## A Lifetime Companion to the Laws of Jewish Family Life, Part Four; Medical Issues, Chapter 3; Birth Control

###### A Lifetime Companion to the Laws of Jewish Family Life, Part Four; Medical Issues, Chapter 3; Birth Control 4
[A Lifetime Companion to the Laws of Jewish Family Life, Part Four; Medical Issues, Chapter 3; Birth Control 4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/A%20Lifetime%20Companion%20to%20the%20Laws%20of%20Jewish%20Family%20Life/s/Part%20Four%3B%20Medical%20Issues,_Chapter%203%3B%20Birth%20Control/r/4)

וַיְבָרֶך אֹתָם אֱלֹקִים וַיֹאמֶר לָהֶם אֱלֹקִים פְּרוּ וּרְבוּ וּמִלְאוּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ וְכִבְשֻׁהָ.

**Urim, 2011:**
“And the Lord blessed them, and the Lord said to them, be fruitful and multiply, and conquer the land...”


###### A Lifetime Companion to the Laws of Jewish Family Life, Part Four; Medical Issues, Chapter 3; Birth Control 6
[A Lifetime Companion to the Laws of Jewish Family Life, Part Four; Medical Issues, Chapter 3; Birth Control 6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/A%20Lifetime%20Companion%20to%20the%20Laws%20of%20Jewish%20Family%20Life/s/Part%20Four%3B%20Medical%20Issues,_Chapter%203%3B%20Birth%20Control/r/6)

לֹא יִבָּטֵל אָדָם מִפִּרְיָה וְרִבְיָה – אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן יֶשׁ לוֹ בָנִים. בֵּית שַׁמַּאי אוֹמְרִים: שְׁנֵי זְכָרִים, וּבֵית הִלֵּל אוֹמְרִים: זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה. (משנה; יבמות, ו:ו)

**Urim, 2011:**
A man should not desist from procreation unless he has children. The house of Shammai says these are two sons, the house of Hillel says these are a son and a daughter. (Mishna *Yevamot* 6:6)


###### A Lifetime Companion to the Laws of Jewish Family Life, Part Four; Medical Issues, Chapter 3; Birth Control 8
[A Lifetime Companion to the Laws of Jewish Family Life, Part Four; Medical Issues, Chapter 3; Birth Control 8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/A%20Lifetime%20Companion%20to%20the%20Laws%20of%20Jewish%20Family%20Life/s/Part%20Four%3B%20Medical%20Issues,_Chapter%203%3B%20Birth%20Control/r/8)

אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁקִּיֵּים אָדָם מִצְוַת פִּרְיָה וְרִבְיָה, הֲרֵי הוּא מְצֻּוֶה מִדִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים שֶׁלֹא יִבָּטֵל מִלִּפְרוֹת וְלִרְבּוֹת כָּל זְמַן שֶׁיֵשׁ בּוֹ כֹּחַ, שֶׁכָּל הַמוֹסִיף נֶפֶשׁ אַחַת בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל כְּאִילּוּ בָּנָה עוֹלָם. (רמב"ם; הלכות אישות טו:טז)

**Urim, 2011:**
Even though one has fulfilled the commandment to be fruitful and multiply, it is a Rabbinic commandment not to desist from procreation as long as he has strength, because one who adds one soul to Israel is as if he has built a world.... (Rambam, *Hilchot Ishut* 15:16)


###### A Lifetime Companion to the Laws of Jewish Family Life, Part Four; Medical Issues, Chapter 3; Birth Control 10
[A Lifetime Companion to the Laws of Jewish Family Life, Part Four; Medical Issues, Chapter 3; Birth Control 10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/A%20Lifetime%20Companion%20to%20the%20Laws%20of%20Jewish%20Family%20Life/s/Part%20Four%3B%20Medical%20Issues,_Chapter%203%3B%20Birth%20Control/r/10)

בַּבֹּקֶר זְרַע אֶת זַרְעֶךָ וְלָעֶרֶב אַל תַּנַּח יָדֶךָ כִּי אֵינְךָ יוֹדֵעַ אֵי זֶה יִכְשַׁר הֲזֶה אוֹ זֶה וְאִם שְׁנֵיהֶם כְּאֶחָד טוֹבִים.

**Urim, 2011:**
In the morning sow your seed and in the evening do not desist, for you do not know which will succeed or whether both will be equally good.


###### A Lifetime Companion to the Laws of Jewish Family Life, Part Four; Medical Issues, Chapter 3; Birth Control 12
[A Lifetime Companion to the Laws of Jewish Family Life, Part Four; Medical Issues, Chapter 3; Birth Control 12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/A%20Lifetime%20Companion%20to%20the%20Laws%20of%20Jewish%20Family%20Life/s/Part%20Four%3B%20Medical%20Issues,_Chapter%203%3B%20Birth%20Control/r/12)

כִּי כֹה אָמַר ד', בּוֹרֵא הַשָׁמַיִם הוּא הָאֱלֹקִים יֹצֵר הָאָרֶץ וְעֹשָׂהּ הוּא כוֹנְנָהּ לֹא תֹהוּ בְרָאָהּ לָשֶׁבֶת יְצָרָהּ אֲנִי ד' וְאֵין עוֹד.

**Urim, 2011:**
So says God Creator of the heavens, He is the Lord who fashioned the earth; He established it not to remain a void but to settle it.


###### A Lifetime Companion to the Laws of Jewish Family Life, Part Four; Medical Issues, Chapter 3; Birth Control 17
[A Lifetime Companion to the Laws of Jewish Family Life, Part Four; Medical Issues, Chapter 3; Birth Control 17](https://torahapp.org/share/book/A%20Lifetime%20Companion%20to%20the%20Laws%20of%20Jewish%20Family%20Life/s/Part%20Four%3B%20Medical%20Issues,_Chapter%203%3B%20Birth%20Control/r/17)

וּמָעוּךְ וְכָתוּת וְנָתוּק וְכָרוּת לֹא תַקְרִיבוּ לַד' וּבְאַרְצְכֶם לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ.

**Urim, 2011:**
This verse not only states that one cannot bring a sacrifice of an animal whose genitalia have been damaged, but that one is also prohibited to inflict such damage. As stated in the *Shuchan Aruch*⁵ EH 5:11.:

footnotes:
⁵ Shulchan Aruch


###### A Lifetime Companion to the Laws of Jewish Family Life, Part Four; Medical Issues, Chapter 3; Birth Control 18
[A Lifetime Companion to the Laws of Jewish Family Life, Part Four; Medical Issues, Chapter 3; Birth Control 18](https://torahapp.org/share/book/A%20Lifetime%20Companion%20to%20the%20Laws%20of%20Jewish%20Family%20Life/s/Part%20Four%3B%20Medical%20Issues,_Chapter%203%3B%20Birth%20Control/r/18)

אָסוּר לְהַפְסִיד אֶבְרֵי הַזֶּרַע, בֵּין בְּאָדָם בֵּין בִּבְהֵמָה חַיָּה וְעוֹף, אֶחָד טְמֵאִים וְאֶחָד טְהוֹרִים, בֵּין בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל בֵּין בְּחוּץ לָאָרֶץ... וְהַמְּסָרֵס אֶת הַנְּקֵבָה, בֵּין בְּאָדָם בֵּין בִּשְׁאָר מִינִים, פָּטוּר אֲבָל אָסוּר.

**Urim, 2011:**
This prohibits the sterilization of men and animals. By most opinions, it is a biblical prohibition for men and a rabbinic prohibition for women.