Jewish History Vol. 6, Nos. 1-2 1992 Rationales for Conjugal Sex in RaABaD's Ba'alei ha-nefeshl Jeremy Cohen In the final chapter of Ba 'alei ha-nefesh, his code of rabbinic law governing family purity, Rabbi Abraham ben David of Posqui?res (RaABaD, ca. 1125-1198)2 enumerated and explained the legitimate reasons for sexual relations between husband and wife.3 (A)(1) Now we must know and understand what is the appropriate intention in that [i.e., sexual] deed, and what is the intention that corrupts it and abrogates its reward and renders it evil instead of good. (2) I therefore searched and studied to the best of my ability (lit., with my meager intelligence) and discovered the essence of this deed in four - and only four - motivations (kavvanot). (3) Of these four motivations I distinguished three that constitute the rationale for being rewarded; for the reward of the fourth is less than that of the three.... (B)(1) The first is for the sake of procreation (periyyah u-reviyyah) and is the most proper of them all, (2) since he thereby fulfills two positive [i.e., prescriptive] commandments,4 as well as the commandment of conjugal rights ( 'onah) included in [the prohibition], "he must not withhold."5 (C)(1) The second is for the welfare of the fetus, as our sages of blessed memory said: During the first three months [of pregnancy, sexual intercourse] is harmful to the woman and harmful to the fetus; during the middle months, it is harmful to the woman and salutary for the fetus; during the final months, it is salutary for them both, since the child thereby becomes fair and energetic.6 (2) This motivation is also derived from that of procreation. (D)(1) The third, in the absence of the previous two, is that she yearns for him and he recognizes that she is attempting to please him and adorns herself before him, so that he will attend to her, as before his departure on a journey when she undoubtedly yearns for him. (2) For this too one receives a reward, and this is the commandment of conjugal rights. (E)(1) The fourth is that he intends to contain himself, so as not to desire to sin; for he sees his desire iye$er) growing strong craving for it.... (2) For this too there is reward but not as in the previous cases, since he could have ruled over his desire and withstood his appetite by remembering dire problems threatening