The I’m glad there are no scorpions in Queens TB Shabbar 121

The Mishnah on today’s daf TB Shabbat teaches 121 teaches “One may overturn a bowl … on top of a scorpion so that it will not bite.” (Sefaria.org translation)  Perhaps we can consider trapping the scorpion as a forbidden labor outcome that was not needed (מלאכה שאינה צריכה לגופה); consequently, one is not liable for a sin offering. Remember the case of removing a dead body out of the house into another domain. The person was not liable because he didn’t care where the dead body was except out of his house.

The Gemara asked the question about the permissibility of killing a scorpion or other deadly animal on Shabbat.   “Rabbi Abba, son of Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba, and Rabbi Zeira, who were sitting in the courtyard of Rabbi Yannai’s house. A matter emerged from among them, and they raised a dilemma before Rabbi Yannai: What is the ruling with regard to killing snakes and scorpions on Shabbat? He said to them: I would kill a hornet, all the more so would I kill a snake or a scorpion, as they are more dangerous and it is permitted to kill them. The Gemara rejects this: There is no conclusive proof from this, as perhaps it is only permitted when one steps on it innocently as he is walking, so that it does not appear to others that he intended to step on it. As Rav Yehuda said: With regard to spittle on Shabbat, one may trample it innocently and need not be concerned about the prohibitions of smoothing or leveling holes. And Rav Sheshet said: With regard to a snake, one may trample it innocently. And Rav Ketina said: With regard to a scorpion, one may trample it innocently.” (Sefaria.org translation)

Only two times in my life I had to fear a scorpion crossing my path. When Israel still controlled the Sinai Peninsula, I spent a week twice (once as a junior in college and once as a third-year rabbinical student) touring it as an abroad student at the Hebrew University. We were warned to check our shoes each morning before we put them on lest a scorpion made lodging in them overnight and was not happy with the original owner reclaiming the shoe in the morning. Thank God no scorpion ever found my shoes appealing enough to enter them.

The second time was when Judy and I visited Sedona, Arizona on a vacation. We fell so in love with Red Rock country that we even discussed buying a home there. On our Shabbat walk a scorpion actually crossed our path! We gave it a wide berth. We didn’t bother it and it did not bother us. However after that encounter, our ardor for a home there cool quite a bit.

Would I kill a scorpion on Shabbat? If it was between him and me, I would in a New York minute just like Rabbi Yannai.