Yom Kippur: Difference between revisions

* Sh"t Ridbaz 2:740 writes that even the Rashba would agree that it is an acceptable minhag if the chickens are given to poor people afterwards.

* see [http://www.koltorah.org/ravj/kapparot.htm Kol Torah by Rabbi Chaim Jachter] for a more detailed article. [http://www.torahmusings.com/2014/09/kaparot/ Rav Soloveitchik]  did not observe this practice. </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 agrees but mentions, based on Pri Megadim AA 605:1, 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. Moed Likol Chai 15:47 and Chazon Ovadia Yamim Noraim pg. 223 agree. see also Chazon Ovadia Yamim Noraim pg. 223 for a warning regarding the carelessness that sometimes occurs on Erev Yom Kippur when many people gather to do kapparot. </ref> If one didn't do it before Yom Kippur one may do it on [[Hoshana Rabba]]. <ref>Nitei Gavriel 10:7 </ref>

'''What should be used for Kaparot'''

# One should take a male chicken for a male, female chicken for a female, and both a female and male chicken for a pregnant woman. Some take two female chickens and one male chicken for a pregnant woman. <ref>Rama 605:1 writes that one should take a male chicken for a male and a female chicken for a female. Rama 605:1 and Kitzur S"A 131:1 write that one should take a female and male chicken for a pregnant woman. Mishna Brurah 605:3 writes that some have the practice of taking two female chickens and one male chicken for a pregnant woman. Nitei Gavriel 10:2 agrees. The Magen Avraham 605:3 explains the Rama's minhag by saying that even if the mother and the fetus are considered two bodies they can have atonement with one act of kaparot and compares it to [[korbanot]]. However, the Biur HaGra 605 s.v. VeLokchin argues that we pasken Ubar Yerech Imo (a dispute in Gemara Yevamot 78a whether a fetus is considered as the same entity as the mother or not and the halacha, according to the Gra is that the fetus is part of the mother) and so it is sufficient to exempt the mother together with the fetus with one female chicken if the fetus is female.</ref> If one cannot afford additional chickens for the fetus, one is certainly enough. <ref> Chazon Ovadia Yamim Noraim pg. 226 </ref>  

'''Covering the blood'''

# Kisui HaDam (covering the blood) should be performed only after the shochet checks his knife to see that it was a proper slaughtering.<ref>Yalkut Yosef (Kitzur S"A 605:18), Chazon Ovadia Yamim Noraim pg. 227 </ref> Before covering the blood, one should make the bracha על כסוי הדם בעפר. <ref>Yalkut Yosef (Kitzur S"A 605:18), Chazon Ovadia Yamim Noraim pg. 227, Sh"t Yabea Omer YD 6:2 based on Tur and Shulchan Aruch YD 28:2, Chida in Machazik Beracha 28:2, Ben Ish Chai Parashat Vayelech: Halacha 3 </ref>

# The dirt should be designated by verbally stating that this dirt is for covering of the blood of the chicken. <ref>Yalkut Yosef (Kitzur S"A 605:17), Chazon Ovadia Yamim Noraim pg. 227</ref>

# Dirt should be place beneath and above the blood of the chicken. <ref>Yalkut Yosef (Kitzur S"A 605:17) </ref>