Yom Kippur: Difference between revisions

# There is an old minhag (tradition) among Sephardim and Ashkenazim to do kapparot during aseret yimei teshuva (ten days of repentance) <ref>S"A 605:1 writes that one should prevent the minhag to do Kapparot on Erev Yom Kippur. Mishna Brurah 605:1 explains that the reason for this opinion is that it looks like Darkei Amori (superstitious pagan practice). This is the opinion of the Rashba in his Teshuvot 395 and quoted by Beit Yosef 605 "Yesh mekomot." However, the Rama 605:1 writes that it's an old minhag and one shouldn't stop from keeping the minhag. Mishna Brurah 605:2 explains that the minhag is justified because it's similar to a korban and it's as though the punishment one deserves is taking place on the chicken. Yalkut Yosef (Moadim pg 75) writes that this practice is the minhag of all of klal yisrael and it should not be stopped. Maamer Mordechai (Rav Mordechai Eliyahu, chapter 42:1) agrees. The Ben Ish Chai Parashat Vayelech:2, Kaf Hachaim 605:8, and Yechaveh Daat 2:71 all record this minhag as well, despite the opposition cited by the Shulchan Aruch. The Arizal quoted in Magen Avraham 605:1 was a strong supporter of the minhag.  see [http://www.koltorah.org/ravj/kapparot.htm Kol Torah by Rabbi Chaim Jachter] for a more detailed article </ref> and preferably it should be done on Erev Yom Kippur in the morning.  <ref>Rama 605:1 writes that it is an old minhag to do Kapparot on Erev Yom Kippur. Mishna Brurah 605:2 comments that if there's a concern that having everyone do Kapparot on Erev Yom Kippur in the morning won't give the Shochet enough time to do a proper slaughtering on all the chickens one should do Kapparot a day or two earlier because the entire period of Aseret Yamei Teshuva is a time of atonement. Therefore, Nitei Gavriel 10:1 writes that it should be done during Aseret Yomei Teshuva and preferably on Erev Yom Kippur in the morning. </ref> If one didn't do it before Yom Kippur one may do it on Hoshana Rabba. <ref>Nitei Gavriel 10:7 </ref>