DailyHalacha.com for Mobile Devices Now Available

Click Here to Sponsor Daily Halacha
"Delivered to Over 6000 Registered Recipients Each Day"

      
(File size: 1018 KB)
Trapping Explained- One of the 39 Forbidden Melachot on Shabbat

One of the 39 Melachot is "Saad"-trapping. This was done in the Mishkan in several forms. They trapped the Hilzaon fish in order to use its blue dye for the Tehelet. They also trapped the Tahash, to use its skin to drape over the roof of the Mishkan.

Maran brings a practical application of trapping a wild bird into a caged area. Doing so is a Torah violation of Shabbat. The question arises what to do if a bird flies into one’s house. Is he allowed to close his door? He may want to keep other birds from entering, or prevent the cold form penetrating his house or he may just want to go to sleep and leave himself protected. Does closing the door constitute a violation of Saad?

The Mishna Berura cites the Hayeh Adam (Rav Abraham Danzig of Vilna, 1748-1820) who permits closing the door if his intention is to ward off the cold or other nuisances, since he does not have any intention to trap the bird. Hacham, Ovadia explains that such a trapping would not be a Torah violation anyway, since the house is so big, the bird remains free, even with the door closed. Therefore, this case is a "Pesik Resheh D’lo NIcha Leh B’drababnan"-a Rabbinic Melacha unintentionally performed automatically, which is permitted.

SUMMARY
If a bird flies into a house, it is permitted to close the door in order to protect himself from the cold or other annoyances.

 


Recent Daily Halachot...
Putting a Liquid or Solid Food into a Keli Sheni on Shabbat
Is It Permissible to Put Baked Bread on a Blech to Make Toast?
Is It Permissible to Place Raw Food in a Keli Sheni on Shabbat?
Pouring Water on to Hot Food on Shabbat
Heating a Partially Cooked Food on Shabbat
Pouring Water Heated by the Sun on Foods on Shabbat
If One Turned On Hot Water on Shabbat
May a Non-Jewish Stockbroker Execute Transactions for a Jew on Shabbat or Yom Tob?
Instructing a Non-Jew to Perform a Melacha for the Sake of a Fulfilling a Misva After Shabbat
Instructing a Non-Jew to Prevent Major Financial Loss on Shabbat
Mukse-May a Jew Instruct a Non-Jew To Move A Lit Candle on Shabbat
Asking a Non-Jew to Open an Electronic Lock in a Hotel on Shabbat
Asking a Non-Jew on Shabbat: Buying and Selling
Amira L’Akum: Instructing a Non-Jew to Perform a Rabbinic Transgression
Amira L'Akum: Instructing a Non-Jew to Draw Hot Water
Page of 239
3585 Halachot found