NEW YORK (JTA) – An organization that objects to a pre-Yom Kippur ritual that involves swinging live chickens is renewing its legal effort to stop the religious rite in New York City, citing the coronavirus pandemic.
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Kapparot involves swinging a live chicken over one’s head three times and reciting a prayer to transfer sins to the bird. The chicken is then slaughtered and donated to the poor. (Learn more about the ritual.)
In recent years, money has replaced the chicken in the rite for many Jewish groups, but the practice continues in some communities, including in Orthodox neighborhoods of Brooklyn. That has angered advocates who say the practice is abusive to animals.
In 2017, a state appeals court struck down a lawsuit calling for New York police and health officials to block the practice. But the Alliance to End Chickens as Kaporos filed a motion last month to renew the lawsuit, first filed in 2015, citing fears that the ritual could spread dangerous pathogens in the air, just as scientists believe that animals in the wet markets of Wuhan, China began spreading the COVID-19 virus.
“In light of the Covid-19 virus, and the consensus that it arose from a zoonotic cause, many people have been questioning how the city can possibly allow Kaporos to take place this year,” attorney Nora Constance Marino, who represents the alliance, said in a statement in July. She said the current pandemic represented new evidence that warranted reopening the suit.
There are more than 80 live animal markets in New York City, where the animals are slaughtered on the spot, NY1 reported, which also is a concern of animal activists.
While I am always wary of any group that wants to interfere in our religious practices, kapparos with chickens just makes no sense anymore and people should find any excuse to stop (I stopped long before I ever heard of these groups protesting against it). The amount of waste involved and the vile conditions the chickens are handled cannot be something God is happy with. But, but, but… Yeah, I get it, but highly doubt when this minhag started that schetia and farming poultry was a mass industry the way it is today that results in this being a complete waste.
As to concerns you do this then they will come after other things; one has to wonder why doing something you think is right should worry you so. Do you have so little faith?
We need to fight this tooth and nail or mila and shechita will be next
Would money be considered a bidie eved?
Would chickens be a more machmir, more of a Chumrah?
Perhaps a shul could volunteer their back yard / parking lot for the Kaparos so people can’t complain if it’s in private property?
Jew haters especially the JINOs seize on any premise they can to destroy Judaism.
its a bad stupid misguided thing at the right time and hits at the core of Yiddishkiet
But if they get the wicked way and we flaunt the law it can do more harm then good remember what מנהג spells backwards
“how the city can possibly allow Kaporos to take place this year,” attorney Nora Constance Marino” It’s a no brainer, the same way it allows the BLM protesters. Simple as that.
Perhaps those Yidden who believe that Kapros with chickens is a do-or-die minhag, should continue to do so in their homes. Maybe in their dining rooms. That’s where I perform Kapros with money.
I would like to know if this practice is in the Torah or the Talmud. Or is it a tradition?
Thank you for your help.
You guys are all right. However the picture chosen for this article where he’s holding the chicken by its legs is wrong. It scares the chicken to death to be turned upside down and is even a sha’ala of treifa because of what happens to his liver. So of course keep doing kaporos and by keeping the minhag Yisroel we’re bringing the chickens to their tachlis. But make sure we don’t do tzaar Baalei Chaim
we should get the rabbis to put the ” rabbinic curse ” on this “orginization “.
This custom has nothing (zilch), to do with shechita. With shechita, the animal is humanely slaughtered. However, the custom of throwing a live animal around, before killing it, is not humane, and is cruel. Doesn’t Halacha teach being kind to animals?
How can swinging a chicken around one’s head be beneficial for anything? It is just plain cruel to the chicken. If you need to eat meat, I understand, but to torture an animal……come on people. Have some compassion. Would you want to be swung around someone’s head for good luck?
For all we know the chickens might find being tossed around to be very exciting just like us humans go to six flag great adventure and get all tossed around for excitement and entertainment .
If a bag of money were used, all of this conflict would be over. The poor could use the money not just for food, but rent and medical needs.
These folks that are sueing are Anti-Semitic. Just look at this video where they call Jews deranged. All Jews should fight these people.