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DAAT · LEVEL 1 — INTRODUCTION
Siman שט״ז · 12 Seifim
Tzidah (trapping) — capturing animals on Shabbos — to discover and understand
סימן שט״ז
צֵידָה הָאֲסוּרָה וְהַמֻּתֶּרֶת בְּשַׁבָּת
🌱 Introductory Level · מתחילים
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A first approach to Siman שט״ז: the full Hebrew text of the Mechaber, a flowing English translation, pedagogical explanations of the halachic concepts, modern practical cases, and a summary.
Topic: Tzidah (trapping) — capturing animals on Shabbos
Source: שולחן ערוך אורח חיים סימן שט״ז (12 seifim)
Compiled by: רב יוסף חיים סממה
DAAT · daattorah.com
📑 Study Plan
1. The text of the Shulchan Aruch — the 12 seifim of the Mechaber
2. The general background: why this siman, what is the question?
3. The key halachic concepts of this siman
4. The details of the seifim — one by one
5. The Mishnah Berurah — first entries
6. The position of the Rama — Ashkenazi vs. Sephardic differences
7. Modern practical cases
8. Practical synthesis and rules to remember
9. Comprehension questions
1. The Text of the Shulchan Aruch
Siman שט״ז contains 12 seifim from the Mechaber (Rabbeinu Yosef Karo) which codify the halachos relating to tzidah (trapping) — capturing animals on Shabbos.
Seif א — Trapping a bird or beast
צידה האסורה והמותרת בשבת. ושלא ישפשף הרוק. ובו יב סעיפים:
הצד צפור דרור למגדל שהוא ניצוד בו ושאר צפרים וצבי לבית או לביבר שהם ניצודים בו חייב ואם אינו ניצוד בו פטור אבל אסור:
Translation: One who traps (tzad) a free-flying sparrow (tzipor dror) into a tower/aviary where it is "trapped," or other birds and a deer into a house or an enclosure (bivar) where they are "trapped" — is חייב (liable). But if the space is not a place where the animal is actually trapped (= it can still escape / one still has to chase after it) — patur aval assur (exempt but forbidden). The criterion: is the animal מחוסר צידה — does it still need to be chased, or is it already under control?
What this seif says:
- One who catches a sparrow into a tower, or other birds and a deer into a house or enclosure where they are taken: liable.
- If not taken thereby — exempt, but forbidden.
- The siman’s criterion: is the creature, by this act, actually captured?
Seif ב — Trapping a sleeping, blind, or lame animal
צד צבי ישן או סומא חייב חיגר או חולה או זקן פטור: הגה המשסה כלב אחר חיה בשבת הוי צידה (כל בו) וי״א דאף בחול אסור בכלבים משום מושב לצים: (א״ז גמ' ע״א דף י״ח):
Translation: One who traps a sleeping or blind deer is חייב (it could flee if it woke up / if it could see — the trapping is real). But a lame, sick, or aged deer — patur (it could not have fled anyway: there is no real "trapping"). Rama's gloss: Setting a dog after game on Shabbos = tzidah. And according to some, even during the week, hunting with dogs is reprehensible ("moshav leitzim," bad company).
What this seif says:
- Catching a sleeping or blind deer: liable.
- Lame, sick or aged: exempt. There is no true capture, it being already as taken.
- Rama: setting a dog after game on Shabbat is capture; and some forbid it even on weekdays, as מושב לצים.
Seif ג
כל שבמינו ניצוד חייב עליו אין במינו ניצוד פטור אבל אסור הלכך זבובים אע״פ שאין במינו ניצוד אסור לצודן: הגה ולכן יש ליזהר שלא לסגור תיבה קטנה או לסתום כלים שזבובים בו בשבת דהוי פסיק רישיה שיצודו שם [בעל התרומה ומרדכי ס״פ כירה ואגור] ויש מקילין במקום שאם יפתח הכלי ליטלם משם יברחו [טור]:
See practical analysis: this seif deals with the melachah of tzidah (trapping a living being) on Shabbos — animals, birds, insects. For details — see "Overview" and L2.
What this seif says:
- Every species customarily trapped — liable; one not customarily trapped — exempt, but forbidden.
- Hence flies: though their kind is not trapped — forbidden to catch them.
- Rama: one must take care not to shut a small box or stop a vessel with flies in it on Shabbat — that would be a פסיק רישיה, they would be trapped there.
Seif ד
פורסין מחצלת על גבי הכוורת [מקום שמתכנסים בו הדבורים לעשות דבש] ובלבד שלא יכוין לצוד וגם הוא בענין שאינו מוכרח שיהיו ניצודים כי היכי דלא להוי פסיק רישיה:
See practical analysis: this seif deals with the melachah of tzidah (trapping a living being) on Shabbos — animals, birds, insects. For details — see "Overview" and L2.
What this seif says:
- One spreads a mat over the beehive —
- provided he does not aim to trap, and the case be such that they are not necessarily taken — so that it not be a פסיק רישיה.
Seif ה
צבי שנכנס לתוך הבית ונעל אחד בפניו חייב נעלו שנים פטורים אין אחד יכול לנעול ונעלו שנים חייבים: הגה ואם הפתח כבר מגופף מותר לנועלה במנעול. [ר״ן פרק האורג והמגיד פ״י]:
See practical analysis: this seif deals with the melachah of tzidah (trapping a living being) on Shabbos — animals, birds, insects. For details — see "Overview" and L2.
What this seif says:
- A deer entered the house and one man shut it in: liable.
- Two shut it: exempt. But if one cannot shut it and two did: liable.
- Rama: if the entrance is already closed, it may be locked.
Seif ו
ישב אחד על הפתח ומלאו יכול השני לישב בצדו ואפי' אם עמד הראשון והלך לו השני פטור ומותר והראשון חייב:
See practical analysis: this seif deals with the melachah of tzidah (trapping a living being) on Shabbos — animals, birds, insects. For details — see "Overview" and L2.
What this seif says:
- One sat in the doorway and filled it: a second may sit beside him.
- And even if the first rose and left, the second is exempt and permitted — and the first is liable.
Seif ז
הצד נחשים ועקרבים בשבת או שאר רמשים המזיקים אם לרפואה חייב ואם בשביל שלא ישכנו מותר:
See practical analysis: this seif deals with the melachah of tzidah (trapping a living being) on Shabbos — animals, birds, insects. For details — see "Overview" and L2.
What this seif says:
- One who catches snakes, scorpions or other harmful creatures on Shabbat:
- if for a remedy — liable; if that they not bite — permitted.
Seif ח
שמונה שרצים האמורים בתורה הצדן והחובל בהם אע״פ שלא יצא מהם דם אלא נצרר תחת העור חייב ושאר שרצים אינו חייב החובל בהם אא״כ יצא מהם דם והצדן לצורך חייב שלא לצורך או סתם פטור אבל אסור ולהרמב״ם חייב:
See practical analysis: this seif deals with the melachah of tzidah (trapping a living being) on Shabbos — animals, birds, insects. For details — see "Overview" and L2.
What this seif says:
- The eight creeping things named in the Torah: one who catches or wounds them is liable — even without blood issuing, if it gathered under the skin.
- Other creeping things: one is liable for wounding only if blood issues.
- And catching them for a need — liable; needlessly or without intent — exempt but forbidden; and per the Rambam — liable.
Seif ט
פרעוש הנקרא ברגות בלשון ערב אסור לצודו אא״כ הוא על בשרו ועוקצו ואסור להרגו: הגה ואף לא ימלילנו בידו שמא יהרגנו אלא יטלנו בידו ויזרקנו [רבי ירוחם ני״ב ח״י] אבל כנה מותר להרגה והמפלה בגדיו מכנים לא יהרגם אלא מוללן בידו וזורקן אבל המפלה ראשו מותר להרגם:
See practical analysis: this seif deals with the melachah of tzidah (trapping a living being) on Shabbos — animals, birds, insects. For details — see "Overview" and L2.
What this seif says:
- The flea: forbidden to catch it — unless it is on his flesh and stinging him — and forbidden to kill it.
- Rama: and he shall not even roll it between his fingers, lest he kill it — but take it in his hand and cast it away.
- A louse, however, may be killed. One delousing his garments shall not kill them but roll and cast them; one delousing his head may kill them.
Seif י
כל חיה ורמש שהם נושכים וממיתים ודאי נהרגים בשבת אפילו אין רצין אחריו ושאר מזיקין כגון נחש ועקרב במקום שאינם ממיתין אם רצין אחריו מותר להרגם ואם לאו אסור אבל מותר לדרסם לפי תומו ואפילו במתכוין אלא שמראה עצמו כאלו אינו מכוין:
See practical analysis: this seif deals with the melachah of tzidah (trapping a living being) on Shabbos — animals, birds, insects. For details — see "Overview" and L2.
What this seif says:
- Every beast or creature that bites and surely kills — is killed on Shabbat, even if it is not running after him.
- Other harmful creatures — snake, scorpion where they do not kill: if they run after him, they may be killed; if not, forbidden.
- But he may tread on them as if in passing — and even deliberately, provided he shows himself as not intending it.
Seif יא
לא ישפשף ברגלו רוק על גבי קרקע משום דמשוה גומות אבל מותר לדרסו לפי תומו שאינו מתכוין למרח ולהשוות גומות ואע״ג דממילא ממרח הוא כי לא מכוין שרי משום מאיסותא:
See practical analysis: this seif deals with the melachah of tzidah (trapping a living being) on Shabbos — animals, birds, insects. For details — see "Overview" and L2.
What this seif says:
- He shall not rub spittle on the ground with his foot — because he levels hollows.
- But he may tread on it in passing — he intends neither to smear nor to level.
- And though he smears it in fact, since he does not intend it, it is permitted — because of the repugnance.
Seif יב
חיה ועוף שברשותו מותר לצודן והוא שלא ימרודו אבל אם הם מורדים אסור לתפסם אפילו בחצר אם החצר גדול שאם לא גדלו בין בני אדם היו צריכים מצודה: הגה ויש אומרים דאסור לצוד חיה ועוף שברשותו ואם צדן פטור [הגהות אלפסי] אבל פרה וסוס וכל שכן שאר חיה ועוף שמרדו אם צדן חייב חטאת וכן עיקר [המגיד פ״י] חתול דינה כשאר חיה ואסור לתפשה בשבת [הגהות אלפסי ש״ג דף ק״פ]:
See practical analysis: this seif deals with the melachah of tzidah (trapping a living being) on Shabbos — animals, birds, insects. For details — see "Overview" and L2.
Full text: these 12 seifim make up the entire codification of the Mechaber on this topic. Each one specifies a case, a condition, or an exception.
What this seif says:
- Beast and bird in his keeping: permitted to take them, provided they do not rebel.
- But if they rebel — forbidden to seize them, even in a courtyard, if it is large enough that, had they not been reared among men, a net would have been needed.
- Rama: and some forbid taking beast and bird in his keeping — and if he took them, he is exempt.
2. General Background — the melachah of tzidah
What is this siman about?
Siman שט״ז deals with the melachah of צידה (tzidah — trapping a living being). It is one of the 39 melachos: in the Mishkan, the chilazon (sea snails) were trapped for the techeiles dye, and beasts for their hides. The siman also ends with a tangential topic: not smearing saliva (last seif).
The melachah of tzidah: trapping an animal that was free and bringing it under human control. Source: it is one of the אבות מלאכה of the Mishkan. The decisive criterion: has the animal become מחוסר צידה or not?
The central criterion — מחוסר צידה: "is a trapping still lacking?" — in other words: after my action, do I still need to chase after the animal in order to grab it?
- If yes (still needs to be chased) → it is not a real trapping → patur.
- If no (I can grab it with a single motion) → the trapping is complete → חייב.
Place within Hilchos Shabbos
Siman שט״ז is one of the "zoological" simanim of Hilchos Shabbos. It is highly relevant today: mosquitoes, flies, escaped pets. It also introduces major transversal concepts — pesik reisha, davar she-eino mitkavein — applied to a concrete case.
3. Key Halachic Concepts
1. צידה (tzidah) — trapping. Bringing under human control a living being that was free. Av melachah.
2. מחוסר צידה — "a trapping is still lacking." The criterion: as long as one still has to chase the animal, no trapping has occurred. The trapping is complete when one can seize it with a single motion.
3. במינו ניצוד — "its species is one that is trapped." Only species that are customarily trapped (game, for food/hides) bring about a חיוב מן התורה. Insects (flies) — patur aval assur: exempt but forbidden.
4. פסיק רישא (pesik reisha) — unavoidable consequence. Closing a box where there are flies: one does not intend to trap them, but it is unavoidable → forbidden (seif 3).
5. צער בעלי חיים — animal suffering. If a dangerous animal (snake, scorpion) threatens, or if an animal is suffering — halachah takes safety and suffering into account; trapping a harmful animal is permitted (see details in the relevant seif).
4. Mapping of the 12 Seifim
| Seif | Theme | Central concept |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trapping a bird/deer in an aviary/house | מחוסר צידה |
| 2 | Sleeping or blind animal vs. lame or sick animal | Real trapping or not |
| 3 | Flies, insects; closing a box | אין במינו ניצוד; pesik reisha |
| 4-6 | Animal that took refuge in the house; getting it out | Trapping / non-trapping |
| 7-9 | Harmful, dangerous animals (snake, scorpion) | Danger — permitted |
| 10-11 | Domestic animals, catching what has escaped | Already under control = not tzidah |
| 12 | Not smearing saliva; ancillary cases | מראית עין / closing case |
Reading method:
- Is the being alive, and was it free?
- Does my action place it under control (no more chasing needed)?
- Is its species "one that is trapped"? → חייב / patur aval assur
- Danger or suffering → the trapping may be permitted
5. The Mishnah Berurah — First Entries
The Mishnah Berurah of Rav Yisrael Meir Kagan (the Chofetz Chaim) has 61 entries on this siman. Here are the first ones — to better understand the meaning of the seifim:
משנה ברורה (א) — (א) הצד וכו' - היינו שפתח שער המגדול ועשה תחבולות עד שנכנס הצפור לתוכו וסגר עליו אפילו לא תפסו עדיין בידו חייב כי בסגרו המגדול נגמרה הצידה אבל במה שהכניסו לבית אפילו הבית קטן וגם חלונותיו סתומין עדיין אינו נצוד שטבעו של הצפור דרור שאינו מקבל מרות ודר בבית כבשדה שנשמט מזוית לזוית ואינם יכולים לתפסו ולכן אינו נקרא צידה מדאורייתא:
משנה ברורה (ב) — (ב) למגדל - של עץ ונעשה ככלוב גדול וביבר מקרי קרפיפות המוקפים לגדלם שם:
משנה ברורה (ג) — (ג) ושאר צפרים וצבי וכו' - לצדדין קתני דבצפרים וכן בשאר עופות אינו חייב עד שיהיה הביבר והבית מקורה וגם חלונותיו סתומין שהוא יכול לברוח דרך שם ובצבי ושאר חיות חייב אפילו אינו מקורה וגם חלונותיו פתוחין:
For the full text of all 61 entries, see Sefaria: Mishnah Berurah 316.
6. The Position of the Rama
The Rama enriches the siman with several glosses:
Main glosses of the Rama:
- Seif 2 — Setting a dog after game on Shabbos = tzidah. Even during the week, hunting for sport is reprehensible (moshav leitzim).
- Seif 3 — On flies: one must be careful not to close a box or container in which there are flies on Shabbos — it is a pesik reisha of trapping them. Some are lenient if, upon reopening, the flies would fly away.
Difference Mechaber vs. Rama:
- Mechaber → lays out the criterion of מחוסר צידה.
- Rama → specifies practical cases (hunting dog, closing a box with flies).
- Chabad → Shulchan Aruch HaRav siman שט״ז.
7. Modern Practical Cases
| Situation | Halachic analysis |
|---|---|
| A fly in the house | Catching it = patur aval assur (flies: not a species that is trapped, but still forbidden). One may shoo it outside without grabbing it. |
| Closing a box / jar containing a fly | Forbidden — pesik reisha of trapping. Check before closing a container. |
| Closing a window while a fly is in the room | The room is large → the fly is not "trapped" (one still needs to chase it) → permitted. |
| Mosquito biting you | One may push it away / shoo it off. Killing it falls under netilas neshamah (a different melachah) — forbidden, except in cases of real pain where some are lenient; consult a Rav. |
| Pet (dog, cat) | Already under human control → catching it is not tzidah (it was never "free"). Permitted to bring it back inside. |
| Pet that escaped from its cage | If it stays in the house and is tame → catching it = permitted (not a wild animal). A bird in flight = borderline case. |
| Dangerous snake / scorpion | If there is danger → trapping / neutralizing it is permitted (safety). If it is not chasing after one → one may cover it with a container. |
| Closing a screen window | Preventing insects from coming in = permitted (one is not trapping those that are outside). |
For practical halachah (למעשה): The 2 golden rules: (1) do not deliberately enclose a living being in a small space where it is "trapped"; (2) be careful about pesik reisha — check before closing boxes, jars, or windows. Pets are not subject to this (already under control). In case of danger, trapping is permitted.
8. Practical Synthesis of the Siman
Key takeaways of Siman שט״ז:
- Tzidah (trapping a free living being) is one of the 39 melachos.
- Central criterion: mechusar tzidah — does the animal still need to be chased? If not → trapping accomplished.
- במינו ניצוד: only species that "are trapped" → חיוב מן התורה; insects → patur aval assur.
- Pesik reisha: be careful when closing boxes / jars / windows where there are insects.
- Pets: already under control → no tzidah.
- Danger (snake, scorpion): trapping / neutralizing is permitted.
9. Comprehension Questions
Check your understanding:
- What is the melachah of tzidah?
- What does the criterion mechusar tzidah mean? Give an example.
- Why is catching a fly patur aval assur and not חייב?
- Why is it forbidden to close a box containing a fly?
- Why is trapping a sleeping deer חייב, but a lame deer patur?
- Is catching one's pet dog a case of tzidah? Why?
- May one trap a dangerous snake on Shabbos?
To Go Deeper
If you want to go deeper into this siman:
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