Rabbinate asked to regulate ‘spitting’ rite

An Israeli organization that helps people with religious status issues calls on the Chief Rabbinate to regulate a little-known rite.

Halitza, known as the Jewish “spitting” rite, is required when a woman who is widowed with no children wishes to remarry. Under Jewish law and Israel’s state law, the deceased husband’s brother must either marry the woman, perpetuating his brother’s name with their children, or perform the halitza rite.

As part of the ceremony, the woman removes her brother-in-law’s shoe and then spits at him for his decision not to marry her.

About 20 halitza ceremonies are performed each year, according to ITIM, the Jewish Life Information Center. ITIM received phone calls from several women who underwent the ceremony, complaining that they had no representation during the ceremony and that outsiders were invited to witness the event.

“We were more shocked when we discovered that the entire process is unregulated at the rabbinate, and no one is protecting the rights of women at this sensitive moment,” says Rabbi Seth Farber, director of ITIM.

ITIM’s proposal to the Chief Rabbinate for regulating halitza, submitted today, calls upon the rabbinical courts to appoint a female representative who will accompany any woman needing the rite to the rabbinical courts. In addition, it guarantees that the ceremony will be held in private, unless the parties agree to have others present. It also ensures that if a woman needing the rite seeks to bring someone with her, she may do so.

— JTA