When Has One Fulfilled the Mitzvah to “Be Fruitful and Multiply”?

The Jewish family is considered complete when husband and wife are blessed with a son and daughter, for they have then fulfilled the mitzvah to “be fruitful and multiply.”

Thus Rambam states:1 “How many children does a person need to have to fulfill this mitzvah? A boy and a girl. For the verse states, ‘He created them male and female.’” Thus, according to the strict letter of the law, one fulfills the obligation to “be fruitful and multiply” when one has a son and a daughter.2

However, even after the person has a son and a daughter, he is obligated to have additional children. Thus Rashi explains the verse “be fruitful and multiply” in this way:3 “‘Be fruitful’ refers to bearing only one [set], but no more; ‘and multiply’ refers to bearing manychildren.”

Rambam states:4 “Although a person has fulfilled the mitzvah to ‘be fruitful and multiply,’ it is a mitzvah of the Sages that he continue to have children as long as he is physically able to do so. In this way, he will not cease being ‘fruitful and multiplying.’ For whoever increases the overall Jewish population with even one more Jewish soul is considered as if he had constructed an entire world.”

The Gemara cites another reason for having additional children:5 “For the verse states,6 ‘In the “morning” plant your seed and in the “evening” do not be idle, for you cannot know which will succeed — this one or that — or whether both will be equally good.’”As Rashi explains,7 “Even after one has already fulfilled the mitzvah, he should bear additional children, for perhaps the first ones will not endure.”

The mitzvah to bear additional children is also alluded to when G‑d told Noach to “be fruitful and multiply.” Although Noach already had three sons, G‑d commanded him to have additional children, for as long as a person is able, he should continue bearing children.


The Rabbinic Command Of Having Additional Children — Authoritative As a Torah Command

We may say that the command of our Sages that a person should have additional children, even if he already bore a son and a daughter, carries the authority and influence of a Torah commandment.

To explain:

There are two forms of Rabbinic commandments: a) In addition to the Torah’s commandments, our Sages issued new and additional commandments; or b) our Sages expanded and broadened the basic Torah command by adding a Rabbinic mitzvah as an adjunct to the original Torah command.

Regarding the matter at hand, the Rabbinic commandment of bearing additional children even after one already has a son and a daughter can also be expounded in either of two ways:

a) Our Sages instituted a new command and decreed that even after one has a son and a daughter, one is commanded by Rabbinic edict to have additional children; and

b) Our Sages expanded and broadened the basic Torah command, saying that even after one has borne a son and daughter, the ultimate manner of fulfilling the Torah’s desire of “be fruitful and multiply” is by having more than one son and daughter.

[The difference between these two approaches can have halachic ramifications as well.

The Gemara states8 that one is to sell his Sefer Torah in order to fulfill the Torah’s command to “be fruitful and multiply.” In other words, if an individual does not have the money to support the children that he will bear, he may sell his Sefer Torah in order to be able to support them.

However, what about the individual who already has a son and daughter, i.e., he has already fulfilled the Torah’s command to “be fruitful and multiply.” Is he also obligated to sell his Sefer Torah in order to be able to have additional children, thus fulfilling the Rabbinic command to have more than just one son and daughter?

According to the first explanation that having additional children is entirely a Rabbinic command, he would not be obligated to sell his Sefer Torah, as one only need sell his Sefer Torah to observe a Torah commandment.

However, according to the second explanation that our Sages broadened and amplified the original Torah command, it is logical to assume that one should sell his Sefer Torah in order to be able to afford additional children as well.]

From Rambam’s expression, “Although a person has fulfilled the mitzvah to ‘be fruitful and multiply,’ it is a mitzvah of the Sages that he continue to have children as long as he is physically able to do so in order for him not to cease being ‘fruitful and multiplying,’”it would seem that the Rabbinic ordinance is an expansion of, and has the same degree of authority as, the original Torah command to “be fruitful and multiply.”

We thus see how vitally important it is to continue having children “as long as he is physically able to do so” and how entirely similar it is to the original Torah command to “be fruitful and multiply.”


Bitachon, Trust in G‑d, And Its Special Quality

It is an obligation, as well as a great merit, to perform the Torah and Rabbinic commandment of having many children. One should not engage in family planning [in order to limit the number of children] or make various financial considerations [to determine whether or not one should have children].

Nor should the person worry about how he will be able to support such a large family. He is to fully place his trust in G‑d that in fulfilling His command of having many children, G‑d will surely bless him and provide him with abundant sustenance for himself and for his entire family.9

Absolute and complete bitachon, or trust in G‑d, is a primary principle of our faith. Even when a person has absolutely no idea how he can be helped, even if he lacks even a “piece of straw” to hold onto (as in the expression, a drowning person will even clutch at something as flimsy as a piece of straw), a person should still be confident and place his trust in G‑d. Without a doubt, G‑d, who observes each and every person with individual Divine providence, will surely extricate him from his situation and provide him with the means of earning an adequate livelihood.10

Thus it is stated in Chovos HaLevavos:11 “The essential aspect of bitachon is the absolute tranquility of the one who trusts. He is confident in his knowledge that the ensuing events will be whatever is best for him.” It also states there that bitachon in G‑d entails trusting that G‑d will provide him with “constant and unceasing goodness” and that He will extend this goodness even if the person is unworthy of receiving it.

In Tehillim it is further stated:12 “He who places his trust in G‑d will be surrounded by kindness,” being completely encircled and enveloped by G‑d’s kindness.


Why Will “He Who Places Trust in G‑d” Be Enveloped by His Kindness?

However, the matter needs to be understood.

Why should someone trust in G‑d that things will surely be good? Maybe G‑d wants to act in an “unkindly” manner towards him?

The reason the person can rest assured that G‑d will act toward him in a “good” and “kindly” manner is that the attribute of bitachon is so powerful that a person can be certain that the fact that he possesses and acts in accordance with this trait of bitachon will guarantee that G‑d will deal with him kindly.

This is to say that even when a person’s spiritual situation is wanting and he may not deserve G‑d’s kindness toward him, the quality of trusting in G‑d is so great that in its merit, his Heavenly judgment will be rendered favorably and he will merit G‑d’s revealed kindness and goodness.


Bitachon Annuls a Harsh Decree, And Changes It to Good

There was once a desperately ill person who came to the Tzemach Tzedek seeking his blessing that he become well. The Tzemach Tzedek said to him: “Think positively and things will be positive.”

Essentially, the Tzemach Tzedek said to him that in the merit of his positive thoughts and bitachon in G‑d that matters will be good, he would recover from his illness and he would once again become hale and hearty.13

The same applies to the subject at hand: worries about earning enough to adequately support his many children.

Every person should seek to have as many children as he possibly can and not be consumed with worry about how he will provide for them. Rather, he should be strong in his bitachon that G‑d, “Who in His goodness provides sustenance to all, with grace, kindness and mercy,”14 will also provide for his own needs and the needs of his family “from His full, open, holy and generous hand.”15

Moreover, the birth of each Jewish child acts as a new and additional conduit for receiving G‑d’s material and spiritual blessings for the entire family.


Bitachon That He Will Succeed In Properly Raising His Children

There are those who deny themselves the blessing of additional children out of fear that they may not succeed in being able to provide their children with proper home training and a fine education.

Here, too, the answer is clear and unambiguous: One must have complete trust in G‑d that He will properly guide him and provide for him so that he will be able to rear all his children in the proper path of Torah and mitzvos.

There is a well-known tale about King Chezkiyahu who, when ailing, was visited by the Prophet Yeshayahu.16 The Prophet told him that he would not merit the World to Come since he did not “occupy himself in having children.”

King Chezkiyahuresponded that he had failed to do so for he had “seen with ruach hakodesh that the children who would be born to him would be evil.” Yeshayahuresponded: “Why get involved in G‑d’s mysterious conduct? You are to perform the mitzvos that G‑d commanded you, and G‑d shall do as He sees fit.”


“Be Fruitful and Multiply” During Present Times

The mitzvah to “be fruitful and multiply” is particularly relevant in our present generation.

After the Flood, when the only remnants of the human race were those who survived in the ark, G‑d immediately commanded Noach, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth,” so that the human population could once again be replenished.

The same is true regarding our generation that survived the terrible Holocaust that befell the Jewish people during our immediate past. It behooves all of us who, by G‑d’s grace, are all survivors of this horrible event to repopulate and replenish our Jewish numbers through bringing many Jewish children into this world.

Moreover, according to all the signs that the Sages provide at the conclusion of tractate Sotah, our generation is the final generation of exile and the first of Redemption, this Redemption to take place with the speedy arrival of our righteous Mashiach.17

One of the matters that hastens Mashiach’s arrival is the birth of Jewish children, as the Gemara states:18 “Mashiach will only arrive after there are no souls left in Guf” (the name of the celestial storehouse of souls). This is accomplished, of course, through having many children.

Thus, the birth of each and every Jewish son and daughter, each of whom is a composite of body and soul, accelerates the ultimate Redemption.

Moreover, Tanna DeVei Eliyahu19 states that the Redemption comes in the merit of bearing children: “Just as the Jewish people were redeemed from Egypt in the merit of their being extremely fruitful, so, too, will they be redeemed in the merit of their being extremely fruitful.” It is also stated there: “The Jewish people will only be redeemed if they are fruitful and multiply and fill the world.”


The Spiritual Aspect of “Be Fruitful and Multiply”

The spiritual context of the command to “be fruitful and multiply” is that of learning Torah with one’s students and disciples.20 For our Sages state,21 “Whoever teaches Torah to his friend’s child is considered as if he had given birth to him.”

Since to “be fruitful and multiply” is the first commandment of the Torah, it is understandable that this is a primary and foremost Torah commandment in the spiritual sense as well — to increase one’s study and promulgation of Torah and to draw Jews closer to G‑d and His Torah.

Just as one is to engage in the physical commandment to “be fruitful and multiply” as long as one is physically able to do so, so too, regarding the spiritual context of the commandment to “be fruitful and multiply.” As long as one can study Torah himself and transmit it to others, one should make every effort to do so.

Moreover, just as the physical context of the command to “be fruitful and multiply” extends to having more than just one son and one daughter, the same is true of the spiritual context of this commandment:

One should not be content with a few disciples, but should seek to teach Torah to as many individuals as possible, in keeping with the statement of the Mishnah:22 “Raise up many disciples.”

We find the concepts of having additional physical and spiritual children mentioned concomitantly in the Gemara as well:23

The statement from the Gemara cited above — that as long as one is physically able to have children he should continue to do so — closes with the following: “If he had disciples in his youth, he should [continue to] have disciples in his old age, for the verse states, ‘In the “morning” plant your seed and in the “evening” do not be idle.’”

The spiritual aspect of the mitzvah to “be fruitful and multiply” is also particularly relevant to our present generation.

In previous generations, the enemies of Israel issued harsh decrees and inflicted horrible punishment upon those who taught Torah, particularly to young children. As a result, many, many Jews, through no fault of their own, grew up without proper Torah knowledge.

During present times, when we are, thank G‑d, not subject to such decrees, there rests upon us an even greater responsibility to insure that our Jewish brethren are inculcated with Torah knowledge and lead a life of Torah and mitzvos.

These actions hasten the complete and true Redemption, at which time “all Jews will be extremely wise and fully comprehend G‑d’s [Torah] wisdom.”24