Yom Kippur: Difference between revisions

# It is a mitzvah to eat and drink on [[Erev Yom Kippur]] and one should even lessen one's learning and work in order to eat more on [[Erev Yom Kippur]].<ref>Tur and Shulchan Aruch 604:1 from gemara [[Berachot]] 8b and [[Rosh Hashana]] 9a, Yalkut Yosef (Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 604:1), Maamar Mordechai (Rav Mordechai Eliyahu, English version pg 448, #21) , Chazon Ovadia Yamim Noraim pg. 230, Ketav Sofer 112, Sh"t Rivivot Ephraim 3:410:2<br />

* Rosh Yoma 8:22 writes that this is in order to prepare for the fasting on Yom Kippur itself. Ritva Rosh Hashana 9a and Tur 604 agree.

</ref> It is forbidden to fast on [[Erev Yom Kippur]]. <ref>Rama 604:1, Yalkut Yosef Moadim pg. 74, Beit Yosef 604 </ref>

# This mitzvah primarily applies during the day of [[Erev Yom Kippur]] and not the night of [[Erev Yom Kippur]]. <ref>Yalkut Yosef (Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 604:2), Maamar Mordechai (Rav Mordechai Eliyahu, English version pg 447, #13), Chazon Ovadia Yamim Noraim pg. 230, Aruch Hashulchan 604:5, Moed Likol Chai 16:14 </ref>

# Preferably one should eat at least one bread meal on [[Erev Yom Kippur]]. <ref>Yalkut Yosef (Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 604:3), Maamer Mordechai (Rav Mordechai Eliyahu, English version pg 446, #11) </ref>

# One should only eat light foods so that one shouldn't be stuffed and prideful during [[prayers]] of Yom Kippur. <ref>Maamer Mordechai (Rav Mordechai Eliyahu, English version pg 446, #11), Yalkut Yosef Moadim pg. 86, Chazon Ovadia Yamim Noraim pg. 239, Orchot Chaim Hilchot Erev Yom Hakippurim:8, based on the gemara Yoma 18a </ref>

# If [[Erev Yom Kippur]] is the [[Yahrzeit]] (annual remembrance of the day of the death) of one's parents, one should not fast but rely on the fast of Yom Kippur. <ref>Maamar Mordechai (Rav Mordechai Eliyahu, English version pg 447, #17)</ref>

# If one finished eating while it is still daytime, he may continue eating as long as he didn't have in mind that he is going to start the fast. <ref> Yalkut Yosef Moadim pg. 85, Chazon Ovadia Yamim Noraim pg. 255, Tosafot Taanit 30b </ref>  

# It is permissible to take a pill before Yom Kippur which will ease the difficulty of fasting. <ref>Maamer Mordechai (Rav Mordechai Eliyahu, English version pg 448, #20)</ref> However, others write that one should refrain from such pills except for a person who will be in great pain, have a headache, or the like from fasting on Yom Kippur.<ref>Yabia Omer 9:54. for more see [http://halachayomit.co.il/EnglishDefault.asp?HalachaID=2726 Halacha Yomit]. Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (Shalmei Moed pg. 494) calls one who is healthy and uses suppositories to ease the fast, a naval birshut hatorah, abonimable with permission of the Torah. For longer discussions see Sh"t Igrot Moshe OC 4:121, Sh"t Chelkat Yaakov 2:83 and Minchat Shlomo 1:17</ref>

# One may do kaparot over a woman who is a niddah. <ref> Chazon Ovadia Yamim Noraim pg. 228, Taharat Habayit 2: pg. 108 </ref>  

# 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 Shulchan Aruch 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>  

## A pregnant woman within 40 days of the pregnancy doesn't need to take a second chicken for Kapparot. <ref>Nitei Gavriel 10:3 </ref>

# If a man took a female chicken or a woman took a male chicken one fulfilled one's obligation yet it's preferable to repeat it with the correct gender chicken. <ref>Nitei Gavriel 10:11 </ref>

# When one takes the chicken and circles it around one's head one should say זה חליפתי זה תמורתי זה כפרתי. <ref>Mishna Brurah 605:3, Kaf Hachayim 605:16, Chazon Ovadia Yamim Noraim pg. 225, Yalkut Yosef Moadim pg. 76 writes that when circling the chicken around one's head one should say זה חליפתי תמורתי כפרתי </ref> For the  [http://hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=6756&st=&pgnum=616&hilite= full hebrew text click here] and for the  [http://www.chabad.org/holidays/JewishNewYear/template_cdo/aid/320228/jewish/Text-of-Kapparot.htm full english text click here].

# When performing Kaparot a person should think about Teshuva ([[repentance]]) imagining that the 4 types of death sentences that are carried out on the chicken should be happening to me. <ref>Yalkut Yosef (Moadim pg 76) , Mishna Brurah 605:2, Kitzur Shela quoting in Eliya Rabba 605</ref>

# The minhag is to give the slaughtered chicken to a poor person or to redeem it with money and then give it to a poor person. <ref>Rama 605:1. Mishna Brurah 605:5 writes that if the poor person will be embarrassed to take the chicken because it looks like one put their sins on the chicken then one should redeem it and give the money to the poor but if the poor won't be embarrassed it's preferable to give the chicken to the poor because it requires less effort for the poor person to benefit. Chazon Ovadia Yamim Noraim pg. 225 writes that giving the money is the preferred option based on Maharil pg. 315.</ref>

# After the slaughtering the Shochet there is a unique opportunity to perform the mitzvah of Kisui HaDam (covering the blood) by covering the blood of the chicken with dirt that was set aside beforehand. <ref>Yalkut Yosef (Moadim pg 78), Chazon Ovadyah (Yamim Noraim pg 227) </ref>

# 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 Shulchan Aruch 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 Shulchan Aruch 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>

# Either the Shochet should perform the covering of the blood or if the owner of the chicken is God fearing and wants to perform the mitzvah the shochet is allowed to give him the opportunity and in such a case it's preferable that originally the owner should appoint the shochet as his agent in performing the [[sechita]] (ritual slaughtering). <ref>Yalkut Yosef (Moadim pg 78), Chazon Ovadyah (Yamim Noraim pg 227). Halichot Shlomo 3:7 writes that if one wants to do the covering of the blood one should appoint the shochet to do the ritual slaughtering. </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 Shulchan Aruch 605:17), Chazon Ovadia Yamim Noraim pg. 227</ref>

# Yom Kippur doesn't grant one forgiveness for one's sins between a man and his fellow until one appeases and receives forgiveness from one's friend. Therefore, it's especially important to appease one's friend on [[Erev Yom Kippur]]. <ref>Shulchan Aruch 606:1 writes that Yom kippur doesn't atone for sins between man and his fellow until one appeases his friend. The Birkei Yosef 606:1 and Pri Megadim MZ 606 write that the special power of Yom Kippur to atone for one's sins between man and Hashem doesn't kick in for him until that person asks forgiveness from anybody who he offended  Mishna Brurah 606:1 explains that during the entire year if one offended one's friend one must appease him, however, if one was unable to do so then one may wait until tomorrow, however, the day before Yom Kippur one must fix everything in order to be cleansed of all one's sins.  </ref>

# If a person did a sin against his will because he was forced to do so, there is no obligation to repent. <ref> Rambam Peirush Hamishnayot Yoma 8:6, Aruch Hashulchan OC 602:7 </ref>