<div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">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.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3> </FONT></o:p></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">There has been a discussion on Areivim about a complaint registered by <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>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<BR>stating that a number of Rabbonim had "condemned" the way chickens used for<BR>Kapporos are often mistreated. The chickens are kept in small cages, are not<BR>fed, are left out in the rain, sun, etc. <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3> </FONT></o:p></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">That generated the following thought on my part. <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3> </FONT></o:p></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">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 <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>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?<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3> </FONT></o:p></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">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. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>What was the point of it?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Isn't Kaparah for<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Aveiros all about doing Teshuva? ...and not about transferring Averios onto a <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>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.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Frankly this custom disturbs me. Not so much because of <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>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. <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New
Roman">HM <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3> </FONT></o:p></div><BR><BR>Want Emes and Emunah in your life? <br><br>Try this: http://haemtza.blogspot.com/<p> 
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