è Question: If a fly or mosquito is in the room during Seudat Shabbat and is bothersome, is one allowed to trap it or spray with insecticide?
Answer: It is forbidden to trap on Shabbat, as it is considered מלאכת צד, even if it bothers or can be a little uncomfortable. However, one can open a window and chase the insect away and even use a spray in the room to cause it to leave the house, but it is forbidden to spray the insect directly to intentionally kill it (prohibition of נטילת נשמה, taking away a life [even that of an insect]).
è Question: If one wants to close his drawer on Shabbat and notices a fly or an ant inside, is he allowed to close the drawer, or is it under the prohibition of trapping (מלאכת צד).
Answer: In regards to the fly, the halacha is to try to the best of your ability to remove it from the drawer with your hand without killing it. However, if one accidentally closed the drawer with the fly inside, it is not considered a sin. Regarding the ant, one is allowed to close the drawer with the ant inside because while the ant is enclosed in a drawer it is not considered trapped.
è Question: If a harmless insect is biting one’s skin on Shabbat, is he allowed to instinctively hit himself to kill the insect?
Answer: No, it is forbidden to kill on Shabbat, even a small insect, whose harmless bite hurts a little. However, one is allowed to remove the insect without killing it.
è Question: On Shabbat, if while walking one sees ahead of him a trail of ants, is he allowed to walk knowing there is a possibility of killing them?
Answer: One should avoid stepping on ants on Shabbat, even though it is not his intention; his intention is just to walk. However, if there is no other way to go, he’s allowed to step over them.
è Question: Is one allowed to go fishing on Shabbat?
Answer: No, it is forbidden to go fishing on Shabbat, since enclosing an animal from a bigger area to a smaller area e.g. from the sea to the fishnet or fishing rod hook goes under the prohibition of trapping (מלאכת צד). Once the fish is removed from the water and its fins dry out, the second Melacha transgressed the prohibition of נטילת נשמה (taking away a life).
Quick-Bit on Maran Harav Ovadia Yosef zt”l - Learning Before Seudat Shabbat
Maran related, that when he was younger he would have a special seder (learning schedule)every Friday night. When the family would come home from Arvit, there would be a few minutes available for Maran to learn until they would start singing Shalom Aleichem and sit down to begin the Seudah. Maran established a seder Kavua (consistent learning schedule) at this time, and eventually finished the entire Shas (Talmud) during this seder. Maran said this story over to show how we can utilize and maximize our time by learning during every spare moment.
(Sefer Kinyan HaTorah)
Based on the rulings
of Maran Harav Ovadia Yosef zt”lReviewed by Chief Rabbi
Yitzchak Yisraeli Shlita
Halacha Question and Answer
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