Ben Azzai and the Duty to Be Fruitful and Multiply

"And surely your blood of your lives" (Genesis 9:5) - this comes to include one who strangles himself. One might think it is even like Saul; the verse says "surely" [to exclude him]. One might think it is even like Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; the verse says "surely" [to exclude them]. "At the hand of every beast" - these are the four kingdoms. "And at the hand of man" - this is Edom. "At the hand of every man his brother" - "Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother" (Genesis 32:12). "Will I require the soul of man" - "And you, My flock, the flock of My pasture, you are man" (Ezekiel 34:31). "Whoever sheds the blood of man" (Genesis 9:6). It is taught: Rabbi Eliezer says: whoever does not engage in being fruitful and multiplying, it is as though he sheds blood, as it is said, "Whoever sheds the blood of man," and it is written, "And you, be fruitful and multiply" (Genesis 9:7). Rabbi Akiva says: it is as though he diminishes the divine likeness, as it is said, "For in the image of God made He man" (Genesis 9:6), and what is written after it? "And you, be fruitful and multiply." Ben Azzai says: it is as though he sheds blood and diminishes the likeness. They said to Ben Azzai: there is one who expounds well and fulfills well; you expound well but do not fulfill well. He said to them: My soul desires the Torah; let the world be sustained through others.