Kapparot Online

It is an ancient Jewish custom to fulfill the mitzvah of “kapparot” on Yom-Kippur eve as a remedy for a good and sweet year.

The original custom is to perform this procedure by means of a rooster or hen while reciting a special prayer, after which the slaughtered birds are donated to the poor.

You can do this through the Internet, by donating a certain amount of money instead.

The Kapparot Prayer:
People who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, chained by destitution and iron.
Remove them from the darkness and the shadow of death and break their chains.
The silly, because of their sinful paths and their iniquities, were distressed.
They loathed all food and they reached the gates of death.
And in their distress they cried out to Hashem and from their misery He saved them.
He sent His word and healed them, and allowed them to evade their destruction.
Let them thank Hashem for His benevolence and His wonders to people.
If there will be for someone but a single defending angle out of a thousand to declare a man’s decency on his behalf, then He will be gracious to him and say, “Redeem him from descending to the grave; I have found atonement.

The text below is said three times:
This is my exchange, this is my substitute, this is my atonement. This money will go to charity (or: this rooster will go to the death), and I will go to a good and long life and to peace.

Circling the head

When this mitzvah is performed with money, one circles the coins three times around one’s head.
After this, one may redeem the coins by a credit-card on-line contribution at the site.