Q:
Is it prohibited to kill an ant that I find in my home, or is it tza’ar ba’alei chaim?
A:
Let me explain something. On the street, there’s no mitzvah to kill an ant. An ant is very useful on the street. In the house however, he’s like a robber that has entered into the house; he has no business in your house. And so you have a right to kill it. Of course, you can’t kill a robber today because they’ll put you into jail for thirteen years if you kill a robber in your home. But an ant you can still kill. It has no right to be in your house. Therefore, on the street, no, don’t kill an ant, he’s doing good work; he’s causing the earth to be fertilized. It helps us have parnasa; but in your house, no question you can kill an ant.
TAPE # E-239
