Sweet gifts - A Jewish response to Gilbert Meilaender (Reproductive technology as divine partnership)

Judaism, like Gilbert Meilaender, analogizes food and sex. Traditionally, J udaism saw the primary purpose of sex as procreation, the fulfillment of a Biblical mandate. It did not, however, link sex to the Garden of Eden story , and it acknowledged that sex was also important for couples' bonding. Whi le Meilaender sees bonding as a value co-equal with procreation, Judaism tr aditionally kept procreation as the primary goal. Couples were encouraged t o have sex when infertile and were permitted contraception when pregnancy e ndangered life, but whenever possible, they were directed to also have sex for procreation. Many modern rabbis, in agreement with Meilaender, permit c ontraception in order to foster bonding as a separate goal of sex. However, reproductive technology is seen, in Judaism, as partnership with God, allo wing for a process of birth that is as natural as the process of producing food by farming. Last, when sex is permitted, Judaism celebrate the joy att endant to sex as a Divine gift.