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From: rhendel@mcs.drexel.edu (Russell Hendel)
Date: Sun, 7 Dec 1997 18:04:42 -0500
Subject: Shabbath! Who makes babys--God or Us?

The popular viewpoint that Shabbos prohibitions are those "where man
creates" was recently cited.

On this view someone asked, "Why then should making children be allowed"

To this response we were told "God makes the babies not us"

I just wanted to clarify some of the confusion running around.

First: (Citing the Psalmist) If God doesn't make the house then of what
avail are the builders...so God makes everything not just babies Also if
all babies were miraculous makings of God then adulterers would not have
any children and we see they do. So the first thing to note is that we
DO make babies (in the same way that we make houses and dyes and
everything else that needs assitance from above)

Second: The Shabbath prohibitions are Equated with the acts needed to
make the Mishcan(Tabernacle). Thus cutting wood, cooking plants to
create dyes, killing animals for curtains, lighting fires, finishing
utensils etc. Clearly, having relations or making children does not help
build the Mishcan.

Thus what is really prohibited on Sabbath are the same types of creative
acts that we use when we build our houses. Also prohibited are those
acts that resemble these acts in form and purpose.

The torah did not ask man to stop creating (for only death can do that)
It asked him to stop building civilization/houses/communitites for 1 day
a week

I hope this helps

Russell Jay Hendel; Phd ASA rhendel @ mcs drexel edu