Not Bringing Forth Children Is Considered As Murder?
Daily Study of the Noahide Code of Laws
The Divine Code for January 21, 2023
Today: Page 428
Topic Chapter 3:16 - 4:1
Although the commandment to Adam "be fruitful and multiply" was not repeated at Sinai and was thus given to the Noahides, it is nevertheless Hashem's will that every man, who is capable, should marry a woman and have children by her.
Not bringing forth a child - if possible - is compared by Rashi to murder. We can learn this from the history of Sodom. Sodom was destroyed in part because they nullified all acts of kindness and charity, even though neither were explicitly commanded to the Noahides. Rashi draws this conclusion from the fact that Genesis 9:6 - which talks about the prohibition of murder - is next to verse 9:7 on procreation.
שֹׁפֵךְ֙ דַּ֣ם הָֽאָדָ֔ם בָּֽאָדָ֖ם דָּמ֣וֹ יִשָּׁפֵ֑ךְ כִּ֚י בְּצֶ֣לֶם אֱלֹהִ֔ים עָשָׂ֖ה אֶת־הָאָדָֽם׃
Whoever sheds human blood, By human [hands] shall that one’s blood be shed; For in the image of God Was humankind made.
וְאַתֶּ֖ם פְּר֣וּ וּרְב֑וּ שִׁרְצ֥וּ בָאָ֖רֶץ וּרְבוּ־בָֽהּ׃
Be fertile, then, and increase; abound on the earth and increase on it.
Reading schedule of the Divine Code
Yesterday's Study Topic: 3:14 - 3:15
Tomorrow's Study Topic: 4:2 - 4:3
Curious about the whole page? You can read it in The Divine Code.
Sources: The Divine Code (4th edition) by Rabbi Moshe Weiner
Angelique Sijbolts is one of the main writers for the NoahideAcademy.org website. She contributes for the admin of the website in English and Dutch. She teaches Hebrew to beginners and intermediate students at the Academy.
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