[Avodah] IVF and Gender Selection -- for a good cause

[Micha Berger]

R Asher Weiss recently fielded a question about selecting the gender of
a baby being produced via IVF. The parents' motive is that as they already
have two girls, they (perumably: the husband) could fulfil pirya verivya
if they could insure the next one was a boy.

He permits, but says PvR that does not create an obligation.

Also, the sho'el mentions that RSZA thought that it was wrong to do
IVF in order to choose a gender, to which RAW notably does not make a
comment that made it to this authorized presentation, even though the
aside from the sho'el did. I would take that to mean ascent. But in
the sh'el's case, IVF is required either way, the question is only
about shoosing a boy.

Here is R Akiva Dershowitz's translation? summary? of the teshuvah,
from https://en.tvunah.org/2019/02/19/ivf-and-gender-selection/

    Tvunah in English
    Beit Midrash for Birurei Halachah Binyan Zion
    Under the Leadership of Maran HaRav Asher Weiss Shlita

    Ivf and gender selection

    Posted by: Rabbi Akiva Dershowitz   In: Medical Law and Ethics,
    Tags: IVF

    Question:
    Would there be any halachic/ethical issues with one who is performing
    IVF due to infertility to request a specific gender?
    I've heard that R SZ Auerbach thought it to be unethical for a couple
    to undergo IVF specifically to have a specific gender, however what
    would be with one who is anyway undergoing IVF?
    (We currently have 2 girls BH and would like to be mekayem Pru Urvu.)

    Answer:

    While it would not be an obligation in order to fulfill the mitzvah of
    Pru Urvu, it would be permissible to choose the gender of the baby for
    one who is anyway undergoing IVF treatment.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             When a king dies, his power ends,
micha at aishdas.org        but when a prophet dies, his influence is just
http://www.aishdas.org   beginning.
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