The Mitzvah of P'ru Ur'Vu Part II

By Rabbi Joshua Flug

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I.

Introduction- This shiur outline is the second part of the series on P'ru Urvu and is part of a series of shiurim that are being produced in conjunction with the Machon Puah course. Part I focused on halachic aspects of the mitzvah. This part will focus on hashkafic aspects. a. Two Recommended Books for this topic: i. The Third Key by R. Baruch and Michal Finkelstein ii. Overcoming Infertility by Dr. Richard Grazi

II.

The Torah's presentation of the mitzvah a. There are a number of verses that discuss procreation: i. On the fifth day of creation, God blesses the creatures that they should multiply-}{ . ii. On the sixth day of creation, God blesses man to procreate. However, this time the language is slightly different- }{ .' iii. After Noach and his family survive the mabul, they are blessed to procreate. {} iv. After Matan Torah, Bnei Yisrael are commanded to return to their tents ( }{ .) The Gemara states that this is the source for the mitzvah of p'ru ur'vu. {} b. The meforshim have a number of approaches to deal with various pesukim: i. Some meforshim understand that what was said to Adam was only a beracha. 1. R. Avraham Ibn Ezra (c. 1089-1164) writes that is really only a beracha and the rabbis based the commandment on these pesukim. [It seems that what he means is that they call the mitzvah "p'ru ur'vu" based on these pesukim. The actual source of the mitzvah is from Matan Torah.] {} 2. Tosafos also write that what was said to Adam is a beracha. {} 3. Rabbeinu Bachya ben Asher (d. 1340) writes that the language said to man was different than the language said to the fish and birds because there were in fact two berachos given to man: {} a. The first beracha is that man should have what it needs to survive. b. The second beracha is that there should be an eternal aspect to their lives and this refers to the .

ii. Rabbeinu Nissim (c. 1320-1380) writes that Adam was given a beracha and a commandment. This is why it first states ( beracha) and then (commandment). {} iii. R. Yitzchak Abarbanel (1437-1508) suggests that man had to be commanded with a mitzvah to procreate because man was created and might have gotten the impression that people shouldn't engage in marital relations because it is too animalistic and not becoming of an intellectual creature. For this reason, a specific commandment was given to them that they should procreate. {} III. The Imahos and their Fertility Challenges a. We are all familiar with the fertility challenges that the imahos faced [according to the Midrash, even Leah was challenged {}]. The Gemara comments that the reason why they had these challenges was so that the avos and imahos would pray to have children (}{ .)" i. Obviously, God doesn't actually desire prayer. Rather, the idea is that the avos and imahos had to experience this growth process in order to receive children. ii. Rabbeinu Bachya ben Asher derives from this statement that the lesson is that prayer has the ability to change nature (or defy statistics). The imahos weren't naturally inclined to have children and through their prayers, they were able change that. {} iii. The Gemara also notes that the word is a reference to the fact that the tefillos changed the midas hadin to midas harachamim. [i.e. the avos and imahos were on a level where they were generally judged through midas hadin unless the prayed otherwise. Fertility challenges can be viewed as a form of midas hadin.] iv. The Midrash records that when Bnei Yisrael were being chased by the Egyptians, Moshe started to pray. God told him that there are times to pray and there are times for action and this is a time for action. {} 1. This is an important idea regarding fertility. There are times when prayer alone is not sufficient and one should explore action oriented approaches. b. Pesikta D'Rav Kahana comments on the verse }{ and notes that there were seven in Tanach: {} i. Sarah ii. Rivkah iii. Rachel

iv. Leah v. vi. Chana vii. -This is derived from the verse . c. R. Tzadok of Lublin (1823-1900) asks why the verse in Yeshaya states that the should rejoice. Why should one rejoice about being barren? He answers that the difficulties that the avos and imahos experienced were for the purpose of producing better offspring. If they didn't suffer these challenges, their offspring would have been ordinary individuals. This is the message of the redemption as wellthe more difficult the process of achieving it, the greater it will be. {} i. While R. Tzadok's approach has kabbalistic overtones, on a simple level, one can adapt this idea and state that while we all want a smooth process, those who have challenges, have a greater appreciation of the blessing when it finally comes.

IV.

The Three Keys a. The Gemara states that there are three keys that remain in the hands of God and are not given over to a messenger: ., The source for is the verse that God opened ( -which has the same root as )the womb of Rachel. {} i. The Gemara states that there is a malach that is in charge of conception and brings each sperm cell (or embryo) in front of God and asks whether it will be strong, smart, etc. {} ii. Tosafos ask: This implies that God allows others to be involved with conception and He doesn't retain the "key". Tosafos suggest that does not refer to the ability to conceive but rather the ability to give birth. {} iii. Rabbeinu Asher (c. 1250-1327) in his Tosafos HaRosh presents a different answer. He suggests that the malach's role only begins after conception (as such, the ,would be referring to an embryo, not a sperm cell). {} iv. The dispute between Tosafos and Tosafos HaRosh seems to be reflected in the Midrash: 1. The Zohar implies that refers to the actual childbirth, not the conception. {} 2. The Midrash Rabbah refers to it specifically as the }{ .

V.

In the shiur outline on Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis, we discussed the hashkafic issues of using modern technologies for fertility purposes. That discussion would be appropriate for this shiur as well. Resources and Sensitivites

VI.

a. Dr. Sara Barris suggested the following resources. [You can also listen to a recording of her discussing the topic of resilience here and a handout of additional resources here]: i. A Time A Torah Infertility Medium of Exchange www.atime.org ii. ASRM American Society for Reproductive Medicine www.asrm.org

iii. The AFA The American Fertility Association www.theafa.org iv. Resolve The National Infertility Association www.resolve.org b. Sensitivities to Consider i. How does one decide whether it is insensitive to offer a couple who doesn't have children to be kvater at a bris? ii. How does one break the news to a relative or close friend trying to have children that they themselves are pregnant? iii. How does one make a couple trying to have children comfortable at a Shabbos meal full of children? iv. What does one say to a couple after a failed IVF attempt or miscarriage?

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