עברית
Halachot and Customs
Is it Permissible to Kill Spiders?
Question
I once heard that it is forbidden to kill spiders because they saved David from Saul. Is there any truth to this? Thank you!!
Answer
Greetings,
As far as I know, there is no source for this claim.
However, it has been cited in the name of the ARI (Sha'ar HaMitzvot by Maharil, Parashat Noach near the beginning) that one should not kill any creeping creature, even the small and insignificant ones. See there. Nevertheless, there is no specific warning mentioned against killing spiders.
On the contrary, in the book Derechayim veShalom (section Tufresh P) it is written about the Rebbe Rabbi Chaim Elazar Shapiro zt”l from Munkatch, that when he would see a spider, he would make an effort to kill it, and several times he would climb onto a bench and take a burning candle to burn it. Once he even took off his shoe to kill a spider and said about it, “I shall throw my shoes.” See there.
Best regards,
Hillel Meirs
