668. Trapping

Shabbos 10:19

One who traps a living creature of a species that is normal for one to trap, whether it be an animal, a bird or a fish, is liable for trapping provided that the animal is trapped in a place it would not be necessary to trap it any further. Examples include: if a person chased a deer into a room, a garden or a courtyard and locked it in there; if one made a bird fly into a closet and locked it in there; if one removed a fish from the ocean and put it in a bowl. However, if a person made a bird fly into a room and locked it in, or caused a fish to swim from a large body of water into a smaller body of water, or chased a deer into a large hall and locked it in there, he is not liable for trapping. This is because the animal is not fully trapped; if one to wanted to take it, he would still have to chase it and trap it further. Therefore, one is not liable for trapping a lion until he makes it enter the pen where it will be kept.

Shabbos 10:20

Examples of small places include one where a person could reach the trapped animal in a single motion and one that is so narrow that the shadows of its walls converge in the middle. If one chased a deer or a similar animal into such a place, he is liable. If one chases an animal or a bird into a place that is larger than this, he is not liable.