About this episode
Today's daf is sponsored in honor of the inimitable Phyllis Hecht, whose spirit of determination, through challenges, inspires us all. Stay well, dear friend. With love from the Hadran Zoom Family. In what situations can a convert serve as a judge? Can one use a shoe for chalitza ideally or is it less than ideal as ideally, a sandal should be used? It is a subject of debate among tannaim and amoraim. The reason for those who hold that a shoe is less ideal is because of concern that it may be torn (as shoes were made of soft leather and sandals made of hard leather) or because some shoes do not cover the majority of the foot, as is required in chalitza. A strap is used to fasten the sandal more firmly so that it won't fall off, but will be removed by the yevama. It is required for the yevama to untie the laces, remove the shoe it must be taken off most of the heel. Several unanswered questions are raised about the exact requirement of removing the shoe. There needs to be intent for chalitza by both the yevama and the yabam to perform the mitzva. The shoe must be made of leather - from where is this derived? The strap can be made of goat's hair, as it is also from an animal. Rav Kahane proves from a verse that the root ch.l.tz refers to removal; therefore, we learn that chalitza means removing the shoe. However other verses are quoted which indicate that the root ch.l.tz means to strengthen and perhaps the yevama needs to put the shoe on the yabam. This suggestion is rejected by extrapolating the verse that explains how chalitza is to be performed. A heretic brought a verse that indicates the God performed chalitza on the Jewish people and therefore they are no longer God's nation. Rabban Gamliel responds by proving him wrong. Can a soft shoe made a cloth ( anpalia ) be used? Is it considered a shoe? A contradiction is brought between a source regarding shoes in the Temple and shoes on Yom Kippur regarding the anpalia and whether or not it is considered a shoe. Rava and Abaye resolve the contradiction differently.