Halachically Speaking: The Minhag Of Kaparos

[Halachically Speaking appears on YWN weekly, Tuesdays and Thursdays]�

Written by Rabbi�Moishe Dovid Lebovits of�KOF-K Kosher Supervision

The custom is that prior to�Yom Kippur�a chicken is taken as a�kapara�for a person.[1]�The punishment that was supposed to go on a person for his sins should instead go onto the chicken.[2]�The�poskim�say that when one turns the chicken over his head it is a time to think about�teshuva,[3]�and when one sees the chicken being�shechted�he should think about the four�misos.

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What Should One Use For�Kaparos?

The�poskim�say that a chicken should be used since it is called a�gever�and a person is called a�gever.[4]�However, some�seforim�say the reason a chicken is used is based on�kabbalah.[5]�If one does not have a chicken then he may take a fish[6]�or he can use money.[7]�People often take money even if they can get chickens. Some�poskim�question whether this practice is permitted.[8]�One should not look specifically for a purely white chicken as this is going in the way of the�goyim.[9]

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The Type Of Chicken

A male should take a male chicken (a rooster), and a female a female chicken (a hen).[10]�If there is a situation whereby a male took a female chicken or vice versa the�kaparos�is valid, and there is no need to repeat the�kaparos.[11]

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A Chicken Per Person

Some�poskim�say that one chicken may be used for a couple of people.[12]�However, one should ideally use one chicken per person, if this is financially possible.[13]�Some�kaparos�centers use the same chicken many times over and this practice should be avoided.[14]

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Holding The Chicken For Other People

One should try to hold his own chicken when doing�kaparos.[15]�If one does not wish to do so then it is permitted for someone else to hold the chicken for him, however, he should first do his own personal�kaparos.[16]��If for some reason he held the chicken for someone else first, he may still do his own�kaparos�second.[17]�

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When To Do�Kaparos?

The preferred time to do�kaparos�is before�alos hashachar�on�Erev Yom Kippur,[18]�nonetheless this time is not practical. In earlier days people would bring their chicken to the neighborhood�shochet�and there would be no concern of the�shochet�not doing the�shechita�properly, therefore, thekaparos�was performed on�Erev�Yom Kippur. Today, this is not the case and some say that since so many chickens are killed in one period of time the correct time to do�kaparos�is before�Erev�Yom Kippur. This way, one will avoid the �mad rush� and won�t have the concern of the�shechita�not being done properly.[19]�The�poskim�say that one may do�kaparos�the entire�Aseres Yemei Teshuva.[20]�Some�seforim�say if one did not do�kaparosbefore�Yom Kippur�it may be done on�Hoshana Rabbah.[21]

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Pregnant Woman

There are two�minhagim�concerning�kaparos�on behalf of a pregnant woman. Many�poskim�are of the opinion that the correct procedure is to take a rooster and two hens.[22]�Others say one should take one rooster and one hen.[23]�The�minhag�seems to be that one should take one rooster and one hen.[24]�A woman who finds out she is pregnant and it is before forty days, does not do a�kapara�for the fetus.[25]�(One should take a chicken and do a�kapara�for a young child even if he is too young to understand what is going on).[26]

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The Procedure

One should say the�nusach�of�Bnei Adom. Each time the chicken is turned over the head the words of �ze chalifasi� are recited.��The chicken should go around the head three times.[27]�If the chicken is being held by someone else for you then the person holding the chicken should say the�nusach.[28]

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Paying For The�Kaparos

One may not use his�masser�money to pay for the�kapara�chickens;�it has to be from your own money.[29]

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A Woman Who Is A�Niddah

A husband may perform the�kaparos�for his wife even if she is a�niddah, however, one must be careful that there is no touching.[30]��One may not perform�kaparos�for a woman who is not his relative.[31]

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Covering The Blood

After the�kaparos�is finished one should wait to perform the�mitzvah�of covering the blood.[32]�The�shochet�should appoint you as a messenger to perform this�mitvah.[33]�The�minhag�is even if it is your first time doing the�mitzvah,�the�beracha�of�shehechiyanu�is�not�recited.[34]�One should take the dirt etc. in his hand, make the�beracha�and then cover the blood.[35]�The�beracha�recited is �boruch atah..��asher kedishunu..�kiso hadambeufer.�[36]�If one did not say�ufer�altogether, or he said�kiso dam�without saying�hadam�or�be�ufer�he was�yotzei b�dieved.[37]�A child under�bar mitzvah�should not cover the blood.[38]

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[1]�Refer to�Piskei Rosh Yoma�8:23,�Darchei Moshe�605:2,�Rama�605:1,�Magen Avraham�1,�Be�er Heitiv�1,�Levush,�Kaf Ha�chaim�8,�Chai Adom�144:4,�Aruch Ha�shulchan�1-3,Lekutei Maharich�3:page 80b,�Matei�Ephraim�2,�Yalkut Yosef�5:page 75:4, see�Bais Yosef,�Shulchan Aruch�1 who says not to do�kaparos. Refer to�Minhag Yisroel Torah�6:pages 135-137,�Hilchos Chag B�Chag�21:8:footnote 21,�Asei Lechu Rav�3:20.

[2]�Mishnah Berurah�2.

[3]�Chai Adom�ibid,�Matei Ephraim�605:5,�Kaf Ha�chaim�10,�Ben Ish Chai V�yeilich�1:2,�Yalkut Yosef�5:page 75:8,�Minhag Yisroel Torah�605:1.

[4]�Tur,�Prisha�1,�Levush,�Kaf Ha�chaim�1,�Lekutei Maharich�ibid. Refer to�Tur�605 for an additional reason for using a chicken. If one normally does�kaparos�with a chicken he should not switch his�minhag�and do it with money. (Orchos Rabbeinu�2:page 196:7). Some say if a�cholah�cannot do�kaparos�with chickens then he would need�hataras nedarimto perform it with something else. (Orchos Rabbeinu�ibid:5).

[5]�Eliyahu Rabbah�5, see�Shulchan Aruch Harav�1.

[6]�Levush,�Magen Avraham�2,�Ateres Zekanim�1,�Mishnah Berurah�4,�Kaf Ha�chaim�21. The�poskim�point out that if one does�kaparos�with money he should do it on�ErevYom Kippur.

[7]�Kaf Ha�chaim�11. Refer to�Hilchos�Chag B�Chag�21:14:footnote 42 in depth.

[8]�Moadim V�zemanim�1:52.

[9]�Refer to�Be�er Heitiv�3,�Eliyahu Rabbah�9,�Kaf Ha�chaim�24,�Aruch Ha�shulchan�4,�Mishnah Berurah�4,�Matei Ephraim�2,�Katzei Hamatei�5, See�Levush.

[10]�Rama,�Levush,�Matei Ephraim�2,�Eishel Avraham Butchatcha.

[11]�Eishel Avraham Butchatcha.

[12]�Refer to�Magen Avraham�2,�Pri Chadash,�Chai Adom�ibid,�Mekor Ha�chaim,�Kaf Ha�chaim�23.

[13]�Refer to�Pri Megdim Eishel Avraham�2,�Be�er Heitiv�2,�Machtzis Ha�shekel,�Mekor Chaim,�Kaf�Ha�chaim�23,�Mishnah Berurah�2,�Matei Ephraim�2,�Yalkut Yosef�ibid,Mikadesh Yisroel�251.

[14]�Natei Gavriel�10:12:footnote 18 in depth (new),�Mikadesh Yisroel�ibid.

[15]�Mekor Chaim,�Chai Adom�ibid,�Matei Ephraim�6.

[16]�Mekor Chaim,�Kaf Ha�chaim�16.

[17]�Horav Yisroel Belsky Shlita, see�Matei Ephraim�605:6.

[18]�Refer to�Magen Avraham�1,�Be�er Heitiv�ibid,�Ateres Zekanim�1,�Kaf Ha�chaim�5,�Mishnah Berurah�1,�Aruch Ha�shulchan�4,�Matei Ephraim�3,�Mikadesh Yisroel�250. Some did it after�Shacharis�(Eliyahu Rabbah�1,�Mishnah Berurah�1).��See�Orchos Rabbeinu�ibid 1. Others did it after�selichos�(Mekor Chaim). Others did it on�Erev RoshHashanah�as well (Kaf Ha�chaim�2).

[19]�Pri Megadim Eishel Avraham�1,�Mishnah Berurah�2,�Aruch Ha�shulchan�5,�Yechavey Da�as�2:71. Refer to�Katzei Hamatei�8.

[20]�Horav Yisroel Belsky Shlita, see�Pri Megadim�ibid,�Mishnah Berurah�2,�Natei Gavriel�10:1:1 in depth (new),�Yechavey Da�as�ibid,�Elef�Hamugen�2,�Minhag Yisroel Torahpage 116. Refer to�Aruch Ha�shulchan�5.

[21]�Refer to�Natei Gavriel�10:7:footnote 11 (new).

[22]�Pri Megadim Eishel Avraham�2,�Eliyahu Rabbah�7,�Shulchan Aruch Harav�3,�Matei Ephraim�2,�Mishnah�Berurah�2. Refer to�Da�as Torah�605:1, Moadim V�zemanim1:52,�Sharei Halacha V�minhag�2:page 215. Some places do not let women do�kaparos�and this is wrong (Katzei Hamatei�605:3).

[23]�Rama�ibid,�Chai Adom�ibid,�Mishnah Berurah�3,�Aruch Ha�shulchan�3, see�Matei Ephraim�2.

[24]�Horav Yisroel Belsky Shlita.

[25]�Horav Yisroel Belsky Shlita, see�Otzer Habris�1:2:2 quoting the opinion of�Rav Elyashiv Shlita. Refer to�Moadim V�zemanim�1:52:footnote 1,�Mikadesh Yisroel�253,Sheilas Rav�1:12:4. Refer to�Shevet Ha�kehusi�2:198 who maintains that one should do�kaparos�for a fetus under forty days old. If one did�kaparos�for a fetus a couple of days before�Yom Kippur�and now the baby was born before�Yom Kippur�there is no need to perform another�kapara�(Shevet�Ha�kehusi�2:199).

[26]�Horav Yisroel Belsky Shlita.

[27]�Refer to�Levush,�Mishnah Berurah�581:3,�Aruch Ha�shulchan�2,4,�Matei Ephraim�3,�Lekutei Maharich�33:page 81. Some say to recite�leshem lichud�prior to�kaparos�(Kaf Ha�chaim�9).

[28]�Refer to�Siddurim.

[29]�Machtzis Ha�shekel,�Pri Megadim Eishel Avraham�4,�Mekor Chaim,�Be�er Heitiv�4,�Kaf Ha�chaim�28,�Mishnah Berurah�6.

[30]�Horav Yisroel Belsky Shlita, see�Suga B�shoshanim�38:1,�Teharas Ha�bayis�2:12:12:footnote 12. Others are stringent with this. Refer to�Mikadesh Yisroel�252,�Teharas Ha�bayis�ibid

[31]�Mekor Chaim.

[32]�Refer to�Gemorah Chullin�83a,�Shulchan Aruch Y.D. 28.

[33]�Matei Ephraim�605:8,�Elef Hamugen�26,�Aruch Ha�shulchan�16, see�Halichos Shlomo Moadim�2:3:7,�Orchos�Rabbeinu�2:page 196:4. Refer to�Katzei Hamatei�18.

[34]�Horav Yisroel Belsky Shlita, see�Shach Y.D. 28:5,�Pri Megadim Sisfei Da�as�5,�Pri Chadash�5,�Darchei Teshuva�28,�Kaf Ha�chaim�15,�Aruch�Ha�shulchan�10,�Be�er Heitiv2,�Elef Hamugen�605:32,�Mitzvos�Hashechita�28:4:footnote 17 in depth. Refer to�Rama�2,�Tevuas Shor�4,�Matei Ephraim�605:8, who argue. See�Darchei Teshuva�20.�Those who have the custom to make a�sheheciyanu�should make it before making the�beracha�on covering of the blood. (Elef Hamugen�32).