A Wing & a Prayer the Kapparot Chicken
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A Wing & A Prayer “Our intention is not to dismay. Our intention is to where they are typically kept in their own save life.” – Roberta Kalechofsky, Jews for Animal excrement, without food, water or shelter, The Kapparot Chicken- Rights for six days before the “shlug kaparos” Swinging Ritual (“swinging of the chickens”) is performed on What is kapparot? the eve of Yom Kippur. In 2005 and 2006, Kapparot or kaparos, meaning “atonements,” is the ASPCA in New York City confiscated a custom in which a chicken or money may be hundreds of starving chickens abandoned in used. Kapparot using chickens is practiced by crates in a garage and a parking lot when the some Jews shortly before Yom Kippur, the Jewish ceremony was over. Chedva Vanderbrook, Day of Atonement. First, selections from Isaiah a board member of the Jerusalem SPCA, 11:9, Psalms 107:10, 14, and 17-21, and Job described a typical scene in Jerusalem: “The 33:23-24 are recited. Then a rooster (for a man) chickens are brought to the slaughter in or a hen (for a woman) is held above the person’s cramped cages without water in the broiling head and swung in a circle three times, while the sun. Half of them die on the way.” following is spoken: “This is my exchange, my Chickens abandoned by Kapparot practitioners in Brooklyn, NY substitute, my atonement; this rooster (or hen) in October 2005. Photo by: Sam Schloss In 2006, Nazila Mahgerefteh described shall go to its death, but I shall go to a good, long have pointed out that kapparot does not remove the events she watched take place in Los life, and to peace.” The chicken is then slaughtered sins, and if it could, what would be the need for Angeles: “For 6 days until Oct. 1, morning and may or may not be given to the poor for food. Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement? History of kapparot More recent objections to kapparot Kapparot is not mentioned in the Torah or the “Anyone who walks through the markets can see that Kapparot practitioner performs chicken-swinging ritual in Israel Talmud. It was first discussed by certain Jewish the manner in which the chickens are held before in 2003. Photo by: Agence France-Presse scholars in the ninth century who claimed that the Kapparot is insufferable. There is no veterinary “Kapparot is not consistent with Jewish since the Hebrew word gever meant both “man” supervision and no concern for the feelings of these teachings and law. Repentance and charity and “rooster,” punishment of the bird could be poor creatures.” –Rabbi Gilad Kariv quoted in can be better accomplished by using money substituted for that of a human. According to ynetnews.com 09/28/2006 instead of a slaughtered chicken.” – Former the Encyclopedia Judaica, other Jewish scholars Israeli Chief Rabbi Shlomo Goren quoted in strongly opposed kapparot. The 13th-century The chickens are treated poorly in the days leading “Jewish chicken killing ritual of Kapparot,” scholar Rabbi Solomon ben Abraham Aderet up to, during, and after the kapparot ceremony. Los Angeles press release by Nazila considered kapparot a heathen superstition. Rabbi In the U.S., Israel and elsewhere where the ritual Mahgerefteh, September 28, 2006 Joseph Caro called it a “foolish custom.” Others is performed, the birds are crammed in crates, Kapparot chicken found injured and covered with feces in Santa Monica, CA on September 20, 1996. Photo by: Cherylynn Brown to night, in front of adults, children and reciting: “This money shall go to charity, and I forbids the causing of unnecessary pain to living your objection to the use of chickens for babies, these pitiful birds are swung around the shall go to a good, long life, and to peace.” This creatures. He states that “using money rather than kapparot. Ask them to do an article about practitioner’s head. Then the vocal chords are slit ceremony, which is mentioned chickens is consistent with kapparot that examines the ceremony from “I am a member of the religious Jewish so the chicken cannot scream in pain, and then, in many prayer books Judaism’s powerful teachings the standpoint of Jewish teachings that community in Brooklyn, New York. This still alive, the writhing birds are thrown into a including the highly regarded year I took pictures of the deplorable on compassion to animals” encourage compassion for animals. plastic trash bag while still walking and looking Artscroll Siddur, preserves, conditions in which the birds were kept. and that “at a season when we I believe they receive no food or water for a way out of the bag with the head clinging even enhances, the sense of for the week or so that they are in the ask for God’s compassion, we Distribute this brochure to members of your to a cut throat.” repentance and the tradition possession of the retailers. They certainly should have compassion on community and to everyone whom you of charity, since no innocent receive no food or water over the Shabbat. God’s defenseless creatures.” believe should become involved in this issue. One kapparot station had the birds outside How can kapparot be carried out creature has to suffer and die exposed to the rain on a Shabbat through without using chickens? for a person’s misdeeds. Sunday. I saw birds dead in their crates. What should Jews who This brochure has been produced by United “It is absurd that people are asking for life by Birds were crushed. Birds were opening are concerned about the Poultry Concerns and is cosponsored by Jews and closing their mouths, probably out of taking the life of another creature, especially While the Jewish tradition is thirst. The retailer who sold me my birds treatment of animals do? for Animal Rights (www.micahbooks.com) when Kapparot can be done with money.” – filled with concepts, prayers [to live in a sanctuary] tossed them into Please contact the Rabbinical and Concern for Helping Animals in Israel my box as if they were loaves of bread. Chedva Vanderbrook, Jerusalem Society for and actions during the Rosh Council of America and (CHAI), www.chai-online.org. The fact that most retailers didn’t even the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, quoted Hashanah-Yom Kippur period question me when I took pictures means ask them to advocate that . in ynetnews.com 09/28/2006 that stress the importance that no one has made life difficult for these kapparot be carried out with United Poultry Concerns retailers. It’s time to make life difficult for of rachamim (compassion people claiming to be religious and doing money rather than chickens. PO Box 150 In kapparot ceremonies practiced by many and sensitivity), the message this to animals.” – David Rosenfeld (2006) Contact: Machipongo, VA 23405 USA Torah-observant Jews, money is put into of kapparot using chickens (757) 678-7875 a handkerchief which the person swings to those who take part and Rabbi Shlomo Hochberg, www.upc-online.org three times around his or her head while view it, including children, Rabbi Zusya used to travel around the President countryside collecting money to ransom is a lesson of insensitivity to Rabbinical Council of America prisoners. One night he came to an inn in the feelings of other living which there was a large cage with all kinds 305 Seventh Avenue, 12thFloor creatures. Respected Jewish of birds in it. Zusya saw that the creatures New York, NY 10001 wanted to fly free through the spaces of author & educator, Dr. the world. He burned with pity for them Phone: 212-807-7888 Richard Schwartz, has pointed and said to himself, “Here you are, Zusya, Fax: 212-727-8452 out that using chickens for walking your feet off to ransom prisoners, [email protected] but what greater ransoming of prisoners kapparot is inconsistent with can there be than to free these birds from the Torah prohibition of their prison?” Then he opened the cage Write letters to your local tsa’ar ba’alei chayim, which and the birds flew out to freedom. –Rabbi Jewish newspapers expressing Everett Gendler, The Life of His Beast Kapparot practitioners prepare to swing chickens in Chicago in 2004..