Re: flying poultry

[Joe Kurland <ganeydn...>]

It gives new meaning to the phrase,
        Ikh darf dos oyf kapores  (I need it like a sacrifice)


Zayt gezunt (be healthy),

Yosl (Joe) Kurland
The Wholesale Klezmer Band
Colrain, MA 01340
voice/fax: 413-624-3204
http://www.WholesaleKlezmer.com


At 11:55 PM -0400 9/10/00, Jacob and Nancy Bloom wrote:
>As I understand it, when a chicken was used for the ritual of Kaparos, the
>chicken would then be ritually slaughtered, and eaten by the family of the
>person doing kaparos rather than given to the poor.  The idea was that the
>death of the chicken, in a holy manner, would serve to redeem the penitent,
>the way the scapegoat in the Azazel ritual would serve to redeem the people
>Israel in the days of the Temple.  Later, the custom of using money which
>would be given to charity as an atonement was introduced.
>
>My father has told me of something that happened when he was a boy.  He and
>a friend were shlogging kaparos together.  (There was someone who lived in
>the apartment across the hall who would slaughter chickens for people doing
>kaparos, but they were using money.)  After they both had whirled the money
>around their heads and chanted "This is my atonement", the friend said,
>"Come on, let's use the money to buy ice cream."
>
>When my father objected that they were supposed to give the money to
>charity, his friend replied, "You eat the chicken, don't you?"
>
>Jacob
>
>----- Original Message ----- >
>
>  > According to the Artscroll sidur (Ashkenazic version, p.772):
>  > There is an ancient custom to take a white rooster for males
>  > and a white hen for females on the day before Yom Kippur and perform
>  > the Kaparos [Atonement] ritual.  Money may be substituted for the
>  > fowl, and the ritual may be performed before Erev Yom Kippur if
>  > necessary.  It is most important to realize, however, that the
>  > atonement results from giving the bird (or its value) to the poor.
>  > Only that, as part of the repentance, gives meaning to the ceremony.
>  >
>  > In my family's custom, we take some money, tie it up in the corner of
>  > a handkerchief, and swing it around over our heads as a physical
>  > substitute for the chicken.  The money is then given to charity.  I
>  > don't know where swinging the bird or its substitute around over the
>  > head comes from, but it does help make the ceremony more dramatic by
>  > giving it a physical dimension, and therefore helps it to make a
>  > bigger impression.  I'm sure it helps children remember it better.
>  >
>  >
>  > L'shono toyve (May you be inscribed for a good year),
>  >
>  > Yosl (Joe) Kurland
>  > The Wholesale Klezmer Band
>  > Colrain, MA 01340
>  > voice/fax: 413-624-3204
>  > http://www.WholesaleKlezmer.com
>  >
>  >
>  > At 8:40 AM -0400 9/8/00, ALANEFALK (at) aol(dot)com wrote:
>  > >In a message dated 9/8/00 1:01:50 AM, winklerh (at) hotmail(dot)com 
> writes:
>  > >
>  > ><< I know you can't believe everything on the net, so wanted to get some
>  > >opinions on the custom described below of throwing a hen and a rooster
>over
>  > >the heads of a newly married couple(and what would the klezmorim have
>played
>  > >for this ceremony?): >>
>  > >
>  > >(There are more learned folk out there who can explain this better).
>  > >The action in Yiddish is called "shlogging a kapores" - it was not just
>used
>  > >in wedding ceromonies  (in fact, in some orthodox groups it's still in
>use).
>  > >The act is to ward off evil spirits - The chicken (or rooster) is held by
>  > >it's feet above a persons head and spun around several times. I don't
>believe
>  > >it has any religious (biblical) root, just Eastern European superstition.
>  > >Don't know about the music music? A klezmer version of 'The Chicken
>Dance"!
>  > >
>  >
>  >
>

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