Court rules 'kapparot' ritual violates animal slaughter laws - Haaretz

Subscribe to Print Edition

Wed., September 26, 2007 ,

Israel Time: 11:20 (EST+7)

web haaretz.com

Back to Homepage

Print Edition

Diplomacy

Defense

Arts & Leisure

Real Estate

Jewish World

National

Advertising

Magazine

Week's End

Business

Opinion

Rosner's Domain

Anglo File

Books

Travel



		Ulta-Orthodox Jews performing the "kapparot." (Archives)

del.icio.us

Digg It! new

Last update - 22:25 18/09/2007

Court rules 'kapparot' ritual violates animal slaughter laws

By Amiram Cohen and Yair Ettinger, Haaretz Correspondents

A Petach Tikvah court on Tuesday ruled that the ritual slaughter of chickens for the Yom Kippur "kapparot" ritual is a violation of state regulations on animal slaughter.

The court adopted the matter after a resident of Ramat Modiin was caught by agriculture ministry officials with dozens of slaughtered chickens in his possession without the required permits for animal slaughter.

The man refused to pay the fine police gave him, and demanded a trial to clear his name.

	Advertisement

During his trial, the court ruled against the defendant, and issued a penalty of NIS 2,700 or 17 days imprisonment.

Shas movement spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef recently stated he is worried about unsupervised slaughter of chickens as part of the kapparot ritual ahead of Yom Kippur.

The ancient ceremony involves swinging a live chicken overhead in a ritual transference of the person's sins in preparation for the day of atonement. It may be performed anytime between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

Speaking last Saturday at his Jerusalem synagogue, Hayazdim, Yosef warned that overworked ritual slaughterers wind up using flawed blades that are not deemed "perfectly sharp."

"If it is not perfectly sharp, it is not only non-kosher but nevela," he said, using the term for the carcass of a kosher animal not killed in accordance with Jewish law and therefore forbidden for consumption.

Despite the modern custom of using money in place of chicken and then giving it to charity, many ultra-Orthodox Jews continue to use chickens and slaughter them before giving the kosher meat to charity.

American rabbis also have expressed reservations about the proper slaughter of these animals, prompted by a complaint to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. A report by PETA about cruelty toward chickens before Yom Kippur led a group of Hasidic rabbis to discuss reducing the animals' suffering. The U.S. edition of the Orthodox publication Hamodia ran an editorial calling for greater supervision of the slaughter.

Yosef said that Rabbi Joseph Caro "is against this thing," citing the author of the Shulhan Arukh, or Code of Jewish Law, who considered kapparot a pagan ritual. However, Yosef refrained from banning the custom. He made do with calling on those who wish to perform the ceremony to do so early to prevent overloading the ritual slaughterers, and "also to go to God-fearing slaughterers who are kosher."

More Jewish World news and features

Bookmark to del.icio.us


	Dead or alive
	How can a person be deemed dead by modern medicine if his heart continues to beat?


	Betting against Grant
	After one match as manager of Chelsea, the English press is already listing replacements.




1.	If it`s a pagan ritual	21:08	\|	Yonatan	18/09/07

2.	What`s the difference between kapparot and voodoo?	21:11	\|	dana	18/09/07

3.	SO,DO KAPPAROT WITH THE SECULAR COURT: NO SHOCHET NEEDED)))))))))	21:12	\|	VOICE)))	18/09/07

4.	Better late that never	21:55	\|	Esther	18/09/07

5.	So don`t eat meat #2-- and start studyng Torah	22:48	\|	Lefty	18/09/07

6.	Wow Dana you must be proud	23:05	\|	Boss Hog	18/09/07

7.	It is good if regulated	23:25	\|	Jerusalem Shmuel	18/09/07

8.	Disgusting. These are Jews? Moses would turn in his grave.	23:36	\|	Steve	18/09/07

9.	Shmuel #7: I have a question for you	23:50	\|	Steve	18/09/07

10.	to Jerusalem Shmuel	00:29	\|	Justice	19/09/07

11.	dana the hypocrite	00:44	\|	Danite	19/09/07

12.	to Danite no 9	02:31	\|	dovale	19/09/07

13.	to Boss Hog no.6	02:59	\|	dovale	19/09/07

14.	Danite the judgemental	03:40	\|	Dan	19/09/07

15.	Boss Hog, (LA)?	04:05	\|	akiva P	19/09/07

16.	Jerusalem Shmuel of Israel	04:09	\|	akiva P	19/09/07

17.	To Dan and Danite from	05:03	\|	dana	19/09/07

18.	Purpose of voodoo is to harm someone, Kaparot heal someone	05:38	\|	--	19/09/07

19.	Dan -Dovale	06:18	\|	Danite	19/09/07

20.	#19 - Danite and Dana	11:17	\|	Dan	19/09/07

21.	To Dana and Dana`s responders	21:36	\|	Avi	20/09/07

22.	Gen. 9:3	01:14	\|	heretic	24/09/07

23.	Where exactly is the abuse?	22:27	\|	HH	25/09/07

24.	Tashlich as well!	09:38	\|	Joseph	26/09/07

Today Online


	Shmuel Rosner: Ahmadinejad, cruel or not, is above all a world-class celebrity
	Responses: 1


	Syria willing to transfer disputed Shaba Farms to UN custody
	Responses: 43


	Wife of abducted soldier blames Ahmadinejad for kidnapping
	Responses: 145


	Settlers plan to set up 5 new West Bank outposts during Sukkot holiday
	Responses: 28

Rosner's Domain

* Ahmadinejad's message: "It's the Israelis, stupid"

* Wisse: Israel's only offense against Palestinians was imposing Arafat

* WTR: House vs. the Syrian/North Korean cooperation

* Rosner's Mailbox: Serving interfaith couples

More Headlines
06:26 Syria willing to transfer disputed Shaba Farms to UN custody


10:33 IAF strikes northern Gaza ahead of Sukkot closure of territories


08:22 Wife of abducted soldier blames Ahmadinejad for kidnapping


08:04 Ariel Sharon sought Barghouti's backing for PA premier in 2006


11:14 PM: Jewish Agency still has key role in bringing Jews to Israel


11:20 Gov't bans Hebron settlers from winterizing house


06:31 Texas governor announces establishment of Texas-Israel Chamber of Commerce


06:41 Settlers plan to set up 5 new West Bank outposts during Sukkot


05:53 J'lem municipality advancing plan to build 1,900 apartments for Arabs


04:46 Tsunami victim from Sri Lanka abused in caregiver job in Israel