NOUN
- the biblical institution whereby a man must marry the widow of his childless brother in order to maintain the brother's line
How To Use levirate In A Sentence
- A father-in-law may not sleep with his daughter-in-law (Lev 18: 15), just as a brother-in-law may not sleep with his sister-in-law (Lev 18: 16), but in-law incest rules are suspended for the purpose of the levirate. Tamar: Bible.
- A woman whose husband died without issue was bound by law to be married to her husband's brother, and the fist-born son of such a so-called levirate marriage was reckoned and registered as the son of the deceased brother (Deut., xxv, 5 sqq.). The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume 6: Fathers of the Church-Gregory XI
- These women, however, were yevamot and therefore each wanted the child in order to be freed of the obligation of yibum (levirate marriage). Two Prostitutes as Mothers: Midrash and Aggadah.
- Satlow then discusses levirate marriage, polygyny and concubinage.
- The firstborn child of this levirate marriage is considered the deceased's child.
- As for the levirate, that is another very wide-spread custom which shows an utter disregard of woman's preference and choice. Primitive Love and Love-Stories
- Judah has now performed the levirate (despite himself) and never cohabits with Tamar again. Tamar: Bible.
- According to Near Eastern custom, known from Middle Assyrian laws, if a man has no son over ten years old, he could perform the levirate obligation himself; if he does not, the woman is declared a “widow,” free to marry again. Tamar: Bible.
- The institution of the levirate marriage made it possible that her fertility could build up the ‘house’ of her husband's family, while the birth of a child would provide the bond which would give her a secure place within the household.
- Clearly for her, the institution of the levirate was of no help, since she would not be able to bear a son for her dead husband's household.
