The Minhag of Kapparos – What Is the Reason for It and What Should Be Used?

The Minhag of Kapparos – What Is the Reason for It and What Should Be Used?

The minhag of performing kapparos is an ancient practice originating in the era of the Geonim. The earliest source for the concept of kapparos appears in Rashi (Shabbos 81b, s.v. hai parpisa) who quotes the Teshuvos HaGeonim which says:

שעושין חותלות מכפות תמרים, וממלאין אותם עפר וזבל בהמה, ועשרים ושנים או חמישה עשר יום לפני ראש השנה עושין (מייחדים) כל אחד ואחד לשם כל קטן וקטנה שבבית, וזורעים לתוכן פול המצרי או קיטנית, וקורין לו פורפיסא, וצומח, ובערב ראש השנה נוטל כל אחד שלו, ומחזירו סביבות ראשו שבעה פעמים, ואומר: זה תחת זה, וזה חליפתי וזה תמורתי, ומשליכו לנהר.

“They would make small baskets from palm fronds, fill them with dirt and animal manure, and 22 or 15 days before Rosh Hashanah, each person would designate one for every child in the home. They would plant Egyptian beans or legumes inside, and call it porpisa. It would grow, and on erev Rosh Hashanah, each person would take his own basket, circle it around his head seven times, and say: "This is instead of this; this is my exchange; this is my substitute.” Then they would throw it into the river.”

This minhag of using a potted plant for kapparos is mentioned by the Or Zarua (Hilchos Shabbos, siman 56). The Mordechai (end of Yoma) likewise mentions the minhag of kapparos.

The Reasoning of Those Who Are Opposed to the Minhag of Kapparos

Throughout the generations there have been many who have opposed performing kapparos, and a number of arguments have been put forward:

Reason #1: Some Rishonim strongly opposed performing kapparos with live animals. The Beis Yosef (605) and Shulchan Aruch (605:1), as well as the Pri Chadash, rule that the practice resembles “Darkei HaEmori”.

Reason #2: The Rashba (Teshuvos 1:395) writes that the custom is forbidden because it constitutes superstitious practice (ניחוש).

Reason #3: The Levush (605) writes that since the chicken is shechted outside the Beis HaMikdash, it appears like one is shechting kodshim outside the Beis HaMikdash.

The Shulchan Aruch writes:

מה שנוהגים לעשות בפרה בערב יום כיפורים לשחוט תרנגול על כל בן זכר ולומר עליו פסוקים, 'יש למנוע המנהג'.

“Regarding the custom of performing kapparos on erev Yom Kippur by slaughtering a rooster for every male and reciting over it verses — one should refrain from this custom.”

It is said that in Brisk, they do not perform kapparos for these reasons.

However, the Rema writes:

ויש מהגאונים שכתבו מנהג זה, וכן כתבו אותו רבים מן האחרונים, וכן נוהגין בכל מדינות אלו ואין לשנות, כי הוא מנהג ותיקין.

"Some Geonim wrote about this custom, and many Achronim wrote about it as well. This is the practice in all these lands, and one should not change it, for it is an ancient custom.”

In practice, the widespread minhag in Ashkenazi communities is to follow the Rema and to perform kapparos.

The Arizal (Shaar HaKavanos, pg. 100a) was extremely careful to perform kapparos, because the minhag contains deep mystical secrets. According to Kabbalah, one should use specifically a male rooster ("gavar”) so that “gavar tachas gavar” (we will see more about this below).

The Arizal also insisted that each member of the household have a separate rooster, although the poskim permit one bird for several people when necessary (Shulchan Aruch HaRav sif 3; Mishnah Berurah regarding a pregnant woman).

The minhag amongst Sephardim is to follow the Rema as is clear from the Kaf HaChaim (605:5) and Ben Ish Chai (Year 1, Vayeilech ois 2) who bring the minhag of kapparos. The Shu”t Ohr LeTzion (Vol. 4, Perek 8, Teshuvah 1) writes: Although Sephardim generally follow the Shulchan Aruch, whenever the Arizal disagrees with Maran, Sephardim follow the Arizal.

What is the Reason for the Minhag of Kapparos?

We need to understand what performing kapparos achieves: If a person has done complete teshuvah, then teshuvah itself atones. If he has not done teshuvah, what benefit is there in kapparos?

Several explanations have been given:

The primary reason mentioned by many poskim is:

ויחשוב שכל מה שעושין לעוף הזה הבל היה ראוי לבוא עליו וע"י תשובתו הקדוש ברוך הוא מסלק הגזירה מעליו ונתקיים דוגמתו בעוף הזה, וכן בתבו הראשונים טעם הקרבן הבא על השוגג.

“One should have in mind that everything done to this bird was fitting to be done to him, and through his teshuvah, Hashem removes the decree from him and it is fulfilled symbolically in the bird. This is similar to the reason given for a sin-offering brought for an unintentional sin."

According to this explanation — that one must visualize the bird's fate as his own — the Acharonim write that there is significance in making sure to be present at the time the chicken is slaughtered.

The Keser Shem Tov (Gagin, pg. 228) writes:

שע"י שהמתכפר רואה התרנגול שצועק בכרוביא ושוחטו לאלתר, ורואה כל הפעולה, פועלת בתוך האדם פעולה עזה ונוראה ולבו נשבר אל ד'.

"When the person sees the bird screaming and being slaughtered immediately, the sight has a powerful and awe-inspiring effect, breaking his heart before Hashem."

Another Explanation — Weakening the Sotan's Accusation

The Levush (605) explains the reason for the custom of kapparos as follows:

שלוקחים מינים שאינם ראוים לקרבן שידעו הבל שלא לשם קרבן הנהיגוהו אלא כדי להשביע עינו של רשע, הוא יצר הרע הוא שטן הוא מלאך המות, החפץ בהשחתת העולם ומקטרג על הבריות בדי שימסרו בידו, ובשישחט כל אחד מין בעל חי במקומו, ויחשוב כאילו שחט את עצמו אין לו מקום לקטרג כל כך, ועל דרך שעיר המשתלח לעזאזל.

"They take species not fit for a korban, so everyone knows it is not a sacrifice, but rather: To "satisfy the eye of the evil one” — the yetzer hara, the Sotan, the Angel of Death - who desires destruction and prosecutes mankind. When each person slaughters an animal in his stead and imagines it as if he himself were slaughtered, the Sotan's ability to prosecute is weakened. This is similar to the goat that is sent to Azazel."

The Shu"t Torah Lishmah (155) writes that it is good to say during kapparos: “May this kapporah be effective like the goat that is sent to Azazel."

Another Explanation — A Pidyan [Substitution]

The Maanah Lashon (Seder HaKapparos) writes another reason for the custom of kapparos:

שאף אלו אנשים גדולים מאוד לא היו יכולים להנצל מהגזירה בלי פדיון במקומם, כדי שתתקים הגזירה בבריה אחרת מאחר שכבר נגזרה הגזירה, כי אין הקב"ה מקפח שכר שום בריה ולא שום הבטחה שהבטיח לשום בריה, ואם לא תתקים בזה צריבה להתקיים באחר. וכל דבר שיוצא מפי הקב"ה אפילו על תנאי אינו חוזר בו לבן צריך האדם פדיון על גזירתו אף לאחר התשובה, וזהו אחד מן הטעמים של הקרבנות.

"Even great people cannot escape a decree without a substitute, and once a decree is made it must take place somewhere. Hashem does not deprive any creature of its due reward or promise. If a decree was issued — even conditionally — it must be fulfilled. Therefore, a person needs a substitute to fulfill the decree even after teshuvah. This is one of the reasons for korbanos.”

A similar idea is found in the words of the Chasam Sofer (in his chiddushim to Shabbos 81b). He interprets the aforementioned Rashi in Shabbos as follows:

שאם נגזר חלילה בריתת זרעו יהיה זרע העציץ הזה נברת במקום זרעו.

"If, Heaven forbid, a decree was issued for the cutting off of his offspring, then the "offspring" of this plant (the porpisa sprout) will be cut off in place of his offspring."

We see that kapparos serves as a substitute for the item that requires punishment.

According to this, we can understand very well what the Tur (siman 605) writes — brought in the Be'er Heitev (s.k. 1) – that one must say during the kapparos the pasuk: "Nefesh tachas nefesh" — "a soul in place of a soul.” Meaning: By saying this, the soul of the rooster enters in his stead.

What Should One Use to Perform Kapparos?

Rooster:

The Tur (siman 605) writes that although kapparos may technically be done with any kosher animal, nevertheless, the custom is specifically to take a rooster.

The Knesses Yechezkel explains that the rooster is called “gever”, like Chazal say (Yoma 20b): “What is the ‘call of the gever’? Rav Sheilah said: the call of the rooster." Therefore, one takes a gever (rooster) in place of a gever (man).

The Knesses Yechezkel adds that roosters are more commonly found in homes than other animals.

White Rooster:

The Rema (65:2) writes that some are careful to take a white rooster for kapparos. The reason for this explains the Rema is that it parallels the pasuk (Yeshayahu 1:18): אם יהיו חטאיכם כשנים כשלג ילבינו - “If your sins are like scarlet, they shall become white like snow."

The Kaf HaChaim (605:25) writes that the color white hints to kindness and mercy.

The Yafeh LaLev (Vol. 2, 605:1) and Kaf HaChaim (605:24) write that a white rooster is healthier for consumption than other colors.

However, the Mishnah Berurah writes that one should not seek out white roosters, due to concern of “Darkei HaEmori” (superstitious practice). But if a white one happens to be available, one may take it.

Any Kosher Animal:

If a rooster cannot be obtained, kapparos may be performed with any kosher animal that is not fit to be offered as a korban in the Beis HaMikdash — such as geese, etc. Some say even fish may be used.

The Magen Avraham (605:3) writes that one should only take an animal not fit for a korban, so that it does not appear that one is offering up a korban outside of the Beis HaMikdash.

However, the Tur brings a minhag of performing kapparos with a ram, which requires explanation — since a ram is fit to be offered as a korban.

Money:

The Mishnah Berurah (605:2), quoting the Pri Megadim and Chayei Adam, elaborates at length about the great caution required during the shechitah of kapparos. Since in a short time a large number of birds are shechted, and the crowding and commotion are very great, there is a concern of invalid shechitah. Therefore: If there is any concern that the shechitah may not be proper, it is preferable to perform kapparos with money. And the very fact that he refrains from using a bird due to this concern is itself considered a merit for him.

The Yafeh LaLev (Vol. 2, siman 2) writes that the word “kesef” (money), when spelled in full — kaf-samech-peh — has the same gematria as “kapparah.”

The Magen Avraham (605:5), Shulchan Aruch HaRav (605:5), and Mateh Ephraim (605:10) write: One must take money equal to the value of the bird, perform the entire procedure of circling the money over the head whilst saying “This is my exchange; this money shall go to tzedakah,” and then give the money to tzedakah.

The Moadim U’Zemanim notes that from the Mishnah Berurah it is clear that money is not the primary institution, and is used only when there is concern of tereifos. But when there is no concern, one should perform kapparos with a rooster, which is the primary custom.

Plant (Atzitz):

The Siddur Yaavetz and Kaf HaChaim (605:22) write:

If one has no rooster and no money, he may perform kapparos with an atzitz (potted plant), as described in Rashi (Shabbos 81b, s.v. hai parpisa) quoting the Teshuvos HaGeonim, which is the earliest source for the kapparos custom — and there it is written to use a plant.

However, the Kaf HaChaim concludes: “We have not seen anyone in our times who does this."

The Siddur Yaavetz explains the reason for using an atzitz:

כי האדם עץ השדה ומשתתף עמו בנפש הצומחת

“Man is compared to a tree of the field, and shares a similar soul."

The Chasam Sofer (Chiddushim to Shabbos 81b) explains:

שאם נגזר חלילה בריתת זרעו, יהיה זרע העציץ הזה נברת במקום זרעו.

"If, Heaven forbid, a decree was issued for the cutting off of his offspring, then the "offspring" of this plant (the porpisa sprout) will be cut off in place of his offspring."

According to this, Rashi in Shabbos which mentions that kapparos was done only for the children and not the parents, is very understandable.

What Happens if the Chicken Is Found to be Treif?

In several places today, the ancient custom of waiting until after shechitah to make sure the chicken is not a treifah has been renewed. What is the halachah if the chicken is found to be a treifah?

Lenient Poskim:

The Eishel Avraham (Butchach, Tinyona, 605:1); Hagaos Maharam Arik; Shu”t Knaf Renanah (siman 57); Zechor David (Maamar 3, Perek 70) and the Shu”t Torah Lishmah (siman 155) all maintain that if the chicken is found to be a treifah, one does not need to perform kapparos again with another chicken.

Their reasons are:

1. The essence of kapparos is that one should internalize that everything done to the chicken should have been done to his own body, and this thought alone accomplishes the kapparah.
2. One can still give the value of the kapparos to the poor.
3. It is comparable to a korban that was discovered to be a treifah only after the zerikah (sprinkling of the blood) — which is still valid.
4. It is like a kohen who is later found to be a chalal — his avodah is still valid.

However: If the shochet did not shect properly and the bird became a neveilah through improper shechitah — all agree that one must perform kapparos again.

Stringent Poskim:

On the other hand there a number of poskim that are stringent.

The Pekudas Elazar (siman 604); Toras Avigdor, cited in Orchos Chaim (siman 606:5); Shulchan Shlomah (605:1); Ketzeh HaMateh (s.k. 12) and the Moadim U’Zemanim (Vol. 1, siman 52, in a haga'oh) all maintain that one must perform kapparos again, because a treifah is not considered a living creature at all. The chicken used for kapparos is in place of the Sair L'Azazel, and if the goat used for the Sair L'Azazel is treif it is invalid, therefore, the same applies to kapparos.

Middle Position:

The Sdei Chemed (Yom Kippur, siman 1, ois 8) makes a compromise: He writes that one should perform kapparos again with money, and say: “This is my exchange."

Practically:

Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv zt”l (Ashrei Halsh Vol. 3, 17:5); Rav Nissim Karelitz zt"l (Chut Shoni, Yom Kippur, Perek 1, s.k. 2); Rav Shmuel Wosner zt”l (Kovetz MiBeis Levi, Tishrei, pg. 34) and Rav Ben Tzion Abba Shaul zt"l (Or LeTzion Vol. 4, Perek 8, Teshuvah 4) all held that kapparos should be done again, however, this time money may be used.

According to Rav Moshe Sternbuch shlita (Moadim U’Zemanim 1:52, in a hagaoh) kapparos should be done again and one should use a chicken.

When Should Kapparos Be Performed?

Erev Yom Kippur and Aseres Yemei Teshuvah:

The common minhag is ideally to perform kapparos on erev Yom Kippur, and if that is not possible, then during the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah (Mishnah Berurah 605:2). Some write that it is preferable to do it when the selichos of the “Yud Gimmel Middos” is recited (Piskei Teshuvos 605:1).

Erev Rosh Hashanah:

Rashi in Shabbos (81b, s.v. hai parpisa) cites the Teshuvos HaGeonim that they would perform kapparos on erev Rosh Hashanah.

Hoshanah Rabbah:

A novel minhag appears in the sefer Nehar Mitzrayim (Hilchos Yom Kippur sif 2) and Keser Shem Tov (Gagin, pg. 224), they bring: In Egypt, the minhag was to perform kapparos on the night of Hoshanah Rabbah, because Hoshanah Rabbah is considered a “small Yom Kippur."

The Shu't She'eiris Simchah (siman 8) writes that one who did not perform kapparos during the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah may make up for it on Hoshanah Rabbah.

Performing Kapparos for Someone Not Present

A person in prison, who cannot perform kapparos, may have it done on his behalf.

The Luach Davar Beʼito writes that one may perform kapparos for someone not present and say: "This is the exchange of Ploni ben Ploni."

The source for this is the Keser Shem Tov (Gagin, pg. 229), which records that among Sephardim in Eretz Yisrael and Egypt, if a person was not home, his friend would perform kapparos for him.

Kapparos for a Fetus

The Rema (605) writes that kapparos are done also for the fetus, therefore a pregnant woman should take both a rooster and a hen in case she gives birth to a boy.

The question is: What is the purpose of this, surely the fetus has not sinned, so why does he/she need a kapparah?

The Vilna Gaon explains: Because “the fetus is considered part of the mother" (עובר ירך אימו).

The Nitei Gavriel (Perek 11, end of he'orah 15) writes: There is also an element of redemption in kapparos, to be saved from decrees. Therefore, it is done even for the fetus, lest some decree was issued upon it.

A Husband Performing Kapparos for His Wife When She Is a Niddah

The sefer Ohel Yaakov (pg. 116) and Nitei Gavriel (Perek 11, halachah 10) both write: When a woman is a niddah, it is halachically permitted for her husband to swing the kapparos over her head (if she is afraid to do it herself), because he does not touch her at all. The entire act of kapparos is done in the air, without contact.

What about the fact that he may accidentally touch her? There is no concern he will forget, because a woman never wants the chicken to touch her and she is careful to keep her distance.

Likewise, a woman may do kapparos for her husband even if she is a niddah and she must be careful not to touch him as is clear in Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah 195:5. See also the sefer Sugeh BaShoshanim (Y.D. 195, Perek 38, sif 1).

However, the Shu”t Yafeh Nof (Y.D. 102) writes: It is proper to be stringent that the husband should not swing kapparos over his wife's head, lest he accidentally touch her.