MISHNAH GITTIN 7 (3)

[michael...@tutanota.com]

The English text reads: Yibbum [a Levirate marriage of a man to the widow of his childless brother, the first issue of which carries the name of the deceased brother, thereby continuing his line].

I want to ask whether this is a correct statement of the meaning of Yibbum.
Rashi on Deut 25 (6) indicates that the possuk does not mean that the first issue carries the name of the deceased brother. In fact, the Chabad translation (https://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/9989#showrashi=true) reads:
"And it will be, that the eldest brother [who performs the levirate marriage, if] she [can] bear will succeed in the name of his deceased brother, so that his [the deceased brother's] name shall not be obliterated from Israel" in accord with Rashi.

I would suggest something like:
Yibbum [a Levirate marriage of a man to the widow of his childless brother, who inherits his deceased brother thereby continuing his line].

[Shmuel Weissman]

Michael, 

To answer your question: halakhically, there's no requirement to name the first issue after the deceased. In fact, according to the Talmud "הבכור" may refer to the brother of the deceased, not to the nephew. (In context, "name" is taken to mean inheritance.)

Yet, biblically, we do find the notion of naming the child after the deceased, in the context of yibbum - as appears from Rashi on Genesis 38:8 (והקם זרע. הבן יקרא על שם המת:). See also Ramban and Mizrachi on the verse.

As for your suggestion, we now shortened the (somewhat-verbose) explanation in the brackets to include only an essential translation of the term yibbum. 

Sincerely,

Shmuel

   

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[michael...@tutanota.com]

Thank  you
Michael Wilks




7. Oct 2018 12:39 by shm...@sefaria.org: