Halakhah do Liczb 32:21

Ba'al ha-Turim, in his commentary to Numbers 32:21, presents the novel view that this practice was not King David's innovation but was originally introduced by Moses prior to the military engagements leading to the conquest of the land of Canaan. However, the purpose of the practice as instituted by Moses was somewhat more limited and was employed merely to obviate the necessity for levirate marriage or ḥalizah in the case of a childless widow. Ba'al ha-Turim's argument is predicated upon the philological relationship of ḥaluz ha-na'al ("unshod") of Deuteronomy 25:10 and the similar term ḥaluz ("armed warrior") in the previously cited passage. A warrior, according to this commentator, is called a ḥaluz because his occupation often necessitates the ceremony of ḥalizah entailing the removal of a shoe.