Contraception in Contemporary Orthodox Judaism

complicated equation 46 . The number of children a couple decides
to raise and the way they choose to raise them are among the most
important decisions they will make in their lives. This decision
should not be taken lightly nor be left to the whims of fate. It
requires guidance from the Torah and from those versed in the
Torah’s guidelines, in addition to a good deal of self-awareness. It
is both a great opportunity and a great responsibility to bring a
new child into the world. As Rambam wrote, ‘anyone who adds
one Jewish soul to the world is considered as if he has built a
world’. Building a world is not a task to be taken lightly.
46 In this article we have not considered the role that social pressure should or should not play in this
issue. There is no denying that it has been a major factor in the vast number of orthodox families
who have made the choice of raising a large family. Whether this outside pressure from society is a
good thing or not is a matter of personal opinion. The authors tend to believe that it forces people to
go against what might have been their better judgment. Others may differ.