Kaparos? For PETA’s Sake!

[Harry Maryles]

I was asked to re-direct my post to Avodah because the moderators felt that this topic is sufficiently Torah related to warrant the extra attention and wider audience of Avodah. In that spirit, I will briefly summarize the context necessary for understanding the comment.  
   
  There has been a discussion on Areivim about a complaint registered by  the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals about Shluging Kaparos. Dr. Levie mentioned in this context that he recalled seeing something in Kashrus Magazine about a year or two ago
stating that a number of Rabbonim had "condemned" the way chickens used for
Kapporos are often mistreated. The chickens are kept in small cages, are not
fed, are left out in the rain, sun, etc. 
   
  That generated the following thought on my part. 
   
  What is the point of Shlugging Kaparos anyway? I admit I'm an Am Ha'aretz on this issue. I never understood this custom. We know for example  that the Minhag of using live chickens was frowned upon at one point because of Darkei Amori. How did it now seep back into practice?
   
  But as I said, the bigger issue for me is how exactly this Minhag got started in the first place? IIRC the Gemarah talks about it.  What was the point of it?  Isn't Kaparah for
  Aveiros all about doing Teshuva? ...and not about transferring Averios onto a  chicken? I doubt that this practice has it's origin in the Torah. The Torah speaks of Karbanos on the Mizbeach. Not chickens waved over the head 3 times and thrown on the floor.
     
  Frankly this custom disturbs me. Not so much because of  PETA says. I do not consider them a reliable source of information on the mistreatment of animals (although if what Dr. Levine said is true, then that needs to be rectified), but because it seems so ridiculous on the face of it. 
     
  HM 
   


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