Is childbirth a commandment or a blessing? Bring evidence from the verses above.
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(ו) לֹא יִבָּטֵל אָדָם מִפְּרִיָּה וּרְבִיָּה, אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן יֶשׁ לוֹ בָנִים. בֵּית שַׁמַּאי אוֹמְרִים, שְׁנֵי זְכָרִים. וּבֵית הִלֵּל אוֹמְרִים, זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, (בראשית ה) זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה בְּרָאָם.
(6) One may not abstain from procreation unless he [already] has children. Beit Shammai say: [One must have] two boys, and Beit Hillel say: [One must have] a boy and a girl, as it says, "Male and female He created them" (Bereishit 5:2).
According to Beit Shammai – when does a person fulfill the commandment of procreation? And according to Beit Hillel?
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תניא רבי אליעזר אומר כל מי שאין עוסק בפריה ורביה כאילו שופך דמים' שנאמר (בראשית ט, ו) "שופך דם האדם באדם דמו ישפך" וכתיב בתריה "ואתם פרו ורבו".
רבי יעקב אומר כאילו ממעט הדמות שנאמר (בראשית ט, ו) "כי בצלם אלהים עשה את האדם" וכתיב בתריה "ואתם פרו" וגו'.
בן עזאי אומר כאילו שופך דמים וממעט הדמות שנאמר "ואתם פרו ורבו".
אמרו לו, לבן עזאי: יש נאה דורש ונאה מקיים נאה מקיים ואין נאה דורש ואתה נאה דורש ואין נאה מקיים. אמר להן בן עזאי: ומה אעשה שנפשי חשקה בתורה? אפשר לעולם שיתקיים על ידי אחרים
It is taught in a baraita that Rabbi Eliezer says: Anyone who does not engage in the mitzva to be fruitful and multiply is considered as though he sheds blood, as it is stated: “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed” (Genesis 9:6), and it is written immediately afterward: “And you, be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 9:7).
Rabbi Ya’akov says: It is as though he diminishes the Divine Image, as it is stated: “For in the image of God He made man” (Genesis 9:6), and it is written immediately afterward: “And you, be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 9:7).
Ben Azzai says: It is as though he sheds blood and also diminishes the Divine Image, as it is stated: “And you, be fruitful and multiply,” after the verse that alludes to both shedding blood and the Divine Image.
They said to ben Azzai: There is a type of scholar who expounds well and fulfills his own teachings well, and another who fulfills well and does not expound well. But you, who have never married, expound well on the importance of procreation, and yet you do not fulfill well your own teachings. Ben Azzai said to them: What shall I do, as my soul yearns for Torah, and I do not wish to deal with anything else. It is possible for the world to be maintained by others, who are engaged in the mitzva to be fruitful and multiply.
What are the three different opinions about people who do not have children?
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How does this text make you feel? Do you agree with it? Do you disagree? With what? Why?
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