Chief Rabbi Lau: Mistreating Chicken During Kaporos Is ‘Mitzvah Through Sin’

The Ashkenazic Chief Rabbi of Israel, Dovid Lau, has called for more humane treatment of the chickens used in the Kaporos ceremony performed by many orthodox Jews on the eve of Yom Kippur.

From the Jerusalem Post:

Animal rights group Let the Animals Live recently wrote a letter to Lau on the issue, saying that every year the organization receives complaints about the treatment of chickens intended for the ceremony. It added that the birds can be left for hours and even days in small cages, frequently without food and water, and often outside in the sun.

In a letter directed to anyone involved in the supply of chickens or facilitation of the ceremony, as well as anyone performing it, Lau said that mistreatment of the birds would constitute a mitzva performed through committing a sin.

“I am turning to those accustomed to preserving the traditions of their fathers by doing Kapparot with an animal to remind them of the holy obligation that exists throughout the year to refrain from causing suffering to animals, to prevent any unnecessary pain and suffering to animals to ensure their delivery in a fitting manner and to ensure appropriate treatment of them,” Lau wrote in his letter.

“If they are not treated in an appropriate manner, it is clear this would be a ‘mitzvah through a transgression, which was not the intention of the sages in the mitzvah of Kapparot. Therefore it is incumbent on traders and those fulfilling [the custom] to be especially strict in this regard.”

To continue reading, click here.

9 Comments

  • Citizen Berel

    And this is why the chief state rabbi is a jobnik who when not giving a stamp on kicking Jews out of their homes to turn them over to venomous killers is (in this iteration) writing courageous responses to truth seekers like “Let Animals Live” courageously “turning to those accustomed to preserving the traditions of their fathers by doing Kapparot with an animal to remindig them of the holy obligation that exists throughout the year to refrain from causing suffering to animals… Political posturing brings no shame on the state rabbinate, an office which hasn’t had any Torah legitimacy for years, but but then the chief Rabbi goes lamdan on the Jewish world us telling us how ““If they are not treated in an appropriate manner, it is clear this would be a ‘mitzvah through a transgression, which was not the intention of the sages in the mitzvah of Kapparot. Therefore it is incumbent on traders and those fulfilling [the custom] to be especially strict in this regard.”

    Mealy mouthed cowardice — Appropriate manner? Care to elaborate? No? Let Animals Live gets to fill in the blanks. And publish op-eds and outrage!

    No I’m wrong. He really cares. He’s been thinking of the chickens for a long time now and was just fortunate that “Let Animals Live” came along seeking his esteemed halachic opinions. It’s just fuel for the fire. He’s a perfect political rabbi. This will go well.

    Do you know why he turns “to those accustomed to preserving the traditions of their fathers…” instead of to, you know, rabbonim – because rabbonim simply don’t take the chief rabbi of Israel very seriously.

  • Andrea Schonberger

    I am a professional pet sitter so to me it’s a mitzvah to treat all animals with kindness, including the ones we may eat or use for Kaporos. I have a pet lovebird and I’m quite capable of picking him up with both hands without hurting him or injuring his wings. Since a chicken is much larger it should be even easier to pick them up gently. Animals will respond nicely if they are treated with kindness.

  • just sayin

    the lady in the front looks like a gilgul from one of the kaporois — the flicked ones

  • to #1

    It’s hard to understand your point of view other than you’re upset about something. If you don’t like what the Rabbi said, then bring forth your own argument to counter his.

    • Citizen Berel

      Mr. having trouble understanding, there is nothing here to respod to unless you are referrring to an abstract treatment about whether the issur of tzar baalie chayim involved in the hachanos to a Jewish pratice make that practice an mitzvo (minhag?) habo min aveiora.

      The political beard didn’t actually say anything other than that the animals need be treated appropriately. And he expressed it as answer to political gotcha question from an evil group.

      The polical beard did not write a sourced response that merits and could be subject to any sort of analysis and argument. It was pure cowardly polical posturing.

  • Rambam

    To Citizen Berel:

    Didn’t the Rambam say that just because someone is wrong in some ways, we cannot assume that he is wrong in everything? Terrible that he supported the eviction of Jews from their homes. But, does that mean that he should be “consistent” and remain silent if the allegations of cruelty to animals are true?

    • Citizen Berel

      Hello, Mr. Rambam:

      I am going to be very gentle when I say that THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH CHICKENS.

      It has to do with a group call “Let Animals Live” who went to a politician for quotable ‘statement’ with which to malign icky icky charedim what do icky icky things that are against even their outdated quaint religion.

      There is a war against charedim (read: frum yidden) in Eretz Yisroel going on right now, and this political beard just gave the bad guys a treasure trove of ammunition all the while assuring that he is ‘one of the good ones.’

      Please. The polical beard is not any more versed in hilchos tzar balei chaim or in Rambam generally than the hundreds of rabbonim who engage in this practice year after year after year after year.

      This is not a man who is speaking out against anything. It’s a political beard responding to politcal gotcha question with fail.

      Don’t miss the point. This has nothing to do with chickens, not for the polical beard and not for ‘Let Animals Live.’

  • I sort of agree

    Being gentle with animals is a mitzvah. I know that Chabad families handle the chicken with care when encircling their head. I’ve never seen anyone literally swing the chick’s legs to the hilt – stretching their ligaments… but if it happened, it is wrong. The nicest cleanest way is for the father to raise the chicken with both hands, letting the chicken cradle in his palms.
    From Chicken Little

  • TORONTO WILL NOT HAVE LIVE CHICKENS THIS YEAR

    First time in history. Chai Kosher folded up. All the people, down south and up north, will have to use money in an envelope. Pity. So what? Toronto has such a huge frum community without ONE LIVE CHICKEN, yet Montreal, out neighbours will continue going to the shlacht-house.