Q. On question 1450 the Rav mentioned that you cant use the image of a live chicken on a cell phone for kapparot. Can you instead, just name the fellow doing the kappara as your shaliach and agent for this mitzva?
A. Otzar Michtevei Kodesh (Bialer Rebbeh – 1: 23) maintains than in need, a husband can become a shaliach to do kapparos for his wife.
However, on Kovetz Halochos (23: 10: n. 16) Horav Shmuel Kamenetzki Shlita writes that although for korbanos in general a shaliach is acceptable, kapparos are different. Unlike a korban, the sacrificing of the fowl does not redeem by itself any sins at all. The main reason for kapparos rests on one taking note and focusing on that what occurs to the bird, should be actually happening to him. That thought should awaken on him the will to do teshuva (Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 131: 1), therefore there is no benefit on someone else performing the kapparos. (Although Ramban quotes that same reason for korbanos, it is only an added rational to other issues).
Ashrei Hoish (O.H. 3: 17: 11) quotes a similar ruling from Horav Eliahiv ztl).
(Ezras Torah Luach mentions that a shaliach is acceptable).
Horav Shlomo Millers Shlita opinion is that it is better to do kapparos with money yourself, than with a chicken using a shaliach.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlita
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