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From: Russell Hendel <rhendel@mcs.drexel.edu>
Date: Sun, 27 Jun 1999 16:13:43 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: RE: The reason for the lack of obligation on Women for Procreation

A short point on the "women exempt from procreation issue"(v28n85, n28n86
Louise Miller, Yoseph Bechoffer, Eli Clark). The official reason women
are exempt from Procreation is because the Biblical verse explicitly says
Be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth, and conquer it (Gen 1:28)--
The talmud in Yevamoth 65b says "Whoever has the capacity to "conquer it"
has the obligation to "be fruitful" while those who cannot conquer aren't
obligated to be fruitful".

The idea is that besides giving birth to children we must provide them
with food and shelter (which in the verse is referred to as conquering).
Since it is the nature of the man to conquer it is him which is obligated

There is an opposite view in the Talmud that since the plural is used
Be fruitful (plural) and multiply (Plural) both men and women are
obligated. A standard procedure in such cases is to decide the law in
accordance with the anonymous opinion cited (the other opinion (that both
are obligated) is stated in the name of a specific tanna).

Russell Jay Hendel;Phd ASA; rhendel@mcs.drexel.edu
Moderator Rashi Is Simple; http://www.shamash.org/rashi/