Q&A: Is Birth Control Permitted?
Is Birth Control Permitted?
Question
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Is it permitted for a couple who are getting married to prevent pregnancy by having the woman take pills, and is there a difference between a couple who already have children and have already fulfilled the commandment, and a newly married couple?
The question is mainly about a couple who at the moment do not want children, and not for medical reasons but simply for reasons of convenience.
In short, any information on the subject would be good.
Answer
This is a question that is hard to spell out here in the responsa. In general, it is clear that there is excessive hysteria surrounding the commandment of being fruitful and multiply, and there is room to be lenient. Delaying pregnancy is at most a failure to act with the alacrity of “the diligent act early,” not a violation of the commandment of being fruitful and multiply itself. See an article of mine (unpublished), here:
https://mikyab.net/%D7%9B%D7%AA%D7%91%D7%99%D7%9D/%D7%9E%D7%90%D7%9E%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%9D/%D7%94%D7%92%D7%91%D7%9C%D7%AA-%D7%99%D7%9C%D7%95%D7%93%D7%94-%D7%91%D7%94%D7%9C%D7%9B%D7%94
The article does not deal with the methods of contraception, but with contraception itself.