is Emes (written explicitly), why does it say Rashum (a mere Siman)? If it is Rashum, why does it say Emes? He did not answer them.

They came to Rebbi, and said 'is this the one we requested from you?!'

[I swear by] your lives, I gave to you a [Chacham] like myself! He sent and brought him and asked him, if she spat blood, what is the law? [Levi] said, if there are drops of saliva in it, it is Kosher.

He asked him, a woman without hands, how does she do Chalitzah? He said, with her teeth. What is the meaning of "Aval Agid Lecha Es ha'Rashum bi'Chsav Emes" - if it is Emes, why does it say Rashum? If it is Rashum, why does it say Emes? He said, before the decree is sealed, it is Rashum. After the decree is sealed, it is Emes.

Rebbi: Why didn't you answer them?

Levi: They made a big podium for me, and sat me on it. I became haughty [and forgot].

Rebbi applied to him "Im Navalta b'Hisnasei v'Im Zamosa Yad l'Feh" - what caused you to be disgraced in Divrei Torah? It is because you aggrandized yourself in them.

(Beraisa): A mistaken Chalitzah is Kosher.

Question: What is a mistaken Chalitzah?

Answer #1 (Reish Lakish): They tell him 'do Chalitzah, and she will be permitted to you later.'

Objection (R. Yochanan): Last night, I learned a Beraisa 'if he intends and she does not intend, or if she intends and he does not intend, the Chalitzah is Pasul until both of them intend [to permit her l'Shuk]'!

Question: What is a mistaken Chalitzah according to R. Yochanan?

Answer #2: They tell him 'do Chalitzah, and she will give to you 10,000 Zuz' (and she does not give to him).

(R. Mana): If he said 'on condition [that she will give to me]' she gives.

A case came in front of R. Huna, and he did like Reish Lakish. When [R. Huna] heard that R. Yochanan argues, he forced him to give Chalitzah a second time (with intent to permit her).

A case came in front of R. Chiyah bar Va, and [R. Chiyah] said to him 'my son, this woman does not want to marry you through Yibum. Rather, do Chalitzah to her, uproot your Zikah from her, and she will marry you in the way of Nisu'in';

After he did Chalitzah, [R. Chiyah] told him 'if Moshe and Shmuel [ha'Navi] will come, they will not permit her [to you. Do Chalitzah again, knowing that you can never marry her.]

[The Yavam] applied to [R. Chiyah] "Chachamim Hemah Lehara u'Leheitiv Lo Yada'u."

Some teach that Chalitzah is disgraceful, and some teach that Chalitzah is praiseworthy.

(Rav Chisda): The one who says that Chalitzah is disgraceful, this is like Mishnah Rishonah (the proper Mitzvah is Yibum). The one who says that Chalitzah is praiseworthy, this is like Mishnah Acharonah (the proper Mitzvah is Yibum).

(R. Yosi): You can even say that both of them are like Mishnah Rishonah, or both are like Mishnah Acharonah;

The one who says that Chalitzah is disgraceful, since he blemished one matter in Torah (he did not build his brother's house), he receives his stigma - "v'Nikra Shemo b'Yisrael Beis Chalutz ha'Na'al";

The one who says that Chalitzah is praiseworthy, it says here Keri'ah (calling), and it says there (Yakov's Brachah to Efrayim and Menasheh) "v'Yikarei Vahem Shemi." Just like Keri'ah there is praiseworthy, also here it is praiseworthy.