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סֵדֶר פִּדְיוֹן כַּפָּרוֹת

The custom, the steps and the full text — before Yom Kippur, according to the Ashkenazi custom and the Sephardi and Eastern communities' custom

Kapparot is customarily performed at dawn on the eve of Yom Kippur

About the Custom

Jews have for generations performed "Kapparot" on the eve of Yom Kippur — a symbolic custom meant to awaken the heart to repentance: an object (a chicken or a sum of money) is swung over the head, and with a recitation we express the wish that the judgment be transferred to the object and not to the person; the object itself (the meat or the value of the money) is given to charity.

Kapparot is performed separately for each member of the household — a rooster for men and boys, a hen for women and girls, and for a pregnant woman both a rooster and a hen. Today it is very common to keep the custom with a sum of money instead of an animal, and to donate it directly to those in need.

The Steps

  1. Choosing the object
    For a man or boy — a rooster. For a woman or girl — a hen. Alternatively, a sum of money (as the value of a chicken, usually about 30–40 ₪ per person).
  2. Holding the object
    Hold the chicken or the money in your hand.
  3. Reciting the verses
    Say the opening verses (see the full text below, according to the Ashkenazi or Sephardi custom).
  4. Swinging over the head
    Swing the object 3 times over the head, and with each swing say "זֶה חֲלִיפָתִי, זֶה תְּמוּרָתִי, זֶה כַּפָּרָתִי..." ("This is my substitute, this is my exchange, this is my atonement...").
  5. Repeating three times
    Repeat the swinging and the recitation three times in total (9 swings in all) — and do this separately for each member of the household.
  6. Conclusion — charity
    Chicken: sent for kosher slaughter, and its meat (or its value) is given to charity. Money: donated directly to those in need.

The Full Text

Which object are you using for Kapparot?

Hold the chicken and say: Hold the money and say:

בְּנֵי אָדָם יוֹשְׁבֵי חֹשֶׁךְ וְצַלְמָוֶת אֲסִירֵי עֳנִי וּבַרְזֶל. יוֹצִיאֵם מֵחֹשֶׁךְ וְצַלְמָוֶת וּמוֹסְרוֹתֵיהֶם יְנַתֵּק. אֱוִלִים מִדֶּרֶךְ פִּשְׁעָם וּמֵעֲוֹנֹתֵיהֶם יִתְעַנּוּ. כָּל אֹכֶל תְּתַעֵב נַפְשָׁם וַיַּגִּיעוּ עַד שַׁעֲרֵי מָוֶת. וַיִּזְעֲקוּ אֶל ה' בַּצַּר לָהֶם מִמְּצֻקוֹתֵיהֶם יוֹשִׁיעֵם. יִשְׁלַח דְּבָרוֹ וְיִרְפָּאֵם וִימַלֵּט מִשְּׁחִיתוֹתָם. יוֹדוּ לַה' חַסְדּוֹ וְנִפְלְאוֹתָיו לִבְנֵי אָדָם. אִם יֵשׁ עָלָיו מַלְאָךְ מֵלִיץ אֶחָד מִנִּי אָלֶף לְהַגִּיד לְאָדָם יָשְׁרוֹ. וַיְחֻנֶּנּוּ וַיֹּאמֶר פְּדָעֵהוּ מֵרֶדֶת שַׁחַת מָצָאתִי כֹפֶר.

Swing it 3 times over the head, and with each swing say:

זֶה חֲלִיפָתִי, זֶה תְּמוּרָתִי, זֶה כַּפָּרָתִי. זֶה הַתַּרְנְגוֹל יֵלֵךְ לְמִיתָה, וַאֲנִי אֵלֵךְ לְחַיִּים טוֹבִים אֲרֻכִּים וּלְשָׁלוֹם.

אֵלּוּ הַמָּעוֹת חֲלִיפָתִי, אֵלּוּ הַמָּעוֹת תְּמוּרָתִי, אֵלּוּ הַמָּעוֹת כַּפָּרָתִי. אֵלּוּ הַמָּעוֹת יֵלְכוּ לִצְדָקָה, וַאֲנִי אֵלֵךְ לְחַיִּים טוֹבִים אֲרֻכִּים וּלְשָׁלוֹם.

Repeat the swinging and the declaration three times in total.

It is customary to begin with a short Kabbalistic text, and say:

לְשֵׁם יִחוּד קֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּשְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ, בִּדְחִילוּ וּרְחִימוּ, לְיַחֲדָא שֵׁם י"ה בְּו"ה בְּיִחוּדָא שְׁלִים בְּשֵׁם כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל.

הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי בָּא לַעֲשׂוֹת כַּפָּרָה זוֹ לְתַקֵּן אֶת אֲשֶׁר שִׁחַתִּי בִּמְקוֹר הָעֶלְיוֹן. לָכֵן יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהַי וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתַי, שֶׁתְּהֵא שָׁעָה זוֹ עֵת רָצוֹן וְרַחֲמִים, אַתָּה תָקוּם תְּרַחֵם צִיּוֹן כִּי עֵת לְחֶנְנָהּ כִּי בָא מוֹעֵד, כְּשֶׁיִבָּנֶה בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ בִּמְהֵרָה בְּיָמֵינוּ, נַעֲשֶׂה שָׁם שָׂעִיר הַמִּשְׁתַּלֵּחַ כַּמִשְׁפָּט, וּשְׂעִירֵי עִזִּים נַעֲשֶׂה בְּרָצוֹן, וּבַעֲבוֹדַת בֵּית הַמִּקְדָשׁ נִשְׂמַח כֻּלָּנוּ. יִרְאוּ עֵינֵינוּ וְיִשְׂמַח לִבֵּנוּ. יִהְיוּ לְרָצוֹן אִמְרֵי פִי וְהֶגְיוֹן לִבִּי לְפָנֶיךָ יְהֹוָה צוּרִי וְגוֹאֲלִי:

Then say the verses "בְּנֵי אָדָם יוֹשְׁבֵי חֹשֶׁךְ" ("Those who sat in darkness...", as in the Ashkenazi text above), and sometimes additional verses from Psalms 107 are added before them, together with "וִיהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ" ("May it be Your will"), asking that the act be considered a true atonement.

Swing it 3 times over the head, and with each swing say:

זֶה חֲלִיפָתִי, זֶה תְּמוּרָתִי, זֶה כַּפָּרָתִי. זֶה הַתַּרְנְגוֹל יֵלֵךְ לְמִיתָה, וַאֲנִי אֶכָּנֵס וְאֵלֵךְ לְחַיִּים טוֹבִים.

אֵלּוּ הַמָּעוֹת חֲלִיפָתִי, אֵלּוּ הַמָּעוֹת תְּמוּרָתִי, אֵלּוּ הַמָּעוֹת כַּפָּרָתִי. אֵלּוּ הַמָּעוֹת יֵלְכוּ לִצְדָקָה, וְאֶכָּנֵס וְאֵלֵךְ לְחַיִּים טוֹבִים.

Repeat the swinging and the declaration three times in total — the main difference from the Ashkenazi version is the extended Kabbalistic opening, while the "This is my substitute" formula itself is similar in both customs.

Information and texts courtesy of Chabad House ו־kaparot.org.il · Before performing the custom, consult a rabbi for your community's exact customs.