Does a Man “Inherit” his Brothers Wife When the Brother Dies?
A. No, not at all. You are referring, I assume, to the Leverite marriage. The Torah commands that when a man dies without children, his brother should marry his brother’s widow and raise up children to her and his brother. When a man dies without children, the wife feels more pain because she has no child of his to carry on the name of her husband. The Torah therefore commanded the husband’s brother to marry her, if both he and she desire it, and give her children to carry on his brother’s name. However, no one is forced into this. If she refuses, a small ritual takes place (I don’t at this time recall the nature of the ritual), and both are free to marry others. If he refuses to marry her, the Torah mandates a special ceremony to take place in which she removes his shoe, and she spits on the ground in front of him for refusing to create children for his brother. Then both are free to marry others.
