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Mishnayos Yevamos Perek 4 Mishnah 6

יבמות פרק ד׳ משנה ו׳

6

If a brother made his decision dependent upon the possibility that one of his other brothers will eventually consummate the levirate marriage, saying that he will do so only if they do not, then whether he makes it dependent upon a brother who is currently a minor, meaning that the yevama should wait until he matures, or upon his eldest brother, who is not currently present, meaning the yevama should wait until he comes from overseas, or upon a brother who is a deaf-mute or an imbecile, as perhaps they will recover from their disability, the court does not listen to him; rather, the judges of the court say to him: The mitzva is incumbent upon you; either perform ḥalitza or consummate the levirate marriage.

תָּלָה בַקָּטָן עַד שֶׁיַּגְדִּיל, אוֹ בַגָּדוֹל עַד שֶׁיָּבֹא מִמְּדִינַת הַיָּם, אוֹ בַחֵרֵשׁ, אוֹ בַשּׁוֹטֶה, אֵין שׁוֹמְעִין לוֹ, אֶלָּא אוֹמְרִים לוֹ, עָלֶיךָ מִצְוָה, אוֹ חֲלֹץ אוֹ יַבֵּם:

ו׳
Bartenura

ובגדול – for the oldest of the brothers was abroad and he assigns the oldest of the brothers that is before us to state that we should wait for him, for he is older than me.

בחרש ובשוטה] – until they recover, we don’t listen to him].

עליך מצוה – even though your brother is abroad, he is older than you. Since you ae the oldest of the brothers in our presence, upon you is the Mitzvah [of levirate marriage] for the delay in the performance of the commandment, we do not delay.

ובגדול. שהיה גדול האחים במדינת הים, ותלה גדול האחין שלפנינו בו לומר המתינו לו, שהוא גדול ממני:

[ובחרש ובשוטה. עד שיבריאו. אין שומעין לו]:

עליך מצוה. אף על פי שאחיך שבמדינת הים הוא גדול ממך, כיון שאתה גדול האחין שלפנינו עליך מצוה, דשהויי מצוה לא משהינן: