Yom Kippur: Difference between revisions

# There is an old minhag (tradition) among Sephardim and Ashkenazim <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). 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) and Sh"t Yabea Omer 2:71 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. </ref> to do Kapparot during the Aseret Yamei Teshuva (ten days of Repentance) 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, Natai 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>Natai Gavriel 10:7 </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 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. Natai 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>

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

## A pregnant woman does not need to pick up all the chickens at once but it's sufficient to pick them up one at a time. <ref>Natai Gavriel 10:4 </ref>

# If one is poor one may use a single chicken for the whole family. <Ref>Mishna Brurah 605:3, Natai Gavriel 10:16 </ref>

# If one can't get a chicken one should take a goose or other animal which isn't fit for a korban. Some say one may even take a live fish. <ref>Mishna Brurah 605:4, Natai Gavriel 10:17,19 </ref>

* Ashkenazim: Mishna Brurah 605:1 writes that if there's a concern that there'll be too many chickens for the shochet to slaughter properly one may do Kapparot early or take money, circle it around your head, and give it to Tzedaka. Similarly, Natai Gavriel 10:17 writes that if one can't get a live animal then one should use money and circle it around one's head say זה חליפתי תמורתי כפרתי and give it to Tzedaka.  

* Sephardim: Maamer Mordechai (Rav Mordechai Eliyahu, 42:2,4,6) holds that the minhag is to use a chicken unless if one doesn't have a chicken, can't find someone who knows how to slaughter the chicken according to halacha, or finds it difficult (or no time) to clean the chicken and salt it, in which cases one may use money for Kaparot. Maaseh Nissim (vol 1, siman 204) agrees. [Yalkut Yosef in his discussion of Kapparot only discusses how to do it with chickens and doesn't even mention how to do it with money.] However, Sh"t Mayim Chaim 2:22 writes that one should avoid doing Kapparot with chickens and only do it with money. </ref>

# Some say that one should preferably use white chickens, however, many say that one shouldn't make a special effort to get a white chicken. Some say not to use a black chicken. <ref>Rama 605:1 emphasizes using a white chicken. However, the Mishna Brurah 605:4 quotes the achronim who say that one should not make a special effort to get white chickens. Natai Gavriel 10:9 agrees and adds that one should be sure not to use a black chicken. </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>Natai Gavriel 10:11 </ref>

# When proforming 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) </ref>

# Upon waking up for [[Netilat Yadayim]] one should wash one’s hands three times only up to the knuckles. <Ref>S”A 613:2 writes that since washing not for pleasure isn’t forbidden it’s permissible to wash one’s hand upon waking up for [[Netilat Yadayim]]. Mishna Brurah 613:3 writes that one may wash one’s hands three times as usual. Natai Gavriel 43:2 says that those who have the practice to wash four time may do even on Yom Kippur.  </ref>

# If one goes to the bathroom one is allowed to wash one’s hands three times up to the end of the fingers (by the knuckles) <Ref>Natai Gavriel 43:11, Yalkut Yosef (Kitzur S”A 613:2), Chazon Ovadyah (Yamim Noraim pg 310) based on S”A 613:3</ref>

# If one walked into a bathroom but didn’t go and didn’t touch a private place one should not wash one’s hand but rather rub them on the wall or something similar unless it bothers his intent in prayers. However, someone wants to wash one’s hands has what to rely on. <Ref>Natai Gavriel 43:10 </ref>

# Cohanim who are going to do Birkat Cohanim should wash their hands until the end of the hand. <Ref>Chazon Ovadyah (Yamim Noraim pg 312) </ref>However, some say that that the practice is that a cohen just washes until the knuckles. <Ref>Natai Gavriel 43:8 </ref>

# One may not wash one’s face upon waking up, however, if one’s face became dirty or if there’s guk around one’s eyes one may wet one’s finger and clean in the area which became dirty. <Ref>Natai Gavriel 43:3-4 based on Mishna Brurah 613:9</ref>

# It is forbidden to anoint even a part of one’s body with oil or ointment even if one is only doing so just to remove a bad smell. <Ref>S”A 614:1, Mishna Brurah 614:1, Chazon Ovadyah (Yamim Noraim pg 313). Natai Gavriel 46:5 writes that this prohibition applies equally to women as men and references Minchat Chinuch 313. </ref>

# It is forbidden to spray oneself with deodorant on Yom Kippur. <Ref>Natai Gavriel 46:2 and [http://www.torah.org/advanced/weekly-halacha/5763/devarim.html Rabbi Doniel Neustadt on Torah.org] write that it is forbidden to use deoderant on Yom Kippur. [http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/article.php?p=70599 Rabbi Yissachar Krakowski on yeshivaworld.com] writes that while some are lenient regarding aerosol deodorant one should avoid it by applying a thick layer on Erev Yom Kippur. </ref>