Derasha 2 on Bereishis 1:28

TT #59 · Parashas Bereishis · First Aliyah · Passuk 28

Complete Passuk

וַיְבָ֣רֶךְ אֹתָם֮ אֱלֹהִים֒ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר לָהֶ֜ם אֱלֹהִ֗ים פְּר֥וּ וּרְב֛וּ וּמִלְא֥וּ אֶת־הָאָ֖רֶץ וְכִבְשֻׁ֑הָ וּרְד֞וּ בִּדְגַ֤ת הַיָּם֙ וּבְע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וּבְכָל־חַיָּ֖ה הָֽרֹמֶ֥שֶׂת עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

TT points to Yevamos 65b (verified).

E-Daf image (Yevamos 65b)

Core Text

Core Textהָאִישׁ מְצֻוֶּה עַל פְּרִיָּה וּרְבִיָּה וְלֹא הָאִשָּׁה, דְּאָמַר קְרָא וְכִבְשֻׁהָ — וְכִבְשָׁהּ כְּתִיב, וּמִי דַּרְכּוֹ לִכְבֹּשׁ? הָאִישׁ דַּרְכּוֹ לִכְבֹּשׁ, וְאֵין הָאִשָּׁה דַּרְכָּהּ לִכְבֹּשׁ.
English of Core Text: The man is commanded concerning procreation and not the woman, for the verse says “and subdue it” — “ve-chivshuha” is written (as if singular masculine), and whose way is it to subdue? The man’s way is to subdue; it is not the woman’s way to subdue.
On the daf / in context: The sugya derives from the defective/masculine form of “ve-chivshuha” that the mitzvah of peru u-revu falls primarily on the man.
Type of Learning: Custom (grammatical form limiting the obligation)
What Is Learned: The mitzvah of procreation is incumbent on the man, derived from the form of “ve-chivshuha.”