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Killing Insects on Yom Tov

Is it muter to kill insects on Yom Tov that are bothering a person?

Answer:

The halachah on Yom Tov is the same as that for Shabbos. This is implied by the Mishnah Berurah 533, who discusses the halachah of killing insects on Chol Ha-Moed.

Thus, it is forbidden to kill insects, even those that are bothering you (unless some danger is involved).

Please see here for an instance where killing insects might be permitted.

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2 Comments

  1. Why doesn’t the savarah of “m’toch” apply since we are allowed to shetch an animal on yom tov for consumption?

    1. It is possibly because the act of killing an insect is a form of mavriach ari, for which we don’t say the sevara of mitoch. See Mishnah Berurah 514.

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