Reproductive Issues

To Adam, God said, "Because you did as your wife said and ate of the tree about which I commanded you, 'You shall not eat of it,' cursed be the ground because of you; by toil shall you eat of it all the days of your life, thorns and thistles shall it sprout for you. But your food shall be the grasses of the field; by the sweat of your brow shall you get bread to eat, until you return to the ground - for from it you were taken. For dust you are, and to dust you shall return. [JPS translation. Edited for gender neutrality]

They [the Rabbis] said: Since this is a time of divine grace, let us pray for mercy from the evil inclination. They prayed for mercy, and it [the evil inclination] was handed over to them. It said to them: Realize that if you kill me, the world will be destroyed. They imprisoned it for three days, then looked in the whole land of Israel for a fresh egg and could not find one. [Soncino translation. Edited for gender neutrality]

And God said: 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.' And God created human in God’s own image, in the image of God, God created him; male and female God created them. And God blessed them; and God said unto them: 'Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth... [JPS translation]

A man shall continue his attempts to fulfill the mitzvah, “be fruitful and multiply” until he has sons...The house of Hillel says [he must produce] a son and a daughter], as it says: “male and female, he created them (Genesis 1:27) [Translation by Rabbi Steven Greenberg]

6. Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God he made man. 7. And you, be fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply in it.

It is taught: Rabbi Eliezer says: Anyone who does not engage in producing children, it is as if he spills blood. As it is said: “He who spills the blood of adam, by adam shall his blood be spilt,” and later it says, “So then, be fruitful and multiply.” Rabbi Jacob said: It is as if he diminishes the image of God [in the world]. As it says: “for in the image of God did he make the adam” . . . and afterward . . . “So then, be fruitful and multiply.” Ben Azzai said: It is as if he both spills blood and diminishes the image of God, since it says [after both phrases], “So then, be fruitful and multiply.” They said to Ben Azzai: There are those who learn well and fulfill well, those who fulfill well but do not learn so well, [it appears that] you learn well but do not fulfill very well. Ben Azzai said to them: What shall I do? My soul lusts for Torah and likely the world will be sustained by others. [Translation by Rabbi Steve Greenberg]

Saul became angry with Jonathan and said to him: You perverse and rebellious son! I know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame and the shame of your mother’s nakedness! [Translation by Rabbi Steven Greenberg]

How the mighty have fallen! In the thick of battle—Jonathan, slain on your heights! I grieve for you, my brother Jonathan. You were most dear to me. Your love was wonderful to me, More than the love of women. [Translation by Rabbi Steven Greenberg]

Come and learn: Human dignity is so important that it supersedes even a biblical prohibition. [Soncino translation]

Rabbi Yohanan said: I [swear] by the Sanctuary that it is in our power [to reveal which families in the Land of Israel are genealogically tainted]! But what can I do? For behold, great people of the generation are mixed with them! Rabbi Yohanan agrees with Rabbi Yizchak, for Rabbi Yitzchak has said [once a genealogically tainted] family is mixed, it is mixed. [Translation by Rabbi Steve Greenberg]