Trapping Oneself on Shabbos

Question

There is a question for those who hold that trapping a human is also considered a forbidden labor of trapping on Shabbos. How is it permitted for a person to enter his own house and lock the door, thereby trapping himself? And one cannot say that since he can leave, it is not considered trapping, because even in the case of trapping a deer, one can free the deer afterwards (and it’s still considered that he performed the forbidden labor).

Answer


Shalom!
If the trapped entity can free itself, it is not considered trapping.
The same rule applies to trapping an animal: if it could leave on its own, it is not considered trapping.

Source

Shulchan Aruch, Section Orach Chayim, chapter 316

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