Would you have rather not been born?

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Would you have rather not been born?

63%

[ 84 ]

Yes

18%

[ 24 ]

Depends on the day

18%

[ 25 ]

Total Votes : 133

Cheiny ↓

Thu, Aug 01 2024, 10:42 am

I heard a Shiur where the Rov asked if it would’ve been better for a person to have not been born, then he brought all kinds of proofs, and his answer at the end was… yes. It would be better for a person not to be born. Pretty shocking.

Please share if you care to…

Ruchel ↓

Thu, Aug 01 2024, 11:35 am

I've heard this too. Too many options to mess up this doesn't mean not enjoying life

DrMom

Thu, Aug 01 2024, 11:54 am

Cheiny wrote:

Not sure I understand. Was he talking about a specific person, or people in general?

NechaMom

Thu, Aug 01 2024, 12:00 pm

Better for the neshama? The physical body? It's a funny question to ask of someone who's already here.
I'm glad I was born. Would be a pity to miss out on imamother. Don't think you can sign up from up there.

agreer

Thu, Aug 01 2024, 12:13 pm

Cheiny wrote:

This is not news.

It's in the Yom Kippur machzor.
It's an age-old questions, would it be better to never have been created? And the Sages answer, yes, it would have been, but since man has been created, let him toil in mitzvos and maasim tovim. Or something like that.

This is truly philosophical. We don't base our actions on this, e.g. we don't refrain from having children because it's better not to be born.

Hidden

Thu, Aug 01 2024, 12:24 pm

I believe it's a gemara

but it's saying better to not be born because of the possibility of doing aveiros, not because it's not good to be alive

hodeez

Thu, Aug 01 2024, 12:26 pm

Of course it would be better to be in shamayim by the kisei hakavod. But we came down here for a purpose, each and every one of us.

Hashem_Yaazor

Thu, Aug 01 2024, 12:52 pm

Curious, was this Rabbi YY Rubinstein?

BadTichelDay

Thu, Aug 01 2024, 2:23 pm

Hidden wrote:

I believe it's a gemara

but it's saying better to not be born because of the possibility of doing aveiros, not because it's not good to be alive

It is already in the Gemara, Eruvin 13 b

Here's a whole article about it by Chabad.

https://www.chabad.org/parshah.....t.htm

Green Tea

Thu, Aug 01 2024, 2:27 pm

The real answer is that we are helping bring moshiach by being born, reincarnated and bettering ourselves and this world. A person could be like Rabbi Akiva with his anger transformed, and for that, it’s all worth it to Hashem.

↑ Cheiny

Thu, Aug 01 2024, 2:49 pm

DrMom wrote:

Not sure I understand. Was he talking about a specific person, or people in general?

People in general.

chanatron1000

Thu, Aug 01 2024, 2:54 pm

How am I supposed to know? I haven't experienced the other option, nor (defining me as the person that I am, with this body and this soul) is it possible.

imamommy5

Thu, Aug 01 2024, 3:40 pm

If that's true why are we killing ourselves having kids.
If we truly loved them wouldn't we want was best for them?

daagahminayin

Thu, Aug 01 2024, 4:39 pm

I’m very sad to see the results of this poll.

happy chick ↓

Thu, Aug 01 2024, 6:42 pm

daagahminayin wrote:

I’m very sad to see the results of this poll.

Why? Most people seem to be happy that they were created. We each have our tachlis to make this world a dira b'tachtonin for the eibishter.

Good Friend

Thu, Aug 01 2024, 7:18 pm

The poll is a little confusing the way it’s worded.
Would rather not have been born:
Does no mean I would rather not have been born or no- it’s not the case that id rather not have been born?

↑ happy chick

Thu, Aug 01 2024, 7:30 pm

Good Friend wrote:

The poll is a little confusing the way it’s worded.
Would rather not have been born:
Does no mean I would rather not have been born or no- it’s not the case that id rather not have been born?

If you select "yes", it means you would prefer having not been born. If you respond "no", that means you're happy you were born.

That's how I understand it.

eduardo

Thu, Aug 01 2024, 7:59 pm

I voted yes. I love so many aspects of my life and I would be devastated to not have my kids, but ultimately I have so much pain and constant battles emotionally that I spend every second handling. I wish I could have just not been born, not known better and just be nothing.

Perhaps this should be moved to a forum that allows anonymity, it’s a heavy subject

↑ Ruchel

Fri, Aug 02 2024, 5:43 am

I think this can easily be misconstrued and shouldn't be discussed if depressed. Life is fantastic. It's just that one can sin

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