Q&A: Population Explosion in the State of Israel
Population Explosion in the State of Israel
Question
The concern about a population explosion in the State of Israel seems very close at hand, and even if not, it is clearly only a matter of time. I wanted to know the Rabbi’s opinion on this: do we need to do something about it, or leave it in the hands of the Holy One, blessed be He, while for our part we continue to engage in the commandment of procreation? And if action is required on our part, then what should be done, and how? Thank you in advance.
Answer
I was already asked about this in the past. Two examples:
https://mikyab.net/%D7%A9%D7%95%D7%AA/%D7%A6%D7%9E%D7%A6%D7%95%D7%9D-%D7%99%D7%9C%D7%95%D7%93%D7%94-vs-%D7%9E%D7%A6%D7%95%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%A4%D7%A8%D7%95-%D7%95%D7%A8%D7%91%D7%95
https://mikyab.net/%D7%A9%D7%95%D7%AA/%D7%94%D7%90%D7%9D-%D7%91%D7%94%D7%A0%D7%97%D7%94-%D7%A9%D7%90%D7%A0%D7%95-%D7%91%D7%A1%D7%99%D7%9B%D7%95%D7%9F-%D7%A7%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%98%D7%99-%D7%9C%D7%A4%D7%99%D7%A6%D7%95%D7%A5-%D7%90%D7%95%D7%9B
Discussion on Answer
Thank you very much, Rabbi.
My question is on the practical level—how should this be done? Should the state enact a law to reduce birthrates? After all, all the religious people will jump up and scream…
Is there any practical way to deal with the issue?
I have no idea. But there won’t be such legislation, and even if there is, it won’t be observed. In the most liberal countries they do not even consider such legislation, so in Israel there is absolutely no chance of it. So it’s a shame to invest unnecessary energy in such a hopeless issue. Everyone should do the best they can according to their own understanding. Maybe one could try to create public awareness and publish halakhic and other position statements.
As I recall, Saadia Gaon already wrote in his time that the reason for the commandment is to populate the world, and the world is populated enough as it is.
And I would argue all the more so: if in the time of Saadia Gaon, when there were really very few people compared to today, and the [average] age of death was apparently about a quarter of what it is today, that already counted in his eyes as enough and the world was considered populated, then all the more so with today’s overcrowding and traffic jams.
What is not clear to me, though, is whether Saadia Gaon meant the Torah-level basis of “be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth,” or only the additional rabbinic obligation of “He did not create it for emptiness, He formed it to be inhabited,” and the obligation for women to give birth, and so on?