Q&A: Wasting Seed
Wasting Seed
Question
Hello Rabbi,
I saw that the Rabbi wrote that wasting seed is preferable to forbidden sexual relations with a menstruating woman. My question is: regarding this prohibition, in a situation where the semen is not exactly wasted—for example, a married man during the days when his wife is a menstruating woman, if he ejaculates, in any case that semen cannot fertilize now, because he is prevented from having relations with his wife. Especially since it is known scientifically that semen loses quality after about 5 days if it does not leave the body. That is, if we assume someone ejaculates when his wife is only going to immerse in the mikveh in more than about 5 days or a week, this could only help his semen be in better condition for relations with his wife—so is there room to be lenient about this, or even to encourage it? (The words of Ezer MiKodesh on Even HaEzer, section 23, are well known; it seems from his words that he permitted wasting seed broadly when it is not done regularly, etc.)
Answer
These are arguments that neutralize the “murder” aspect of it. But there is also adultery by hand here, and for that it makes no practical difference whether the semen could have fertilized or not. So to encourage it—certainly not. To be lenient as well, in my opinion not, because the prohibition remains in force, and there is no justification for violating it in order to produce more effective semen (except in a place where there is a problem with the semen such that it would not be able to fertilize).
The words of Ezer MiKodesh are well known, but that is an individual opinion. I cannot tell you whether you may rely on him, because that is your decision.
Discussion on Answer
Absolutely not. The connection to murder is a kind of homiletic interpretation. See a short overview here: https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%94%D7%95%D7%A6%D7%90%D7%AA_%D7%96%D7%A8%D7%A2_%D7%9C%D7%91%D7%98%D7%9C%D7%94
Isn’t adultery by hand prohibited because of the murder aspect?