More Discussions for this daf
1. Freeing one's self 2. Afflictions of Love 3. Tenth son
4. Davening 5. Aba Shaul was upset for only two things in his life 6. Keri'at Shema Al ha'Mitah
7. Exemptions to the Bedtime Shema 8. Yisurim Shel Ahavah 9. The tooth borne by Rebbi Yochanan
10. Reference Gemara 11. Forced to sell 12. Al Tikrei
13. correction Afflictions of Love 14. Loss of Children 15. Olam HaBa
16. TALMID CHOCHUM 17. Rav Yochanan and the bone of his tenth son
DAF DISCUSSIONS - BERACHOS 5

Mike asked:

(a) I have heard that one should divorce if the reltionship has produced no children. What is the halachic defenition of in this case having children? Is it a boy, two boys, a girl, two girls etc.

(b) If one has no sons is this viewed as a punishment? If one is unable to have children it seems that we hold that person responsible for this. It appears on the surface he or she has no control over such things yet if it is a punishment ( not out of love ) then he or she is in some way responsible which seems very difficult. Can you help me in this?

Mike, Denver

The Kollel replies:

(a) Based on the Mishnah in Yevamos (64a) if a relationship has produced no children after ten years, one is obligated to divorce one's wife, provided it really produced no children at all (irrespective of whether one fulfilled the Mitzvah or not), as the Rema rules in E'ven ha'Ezer, 54:10). He also adds there that nowadays, one no longer divorces for this reason.

Eliezer Chrysler

(b) If I understand you correctly, you are asking about people who are born without the physiological ability to reproduce. How can we say of such people that it is because they have sinned that they are not able to have children (as our Gemara seems to imply)? Although it is true that Hash-m can change a person's nature and miraculously grant him children, as He did for Avraham and Sarah, nevertheless, we cannot pronounce a person a sinner just because he does not merit a miracle.

The answer to this question can be found in Tosfos DH v'Ha'Amar. Tosfos points out that many great Torah leaders went childless. It is clear, then, that the Gemara does not mean that childlessness is always a punishment. Rather, the Gemara means that childlessness can be a punishment. (Rashi here probably agrees to Tosfos on this point.)

In a sense, Hash-m is protecting the honor of the sinner who is punished with childlessness by making some righteous people childless as well (either from birth or otherwise). The Meshech Chochmah (Vayikra 21: 17) proposes a similar conjecture regarding Mumim of Kohanim. Hash-m sometimes punishes a Kohen for evil thoughts by making him a Ba'al Mum. But He protects the Kohen's honor by making some righteous Kohanim Ba'alei Mum too (from birth or otherwise), thus demonstrating that not every Kohen with a Mum is a sinner.

Be well,

M. Kornfeld