[Avodah] Kapparos? For PETA’s Sake!

[Richard Wolpoe]

At 03:08 AM 08/08/2007, R. Harry wrote:

  There has been a discussion on Areivim about a complaint registered by
the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals about Shluging Kaparos. Dr.
Levine 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?

========================================================
I was taught as a boy to use coins instead.  The Mechaber attacks the
practice as Darchei Emori based upon some teshuvos to be found in be'er
hagolah

Rema defends the practice.

There are numerous problems wiht this practice TODAY in a modern Urban
society.
Suffice it to say, that in the absence of a family minhag or a STRONG
community minhag I would venture to say even the Rema would concede the
mechabeir's point.

Objections include:

   1. Darchie Emori as above
   2. Tza'ar ba'alei Chaim
   3. Hillu Hashem

Theis last poitn can be shown in hlichos Aveilus that many pracices that are
specifci nthe gemara - e.g. kefiyas hamitta and Atifas Harosh - were
elimnated becasue "what would the Gentiles say?"

There are heterim to wear shoes to shul on Tsiha b'av for the same reason
Any public shuluggin of Kaparos that does not respect the tza'ar balie
chayim of the chickns is therefore really problematic since there is no
halahic requirement to do so!  And aderabba the damage could be great!

That said if individuals have a strong community of family custom
and they seem to know how to handle the chicken
and they are discreet, I would not object to preserving their legacy.
Rather I simply oppose popularizing something that many in the previous
generations thought was a good idea to switch to coins.

FWIW - there is a family "legend" that when one child witnessed kaporas live
he became a vegetarian as a result.

KT
RRW
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