I have read one explanation of idol worshiping -misrepresenting a part as a Whole.
To me the main purpose of kaparot is a personal plea to G-d. Everything else is mere accessories, but like with any precept, there should be some practical application for people to mule over, otherwise it would be like theoretical study swimming.
Sure, there is nothing wrong with making kaparot on money, but when you hold something warm that is going to die instead of you, it makes everything more vivid. As I said before, when my daughter’s cat got hit by a car, our Rabbi said - if someone had to die, it'd better be a cat. Years later I lost my mom, and I would gladly use a substitute. In the same vein it would have more effect on you if you had to bring an animal you personally raised and offer it for your own sin, so you could go on. And its death would be on your consciousness thus keep reminding you to refrain from wrongdoing again
It would be a different story if we didn’t eat chicken, but we do and someone kills them anyway, so what are you mopping about? If not for our breeding these chicken wouldn't even live, and their agony is much shorter than most people's, G-d forbid.
Cruelty is yet another separate issue, which does not go away with the ban on religious practices, G-d forbid. If anything, the kaparot may help to reveal questionable attitudes, so we can enroll the boys in karate classes, or otherwise address the issue, including promoting "free range" etc.
To me the main purpose of kaparot is a personal plea to G-d.
Everything else is mere accessories, but like with any precept, there should be some practical application for people to mule over, otherwise it would be like theoretical study swimming.
Sure, there is nothing wrong with making kaparot on money, but when you hold something warm that is going to die instead of you, it makes everything more vivid. As I said before, when my daughter’s cat got hit by a car, our Rabbi said - if someone had to die, it'd better be a cat. Years later I lost my mom, and I would gladly use a substitute. In the same vein it would have more effect on you if you had to bring an animal you personally raised and offer it for your own sin, so you could go on. And its death would be on your consciousness thus keep reminding you to refrain from wrongdoing again
It would be a different story if we didn’t eat chicken, but we do and someone kills them anyway, so what are you mopping about? If not for our breeding these chicken wouldn't even live, and their agony is much shorter than most people's, G-d forbid.
Cruelty is yet another separate issue, which does not go away with the ban on religious practices, G-d forbid. If anything, the kaparot may help to reveal questionable attitudes, so we can enroll the boys in karate classes, or otherwise address the issue, including promoting "free range" etc.
However, you should not go overboard in your worship of humanity at the expense of character and strength training. You see, all the bullies, Nazis, and terrorists would love us to bring our children sissies, vegetarian, and pacifists.
http://video.foxnews.com/v/1198860094001/dsouza-obama-is-anti-capitalist/?playlist_id=86858
http://www.bookfinder4u.com/IsbnSearch.aspx?isbn=1596982764&mode=direct
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