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130:6 Some have the custom not to sanctify the new moon until the night
after Yom Kippur, for then we are happy, whereas previously we were
worried. Some say that it is better to sanctify it before (Yom Kippur),
in order to add (this mitzvah) to our merits, and every (place)
according to the time (that is customary there). In a place where it is
possible to buy ''etrogim'', ''lulavim'', and ''haddassim''1 men (known)
for their (good) deeds have the custom to be quick and (go) early to buy
during these days, in order to add also this precious mitzvah to our
merits.
1) As required for Sukkot. |
יש נוהגין שאין מקדשין את הלבנה עד מוצאי יום הכפורים שאז שמחים ומקודם היו בדאגה ויש אומרים דאדרבה טוב לקדשה קודם כדי להוסיף בזכיות והכל לפי הזמן במקום שמצוי לקנות אתרוגים לולבין והדסים נוהגין אנשי מעשה להיות זריזין מקדימים לקנות בימים אלו כדי שתצטרף גם המצוה היקרה הזאת לזכיותינו |
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131:1 It is customary to carry out the ''Kapparot''1 in the pre-dawn
hours of the day before Yom Kippur,2 as then (the attribute of) mercy is
greatest. One takes a non-castrated rooster for a man, and a hen for a
woman. For a pregnant woman (both) a rooster and a hen. a rooster, in
case the fetus is male, If the fetus is female, the single hen is
sufficient for the mother and her daughter. Even the rest (of
non-related) people two can take one (chicken as) redemption.3 One
chooses white (chickens) because it is said:4 ''If your sins are
scarlet, they will become white as snow.'' However, one should not
openly express (one's preference) at the time of purchase for white
ones, and buy them at a high price, because this resembles a pagan
practice.5 Rather, if one finds a white one, that he bought along with
others, one should select it. Each person takes his redemption (the
chicken) in his right hand and says the verses starting with ''Man, who
dwells in darkness and the shadow of death...''6 Then, he swings it
around his head and says ''This is my substitute...'' three times. If
one swings (it around the heads of) others, one says, ''This is YOUR
substitute''. One should swing it first for himself and afterwards for
others. Preferably, the slaughter (of the chicken) should also be in the
pre-dawn hours, immediately after the swinging (of the ceremony). A
person should not think, however, that this (ceremony) itself actually
atones (for him). On the contrary, he should consider that everything
that was done to that chicken, should have come upon him (as punishment)
for his sins, and he will regret his sins. The Holy One, blessed be He,
in His mercy, will accept his repentance.7 It is customary to throw the
intestines, the liver, and the kidneys of the redemption (chickens) on
to the roofs or in a courtyard, a place where the birds can take from
there, for it is fitting to show mercy on (G-d's) creatures on this day,
so that (G-d's) mercy will be on us, from heaven. Also (we throw away
these organs] because (birds often) eat (food that was) stolen. By
(throwing away these organs) a person puts in his heart that he should
distance himself from theft. If chickens are not available, one may take
a goose or any other animal that is not fit to be offered as a
sacrifice. Some say that even fish (are acceptable), but not pigeons or
doves, which are suitable as sacrifices, and it might appear that one is
offering sacrifices outside (the Temple). Some have the custom to give
(the chickens) to the poor. It is preferable to redeem them for money,
and (then) give the money to the poor.8
1) Redemption ceremony. 2) Although it is preferable to perform ''Kapparot'' on the day preceding Yom Kippur, if this is not possible the ceremony may be performed on another day of the Ten Days of Repentance. 3) There are other authorities who require each individual to use a chicken of his own. According to this view, a pregnant women should use three chickens: a hen for herself, a rooster in the event that the fetus is male, and a hen in the event that the fetus is female. 4) Isaiah 1:18 5) lit; the way of the Emori 6) This first verse is from Psalms 107:10 7) Note that the Ramban and the Rashba wrote that the ''Kapparot'' ceremony should not be performed because it resembles witchcraft and other pagan practices; the Shulchan Aruch himself followed this line of reasoning and writes in 605:1 that one should not participate in the custom. However, the Ramah (Ibid.) writes that since this custom is mentioned in the writings of many of the Gaonim, and many of the later authorities (Acharonim), it is considered to be a ''minhag vatikin'' (an old custom), and should not be eliminated. Other authorities have attempted to eliminate the custom because the people doing the slaughtering would become so tired due to the volume of chickens being slaughtered in quick succession, that they would not be in the appropriate state to check their knives properly (the fact that this was happening at night also contributed to the problems); as a result, many people would be eating non-kosher chickens due to invalid slaughtering. To avoid this problem, many authorities recommended that the ''Kapparot'' ceremony be performed on other days during the Ten Days of Repentance, rather than having everyone do it on Erev Yom Kippur. Alternatively, one may avoid all problems by performing the ceremony by swinging money instead of a chicken around one's head, and then giving the money to charity (See Mishna Berurah 605:2). 8) The poor might be offended by the fact that you have given them the chicken upon which you have ''placed all your sins'' (Mishna Berurah 605:5). | נוהגין לעשות כפרות בערב יום הכפור באשמורת הבוקר שאז הרחמים גובר לוקחין תרנגול שאינו מסורס לזכר ותרנגולת לנקבה ולאשה מעוברת תרנגול ותרנגולת תרנגול שמא הולד הוא זכר ואם הולד היא נקבה די לאמה ולבתה בתרנגולת אחת ואפילו שאר בני אדם יכולין שנים ליקח כפרה אחת ובוחרים בלבנים על שם שנאמר אם יהיו חטאיכם כשנים כשלג ילבינו אבל אין לחזור בפירוש בשעת קנין אחר לבנים ולקנותם ביוקר כי זהו כעין דרכי אמורי אלא כשיזדמן לו לבן שקנה אותו בין אחרים יבחר בו לוקח כל אחד כפרתו בידו הימנית ואומר הפסוקים בני אדם וכו' ומסבבה סביב ראשו ואמר זה חליפתי וכו' שלש פעמים אם מסבב לאחרים אומר זה חליפתך ויש לו לסבב תחלה לעצמו ואחר כך לאחרים וטוב שתהא השחיטה גם כן באשמורת הבוקר תיכף לאחר הסיבוב ואל יחשוב האדם שזהו כפרתו ממש אלא יחשוב כי כל מה שעושין בעוף הזה היה ראוי לבא עליו בעונותיו ויתאונן על חטאיו והקדוש ברוך הא ברחמיו יקבל תשובתו ונוהגין לזרוק בני מעיהם והכבד והכליות של הכפרות על הגגות או בחצר מקום שהעופות יכולים לקחת משם לפי שראוי לרחם על הבריות ביום זה כדי שירחמו עלינו מן השמים ועוד מפני שאכלו גזל כדי שיתן האדם אל לבו להרחיק את עצמו מן הגזל אם אין התרנגולים מצוים יכול ליקח אווז או שאר בעל חי שאינו ראוי להקרבה ויש אומרים אפילו דגים אך לא תורים ובני יונה שהן ראוין להקרבה ויהא נראה כאלו מקדיש קדשים בחוץ יש נוהגים ליתן את הכפרות לעניים אבל יותר טוב לפדותן בממון וליתן את הממון לעניים |
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131:2 We do not say (on the day before Yom Kippur)1 ''A psalm of
thanksgiving'' nor ''Tachanun''2 nor3 ''For the chief musician. A psalm
of David''. Also ''Our Father, our King...'' is not said. Only if Yom
Kippur falls on Shabbat then we say, on the day before Yom Kippur, in
the morning service, ''Our Father, our King...''.
1) Psalm 100 2) Supplications 3) Psalm 20 | אין אומרים מזמור לתודה ולא תחנון ולא למנצח גם אבינו מלכנו אין אומרים רק כשחל יום הכפורים בשבת אז אומרים ערב יום הכפורים בשחרית אבינו מלכנו |
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