Kapparot

Is it better to do Kapporas with a chicken or money or are both equally good If chicken is better, is it better to do Kapporas with a chicken even not erev YK or use money and do it erev YK?

Shalom!

Thank you for your question

The somewhat controversial custom of kapparot was not always performed the way it is done nowadays. Its original form was people preparing baskets of palm fronds filled with dirt and manure. Then, either 15 or 22 days before Rosh Hashana, one such basket would be designated and delivered to every child, both boys and girls. Beans would then be planted in these baskets and left to take root and sprout. On Erev Rosh Hashana, the basket was taken and waved around the child’s head seven times while reciting, “This is in place of this, this is my substitute, this is my replacement.” The basket was then thrown into the river.

The Chatam Sofer adds an explanation to the custom. He says that the intention of this custom was that if it was decreed upon a person that his children would die, the beans that were planted on behalf of the children and later thrown into the river, would serve to “die” in place of the children. He says that even though we don’t have the death penalty nowadays, God arranges for those deserving of death to die in a way reminiscent of the ancient death penalties. For example, those deserving of death by strangulation will either drown in a river or die from a disease that results in suffocation. When children die, it is often the result of some form of asphyxiation and, therefore, “drowning” the bean plant in the river serves in place of the death of the child.

Nowadays Kapparot is done differently. Instead of using plants, chickens, fish, or money are used. So too, kapparot is generally done on Erev Yom Kippur though it is acceptable to do it anytime during the Ten Days of Repentance and right through until Hoshana Rabba.

Kapparot is not mentioned anywhere in the Talmud or early codes and there have been authorities throughout the ages who have tried to ban the practice – but to no avail. They argued that the procedure somewhat resembles ancient practices of witchcraft and black magic, which we are forbidden to imitate. They also argued that Kapparot places tremendous pressure on the shochtim (ritual slaughterers) to slaughter so many chickens in a short time. It is difficult to properly slaughter so many chickens in so little time and still have time to eat and prepare before the arrival of Yom Kippur.

Nevertheless, The Halacha is that one should do Kapparot with chicken even if it will be a few days before Yom Kippur, it is still better than doing it with money on Erev Yom Kippur. if one is not able to do Kapparot with a chicken then one should do it with money.

Chidushei Chatam Sofer, Shabbat 81b; Teshuvot Harashba 395l OC 605 with Aruch Hashulchan; Azamroh Lishmmecho page 13