<div style="margin-left: 40px;"><font style="font-style: italic;" size="3">At 03:08 AM 08/08/2007, R. Harry wrote:</font><br style="font-style: italic;"><font style="font-style: italic;" size="3">
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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. </font><br style="font-style: italic;"><font style="font-style: italic;" size="3">
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That generated the following thought on my part. </font><br style="font-style: italic;"><font style="font-style: italic;" size="3">
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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?</span><br><br></font></div><font size="3">========================================================</font><br>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
<br><br>Rema defends the practice. <br><br>There are numerous problems wiht this practice TODAY in a modern Urban society.<br>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.
<br><br>Objections include:<br><ol><li>Darchie Emori as above</li><li>Tza'ar ba'alei Chaim</li><li>Hillu Hashem</li></ol>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?" <br><br>There are heterim to wear shoes to shul on Tsiha b'av for the same reason<br>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!
<br><br>That said if individuals have a strong community of family custom <br>and they seem to know how to handle the chicken<br> and they are discreet, I would not object to preserving their legacy. <br>Rather I simply oppose popularizing something that many in the previous generations thought was a good idea to switch to coins.
<br><br>FWIW - there is a family "legend" that when one child witnessed kaporas live he became a vegetarian as a result.<br> <br>KT<br>RRW<br><br><br><br><br><br><br>