Elchonon Wasserman

It's a kasha in the Mesil Sisharim.

And it's a kasha in Rav Elchanan Wasserman's Zichr Tzadik v'Kadosh Levracha.

Because the Sefer Mesil Sisharim, a lot of people are bothered that once you start learning it, you can't continue.

You start Zahiras, how do you continue? Like it says to stay away from all the bad Averas and I'm not there yet, so I'm going to now advance to Shrizus, which means to do all the mitzvahs I say, and now you're telling me to go to Nakias, and then you're telling me to go to Prishas, Tyra, Hasidas, come on.

I can't advance.

So, Rav Avram Gervitz, Shlita, the Rosh Hashiva of Gates, had asked his father this question.

Who asked Rav Nassen Vachfogel this question? Who asked Rav Elchanan Wasserman this question? And he said, you got the Sefer Mesil Sesharm all wrong.

It says the way you read the Sefer Mesil Sishar, maybe more people will start reading the whole Sefer.

We began our discussion of procreation by noting a difference of opinion regarding the mitzvah of Pere of Rivia, whether its fulfillment is a matter of effort, having marital relations, or result, having a boy and a girl.

We saw that Rav Elchanan Wasserman combined these ideas, suggesting that having relations is the mitzvah act, while having children is the mitzvah fulfillment.

He writes in Kovetz HaRot 6927, It seems correct to say that, although fulfilling the mitzvah is only through the birth of children, nevertheless the mitzvah act, which is incumbent upon a man to perform, is sexual relations, for the birth happens afterwards on its own in the hands of heaven.

Fulfilling periyavarivya is thus a continuing process over time.

It's so... eye-opening because it rubs me the wrong way so intensely and and um i think that's why you get paid to rub people the wrong way and tell them the truth it's a lot of fun and and yet the more you say it though the more it's it sinks in as as hey i think you're onto something here um And there's just coming to mind also so many sources, actually.

Working it back towards the Torah sources, I'm pretty sure that that's how Rabbi Elchanan Wasserman learns that Rambam, that every person can be as good as Moshe Rabbeinu in his own potential.

And I'm sure that... that once we have this piece of Chachma, dare I say, MS, then it probably works and sings like a song that's shot in so many of these Myra McComos.

And probably can't we say that we could judge that this is correct because of the results that it produces.