# Onanism

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/onanism/301691>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [April 29, 2005, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/onanism/301691 "2005-04-29T09:40:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\
**Post date:** [May 19, 2005, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/onanism/301691/21 "2005-05-19T18:56:29Z")

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> [@Malacandra](#):
>
> Equally fascinating is how this custom of _levirate marriage_ became enshrined in the Law. This provided for the brother of the deceased to opt _not_ to marry the widow, but he had to accept being taken to the town gates, having his sandal pulled off his foot, and the surname “No-Sandals” affixed to himself and all his descendants in perpetuity, just so everyone would know what a meanie he had been. I imagine the loss of face would have been considerable.

Seriously? Any historical accounts of people choosing this out? Do their descendants still bear that name? I find it amusing that people walking around Israel in 2005 might be called No-Sandals because a distant ancestor refused to marry his brother’s widow.

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**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2005, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/onanism/301691/22 "2005-05-20T01:59:36Z")

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Nearly all modern Rabbis (going back a long, long _long_ time) have regarded levirate marriage as icky. The sandal ritual is virtually mandatory, nowadays, so no fuss is made about it.

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**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2005, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/onanism/301691/23 "2005-05-20T05:35:20Z")

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> [@John W. Kennedy](#):
>
> Nearly all modern Rabbis (going back a long, long _long_ time) have regarded levirate marriage as icky. The sandal ritual is virtually mandatory, nowadays, so no fuss is made about it.

But they’re still doing it? And those guys are still called No-Sandals?

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**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2005, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/onanism/301691/24 "2005-05-20T10:14:53Z")

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> [@Priceguy](#):
>
> Seriously? Any historical accounts of people choosing this out? Do their descendants still bear that name? I find it amusing that people walking around Israel in 2005 might be called No-Sandals because a distant ancestor refused to marry his brother’s widow.

Seriously. I’m nearly always serious, except when winding up Americans about quaint British customs. This was a quaint Biblical custom, and doesn’t qualify.

…Although I’m delighted to learn that it persists in some form, even when levirate marriage is no longer practised. 🆒

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**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2005, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/onanism/301691/25 "2005-05-20T11:44:35Z")

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> [@Priceguy](#):
>
> But they’re still doing it? And those guys are still called No-Sandals?

Pro-forma, yes, it’s still done, because the Torah says you have to. But since it’s no longer regarded as in any sense a dishonor, the “name” bit is forgotten.

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