“And shall speak with him” (Dt. 25:8)— about whether [the woman[is a suitable match.471//M. Yev. 12:8. For if he was a youngster and she was much older, or if he was older and she was much younger, they would say: find one your own age! why should you bring discord into your home?
(דברים כה ח) וְקָרְאוּ לוֹ זִקְנֵי עִירוֹ, מִצְוָה בְּזִקְנֵי עִירוֹ.
Pisqa’ 290470H:282; JN2:253.
1. “Then the elders of his city shall summon him” (Dt. 25:8).
A proper summons must be issued by the elders of his city.
וְדִבְּרוּ אֵלָיו, בְּהוֹגֶנֶת לוֹ, שֶׁאִם הָיָה הוּא יֶלֶד וְהִיא זְקֵנָה, הוּא זָקֵן וְהִיא יַלְדָּה, אוֹמְרִים לוֹ כַּלֵּךְ אֵצֶל כְּמוֹתְךָ וְלָמָּה לְךָ לְהַכְנִיס קְטָטָה לְבֵיתְךָ.
“And shall speak with him” (Dt. 25:8)—
about whether [the woman[is a suitable match.471//M. Yev. 12:8.
For if he was a youngster
and she was much older,
or if he was older
and she was much younger,
they would say:
find one your own age!
why should you bring discord into your home?
וְעָמַד וְאָמַר, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁאֵין אוֹמֵר דְּבָרָיו אֶלָּא בַּעֲמִידָה.
“And he shall stand and declare” (Dt. 25:8)—
this teaches that he does not
recite his declaration unless he is standing.472cf. T.Yev.12:10
לֹא חָפַצְתִּי לְקַחְתָּהּ, וְלֹא שֶׁלֹּא חָפֵץ בָּהּ הַמָּקוֹם.
“I have no desire to take her” (Dt. 25:8)—
but not because the All-Present
does not desire that she remarry.