English translation — נח ב

Sicha b<pg>24</pg>

A.

The Rambam wrote<sup>1</sup>

: "Even though a person fulfilled the commandment of being fruitful and multiplying<sup>2</sup>

he is commanded by the words of the Scribes not to desist from being fruitful and multiplying as long as he has strength,

for whoever adds one soul in Israel<sup>3</sup>

is as if he built a world."

And they asked on this<sup>4</sup>,

for in the Gemara<sup>5</sup>

it is explicit that the source and reason of this law is from the verse<sup>6</sup>

"In the morning sow your seed and in the evening do not withhold your hand etc.",

And this is the language of the Gemara: "Rabbi Yehoshua says: A person married a wife in his youth, he should marry a wife in his old age; he had children in his youth, he should have children in his old age, as it is said: In the morning sow your seed and in the evening do not withhold your hand, for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, and if both together are good."

And so the Rif<sup>7</sup> copied and ruled,

and brought this verse.

And why did the Rambam omit the reason of the Gemara and write a new reason of his own

("that whoever adds etc.")<sup>8</sup>?

2.

And behold, there are commentators<sup>9</sup>,

that from the verse one can infer two reasons:

(a)

According to the first part of the verse "for you do not know which will prosper etc.",

this is because of uncertainty

(according to Rashi's commentary on the verse<sup>10</sup>)

"whether..

the children of your youth will endure for you or perhaps they will not endure but rather in your old age":

(b)

According to the latter part of the verse "and if both together are good" this is not because of uncertainty and concern,

but whenever he can add in begetting children he is commanded about this.

That is,

that according to the first reason the main obligation is<pg>25</pg>

because of concern for nullifying the commandment of procreation,

and if so, one could say that it is considered a doubt regarding a Torah law, lest he nullify the commandment of procreation<sup>11</sup>

; but according to the second reason in the verse "and if both together are good",

there is here no concern for nullifying the commandment of procreation and a doubt regarding a Torah law,

but rather a good practice and a commandment from the words of the scribes,

that he should have additional children.

And this is what the Rambam wrote: "Whoever adds one soul in Israel is as if he built a world,"

that his intention is for the reason "And if both of them together are good,"

for according to the Rambam the main reason is from the end of the verse,

and its obligation is not due to concern for nullification of the commandment of procreation from the Torah,

but it is a commandment from the words of the Scribes,

and as above.

However, at first glance this explanation is forced for several reasons:

a)

It is forced to divide the verse into two reasons,

because from the plain sense of the verse it implies that it is all one reason,

and the end of the verse is the continuation of the doubt of the beginning: "You do not know which of them will succeed, this or that, and if

(or)

both together are good"¹².

b)

If you say that the first reason in the verse

("You do not know which of them will succeed")

is a concern of nullification of a positive commandment of the Torah

(lest his first children die),

it is not understood:

(a)

According to this, it follows,

that whenever a man's wife

(even if she bore him a son and a daughter)

is no longer capable of bearing children, there is upon him an obligation to marry a woman

(capable of bearing children)

in addition to his wife¹³

(or to divorce her and marry another)¹⁴

out of concern lest they die — and we have not found that Israel would be stringent in this¹⁵

in order to fulfill the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda

(and especially since it is explicit in the Gemara¹⁶

"the halacha is like Rabbi Yehoshua"¹⁷).

(b)

On the other hand,

if it is only a doubt — this obligation of "do not let your hand rest" applies specifically when he has only a son and a daughter

(or two males according to Beit Shammai),

for then it can be said that although he has fulfilled the commandment of procreation,

nevertheless we are concerned about the death of one of them and then he no longer has the commandment of procreation in his hand; but when he has several sons and daughters then there is no reason that this obligation should apply to him¹⁸,

for we are not concerned about the death of two¹⁹

— and from the unqualified language of Rabbi Yehuda "he had sons in his youth" it implies simply that the discussion is not specifically about two sons

(a son and a daughter),

but also when he had several sons.

<pg>26</pg>

And besides this — this explanation is not sufficient to settle the words of the Rambam,

since in any case the Rambam should have brought the beginning of the verse — which says "In the morning sow your seed and in the evening do not withhold your hand"

(without the continuation of the reason of "for you do not know etc.")

— in which the obligation itself is stated

(and as we find by the Rif&lt;sup&gt;20&lt;/sup&gt;

who brought only the beginning of the aforementioned verse,

and he too holds "and this matter is rabbinic" like the opinion of the Rambam that "it is a commandment from the words of the Scribes").

3.

And now, regarding the reason that the Rambam wrote "that whoever adds one soul in Israel is as if he built a world" it requires explanation, at first glance,

his language "whoever adds" and not in the usual language — "whoever begets"; and on the other hand,

if he adopted the term "adds",

he should have concluded "as if he added a world" in accordance with the beginning of the language "whoever adds one soul"

(and in the manner of our Sages of blessed memory in tractate Sanhedrin&lt;sup&gt;21&lt;/sup&gt;

"whoever sustains one soul of Israel, Scripture accounts it to him as if he sustained a whole world"&lt;sup&gt;22&lt;/sup&gt;),

and why does he continue "as if he built etc."?

Also one must understand: in the Rambam, Hilchos Deos²³

it is written regarding the intention in begetting children "and he should place on his heart that he will have a son, perhaps he will be wise and great in Israel."

And seemingly this is a simple reasoning in "as if he built a world",

and why did the Rambam not bring it here as a reason for this, that he should not refrain from being fruitful and multiplying,

for perhaps the son who is born will be wise and great in Israel,

and then this is not only "as if he built a world" but rather this is an actual building of a world?

4.

And this will be understood with the introduction of the puzzling question,

and especially if it is said

(as the matter is proven)²⁴

that this law in the Rambam has its source in the words of R. Y. — that "if he had children in his youth, he should have children in his old age"; why did the Rambam change from the language of R. Y.

("if he had children etc.")

and write a different language²⁵?

And one can explain this simply: In the law, "If one married a wife in his youth, he should marry a wife in his old age; if he had children in his youth, he should have children in his old age" — one can explain two ways:

A)

It is

(continuation from)

The essential primary obligation of the mitzvah of procreation,

that even after one has fulfilled this mitzvah in his youth,

there is upon him an obligation by rabbinic decree to continue

("not to desist")

in the mitzvah of procreation also in his old age.

And according to this — that which is written in Koheles verse²⁶

is a revelation and explanation of the mitzvah of procreation that is from the Torah.

Or

b)

it is an obligation and law in itself,

that even though he fulfilled the commandment of being fruitful and multiplying through the children he had in his youth,

he is still commanded by the words of the Kabbalah²⁶

"In the morning sow your seed, etc." to beget children also in his old age

[and so it seems apparently from the continuation of the words of Rabbi Yehoshua,

that he does not doubt the command to beget children

("he had children in his youth, etc."),

but²⁷

begins as a new matter — "he married a woman..

he had children..

"].

<pg>27</pg>

And it can be said that this is the foundation of the difference between the two versions that exist in the Gemara there,

in connection with the words of the Mishnah²⁸

"A person should not refrain from being fruitful and multiplying unless he has children": according to most books, the Gemara reads "the Mishnah is not in accordance with Rabbi Yehoshua",

however, the Rif

(and others)

did not bring these words²⁹.

And behold, according to the version "Mishnah

[that it teaches unless etc., if he has [children] he may be idle³⁰]

that it is not like R. Yosi",

we hold like the first manner above,

that the words of R. Yosi are because of

(continuation)

the fulfillment of the commandment of procreation, and necessarily he disagrees with the Mishnah from which we deduce that if he has children the commandment of procreation is fulfilled in its fullness and he may be idle etc.

But according to the version that these words are not present in the Gemara, one can say,

that the statement of R. Yosi is not in contradiction to the Mishnah

(which implies that if he has children he may be idle from procreation),

because the law of R. Yosi is a law and obligation in itself from the words of the Kabbalah³¹

— and about this the Mishnah does not speak.

And based on this, one can say that therefore the Rambam changes from the language of Rabbi Yishmael "If he had sons in his youth, he should have sons in his old age" and writes "Even though a person has fulfilled the mitzvah of procreation, he is commanded by the words of the Sages not to desist from procreating and multiplying as long as he has strength" — to inform us this very thing&lt;sup&gt;32&lt;/sup&gt;

— that the command of the verse

(in the words of the Prophets)

that also in his old age he should have sons

("Do not let your hand rest from evening"),

is not a matter and obligation in itself,

but rather it is from the side of the attachment of the mitzvah of procreation&lt;sup&gt;33&lt;/sup&gt;,

that there is a continuous obligation

(by the words of the Sages)

that he should not desist from procreation

(from the fulfillment of the mitzvah of procreation which is from the Torah&lt;sup&gt;34&lt;/sup&gt;)

as long as he has strength.

And one can say that the practical difference in halacha between these two possibilities,

is in the law of selling a Torah scroll for the sake of sons

(to marry a woman who is a daughter of sons)&lt;sup&gt;35&lt;/sup&gt;

— whether it applies also when he has already fulfilled the mitzvah of procreation

(according to the two opinions in the Shulchan Aruch on this&lt;sup&gt;36&lt;/sup&gt;)

: According to the approach that it is a law in itself,

behold, since he has already fulfilled the mitzvah of procreation in its completeness,

he no longer sells a Torah scroll in order to marry a woman who is a daughter of sons; but if it is a continuous obligation from the side of the attachment of the mitzvah of procreation,

it is logical that he should sell a Torah scroll in order to marry a woman who is a daughter of sons even if he has already fulfilled&lt;sup&gt;37&lt;/sup&gt;

the mitzvah of procreation from the Torah&lt;sup&gt;38&lt;/sup&gt;.

5.

Based on this, the simple meaning of the Rambam's language "whoever adds one soul in Israel is as if he built a world" is understood:

In this language and reason, the above content is explained — for the definition of the commandment of procreation is — building the world

(to inhabit it He created it),

and as the simple meaning of the verses³⁹

"Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth

(and subdue it etc.)

".

And the Rambam is precise "that anyone who adds one soul in Israel is as if he built a world",

to emphasize that the mitzvah of pru urvu is not limited only to fulfilling its obligation,

giving birth to a son and daughter,

but rather that any addition in this,

it is included in the content

(and definition)

of this mitzvah — building the world&lt;sup&gt;40&lt;/sup&gt;,

"as if he built a world".

But not so that of Hilchos De'os "he will have a son perhaps he will be wise and great in Israel" applies only to his intention in begetting children,

but this is not the definition of fulfilling the mitzvah of pru urvu,

whose essence is "building the world" through begetting sons and daughters

(and even if the son is not "wise and great in Israel").

6.

And it must be said,

that this matter of "whoever adds a soul..

as if he built a world" is emphasized in our parshah — Parshas Noach.

For behold, "be fruitful and multiply" is said in the Torah in Parshas Bereishis and in Parshas Noach⁴¹,

and one of the differences between them is

[Added to this that the command on be fruitful and multiply

(in simple meaning of Scripture&lt;sup&gt;42&lt;/sup&gt;)

is said in our portion&lt;sup&gt;43&lt;/sup&gt;

"And you, be fruitful and multiply",

unlike in the portion of Bereishis&lt;sup&gt;44&lt;/sup&gt;

which is for a blessing&lt;sup&gt;45&lt;/sup&gt;]

:

In the portion of Bereishis this was said to the first man,

and since before the saying of

(blessing)

this command Adam had no children,

it is understood,

that in this it speaks about the main fulfillment of being fruitful and multiplying

(the birth of a son and daughter).

However, in our parshah it is said "Be fruitful and multiply" to Noach and his sons — that is,

not only to the sons of Noach who did not yet have children,

but also to Noach<pg>28</pg>

himself who already had three sons⁴⁶,

to him too it was said "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth",

"Be fruitful and multiply, swarm in the earth and multiply in it",

it can be said that in this is hinted that also the addition of a soul is included in the fulfillment of being fruitful and multiplying,

and as if he built a world.

7.

And it can be said — just as it is regarding the mitzvah of pru urvu (be fruitful and multiply) in its simple sense,

so too is it also regarding the

(content)

mitzvah of pru urvu in spirituality,

which is teaching Torah to students⁴⁷

(and in general — bringing Jews closer to Judaism,

Torah and mitzvos)

— as our Sages, of blessed memory, said⁴⁸

"Whoever teaches his friend's son Torah, Scripture considers it as if he gave birth to him" — that there is no difference in this between the time of "youth" and the time of "old age",

and as the continuation of the words of the Gemara⁴⁹,

that after the statement of Rabbi Yehoshua came the statement of Rabbi Akiva: "If one learned Torah in his youth, he should learn Torah in his old age; if he had students in his youth, he should have students in his old age, as it is said: 'In the morning sow your seed, etc.'"

That is to say,

besides the fact that in the obligation of Talmud Torah

(for oneself)

there is no difference between a young man and an old man

(as the Rambam wrote in Hilchos Talmud Torah⁵⁰),

behold also regarding teaching students

(which is a positive commandment from the Torah⁵¹)

there is the command

(from the words of the Prophets?)

of "do not withhold your hand from the evening":

After a person has occupied himself and toiled in influencing others during the years of youth and middle age,

behold when he reaches his old age it is possible that he would say that now he will rest from this work and toil of his — in the language of the verse⁵²

"Man goes forth to his work and to his labor until the evening"

[including the "evening" of the totality of the days of his life⁵³]

— the verse comes and says: "And at evening do not let your hand rest,"

that even then he must continue and occupy himself with "be fruitful and multiply,"

to bring closer yet more children of Israel and yet more children of Israel to Judaism,

Torah and His commandments.

And on this the Rambam adds,

that the reason for the matter is,

because "whoever adds one soul in Israel is as if he built a world": the necessity to add in this work of his,

is not only because of the concern that his previous work was not in perfection

(and there is even the concern "which one will be fit etc.",

in the manner of the story in the Gemara there about the students of Rabbi Akiva),

but rather even if his previous work was at the ultimate perfection — he should not be satisfied with that,

and he must add in his work also at "evening,"

because through each action of his this is "as if he built a world."

And according to what was explained above in the words of the Rambam, it is found,

that this obligation,

that also "in the evening" one should add in "teaching the son of his friend Torah" — is not an additional obligation,

to do a good and elevated thing,

but rather this is a continuation and completion of the fulfillment of the commandment of Pru U'rvu

(in spirituality).

And one must explain the content of this novelty

(that also the influence "in his old age" is included in the commandment of Pru U'rvu in spirituality)

in the inwardness of the matter:

The purpose of all creation is to make&lt;pg&gt;29&lt;/pg&gt;

for Him, blessed be He, a dwelling place in the lower realms&lt;sup&gt;54&lt;/sup&gt;,

and this is the inner content of "build a world",

to build for Him, blessed be He, a dwelling place.

That is,

that the world, which in its own essence is in a state of "concealment" and hiding,

so that it is not apparent in it that its coming into being is from "the truth of His existence"&lt;sup&gt;55&lt;/sup&gt;,

one must build it and make something new,

to reveal in it "the truth of His existence".

And this change and renewal in the world is brought about by a change and renewal in the state of the children of Israel:

As long as it is not evident in each individual of Israel that he is a son of Avraham Yitzchak and Yaakov and she is a daughter of Sarah Rivkah Rachel and Leah,

the world remains in a state in which its source and root are not evident; and through the work of revealing in each individual of Israel his connection and attachment to the Holy One blessed be He and to His Torah and His commandments,

it brings about that the entire world becomes a dwelling place for Him, blessed be He,

"as if he built a world".

8.

Based on the above, we must also explain the reason that Chazal made the future redemption dependent on the fulfillment of the mitzvah of procreation,

as the statement⁵⁶

"The son of David will not come until all the souls that are in the

(treasury called)

body" are finished,

and they said⁵⁷

"Just as Israel were redeemed from Egypt in the merit that they were fruitful and multiplied, so too will they be redeemed in the future in the merit that they are fruitful and multiplied..

Israel are not redeemed unless they are fruitful and multiplied and fill the entire world",

For through the completion of the fulfillment of the mitzvah of procreation — both physically,

by this that each one "shall not nullify" this mitzvah "as long as he has the strength"

(as a clear ruling of the Rambam)⁵⁸,

and spiritually — that they bring each one of Israel closer to Hashem and to His Torah and to His mitzvos,

Come to the perfection of the building of the entire world,

namely that His kingship of the Holy One, blessed be He, will be revealed in it⁵⁹,

And this will be in the ultimate perfection in the future to come,

when the prophecy will be fulfilled⁶⁰

And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all flesh together will see that the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

And even though all the revelations of the future depend on all our deeds and our service during the time of exile&lt;sup&gt;61&lt;/sup&gt;,

behold it is understood that in particular the building of the world anew is done by means of increase in the fulfillment of the commandment of being fruitful and multiplying in the physical and in the spiritual,

the building of the world during the time of exile,

that by adding one soul from Israel it is as if he built a world,

and all the more so and how much more so by adding several souls from Israel,

And this hastens and speeds the building of a "new world"&lt;sup&gt;62&lt;/sup&gt;,

the new heavens and the new earth of the future to come&lt;sup&gt;63&lt;/sup&gt;,

And Hashem will be King over all the earth on that day Hashem will be one and His name one&lt;sup&gt;64&lt;/sup&gt;.

(From the talk of Shabbos Parshas Shlach 5745)