206 Selected Reform Responsa

intercourse or by being careful not to have intercourse in such a manner as would result in conception. For, as has already been pointed out, the act of having intercourse with one's wife in a manner not effecting conception is in itself not forbidden by Jewish law. If, however, a man has fulfilled the duty of propagation of the race, as when he already has two children(i.e., two boys according to the School of Shammai or a boy and a girl according to the School of Hillel) and is no longer obliged by law to beget more children (Yevamot 61b and Shulchan Aruch, Even Ha-ezer 1.5), there can be no objection at all to the practice of birth control. For while the Rabbis of old, considering children a great blessing, would advise a man to continue to beget children even after he has already fulfilled the duty of propagation of the race, yet they grant that any man has a right to avoid having more children when, for one reason or another, he does not consider it a blessing to have too many children and the propagation of the race, this is not its sole and exclusive purpose. And the Rabbis urge and recommend marriage as such without regard to this purpose, or even under conditions when this purpose cannot be achieved. The companionship or mutual helpfulness in leading a pure, good, and useful life, achieved by a true marriage, is also a noble purpose worthy of this divine institution. In fact, according to the Biblical account, this was the first consideration in the Divine mind when creating woman for man. He said:“It is not good that the man should be alone, I will make him a helpmeet for him”(Genesis 2:18). He did not say,“I will make him a wife that he have children by her.” The commandment to have children God gave to Adam later on. When husband and wife live together and help each other to lead a good life— whether they have children or no t— God is with them and their home is a place for the Shechina, the Divine purpose, says R. Akiva (Sota 17a). Ben Azzai did not say like Paul,"I would that all men were even as I myself"(I Corinth. VII:7). He did not set up celibacy in itself as an ideal, nor would he recommend it to others (comp. H. Graetz , Gnosticismus und Judenthum, Krotoshin, 1846, pp.