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Does the mitzvah (מצוה) of pru u'rivu require having children in a society where they cannot be raised properly? The shiur argues that the obligation is not merely to bear children but to raise them morally and ethically. When the environment makes that nearly impossible—as it was for Avrohom's potential daughter—there is no obligation, and it can even be a blessing not to have children.
This shiur explores the fundamental nature of the mitzvah (מצוה) of pru u'rivu (be fruitful and multiply), arguing that it encompasses far more than simply having children—it is primarily about raising moral, ethical, and religious children. Rabbi Zweig begins by addressing a puzzling question: How could it be considered a blessing that Avrohom Avinu did not have a daughter? If having children is a mitzvah, wouldn't the lack of a daughter mean he failed to fulfill this obligation? The shiur develops the principle that pru u'rivu is not merely a numbers game or a biological imperative. The Gemara (גמרא) states that one who does not have children is almost as if he causes the Divine presence to leave the Jewish people, demonstrating the enormous importance of this mitzvah. However, the obligation is specifically to create children who are quality people—morally, ethically, and religiously developed individuals. This understanding is supported by the fact that the Rabbis set the age of obligation for this mitzvah at eighteen, not thirteen like other mitzvos. If it were simply about biological reproduction, the obligation would begin at bar mitzvah. The later age indicates that pru u'rivu is about proper parenting, not merely procreation.
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Why does the Torah separate Avrohom's eulogy for Sarah from his crying for her? The shiur shows that Sarah required a public eulogy focused on the communal loss of a leader, not Avrohom's private grief. This teaches that we must view Jewish tragedies through a national lens first, seeing attacks on Am Yisrael as collective losses that dwarf personal concerns.
