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ing that any delay is forbidden, even for the purpose of his seclusion
with his wife.

See however Rashi in Sanhedrin (35, s.v. lidie’nai), “So long as the
judgment is not concluded there is no oppression of the sentence
because he constantly hopes for reprieve but once the verdict is final
he is constantly awaiting death and that constitutes oppression of the
sentence.” Our question relates either to the stage prior to the final
verdict or after the final verdict when he cannot yet be executed for
other reasons (see the Biur Halachah, end of 329), or if he struck an-
other person and is being held to see whether the victim will survive.

We still need to consider whether or not a murderer ought to
enabled to sire progeny, for Rashi says in Megillah (11b, s.v. shniyah)
“They said to Nevuchadnezzar, ‘After Yehoyakim rebelled against
you, how can you appoint his son Yehoyachin as king – as the saying
goes, “From a bad dog don’t expect obedient pups”?’” If we take this
view it would seem that a murderer should not be given the opportu-
nity to beget children.

We also find this in the Ramban’s following comments on the pas-
suk, “Lest there be among you a root sprouting gall and wormwood”
(Devarim 29:17): “This suggests that from a sweet root nothing bitter
will emerge and that whoever’s heart is completely with Hashem…
and who has not contemplated idolatry at all will not beget [any
offspring] who accept it. And don’t ask on me on this point from
the passuk ‘He will beget an unbridled son’ (Yechezkel 18:10), for [al-
though] it is true, it is a great secret that I am not at liberty to explain.”
Evidently no bad offspring will come from a good person, so probably
the reverse is also true.

However, this consideration probably ought to be ignored, as we
find in maseches Berachos (10a) where the prophet Yeshayahu told
King Chizkiyahu [who had abstained from fulfilling the mitzvah of
procreation after seeing with Divine inspiration that he would be-
get an impious son, Menashe], “Why are you meddling with Divine
secrets? You have to do what you have been commanded to do and
Hashem will do what He wants to do.” Therefore, even if it appears
to us that this criminal will beget a son who is bad like him, logic nev-

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