The traditional ritual of “kaporos,” atonement, is mentioned in the writings of the Ari Z'al and the Sh'lah haKodosh. It is the custom on the morning of the eve of the Day of Atonement (or even a day before) to ritually slaughter a chicken as a symbol of atonement. It is customary for a male to use a rooster and a female to use a hen. According to some, the slaughtered chickens are given to the poor, but others hold that it is more appropriate to give them the value of the chickens rather than the actual chickens. If there is no possibility of observing the ritual of kaporos with live chickens, you may use money instead and present the money to the poor.
The following verses which introduce the ritual itself are taken from Psalms 107:10, 14, 17-21, and the last two verses are from Job 33:23,24. These verses portray the misery and affliction which man creates for himself through his disobedience to God. Though his path of sin leads to self-destruction, God stands ready to save him and heal him if he but cries out in true repentance.
בְּנֵי אָדָם, יֽשְׁבֵי חֽשֶׁךְ וְצַלְמָוֶת, אֲסִירֵי עֳנִי וּבַרְזֶל: יוֹצִיאֵם מֵחֽשֶׁךְ וְצַלְמָוֶת, וּמוֹסְרוֹתֵיהֶם יְנַתֵּק: אֱוִילִים מִדֶּֽרֶךְ פִּשְׁעָם, וּמֵעֲוֹנֹתֵיהֶם יִתְעַנּוּ: כָּל־אֹֽכֶל תְּתַעֵב נַפְשָׁם, וַיַּגִּֽיעוּ עַד־שַֽׁעֲרֵי־מָוֶת: וַיִּזְעֲקוּ אֶל־יְהֹוָה בַּצַּר לָהֶם, מִמְּצוּקוֹתֵיהֶם יוֹשִׁיעֵם: יִשְׁלַח דְּבָרוֹ וְיִרְפָּאֵם, וִימַלֵּט מִשְׁחִיתוֹתָם: יוֹדוּ לַיהֹוָה חַסְדּוֹ, וְנִפְלְאוֹתָיו לִבְנֵי אָדָם: אִם־יֵשׁ עָלָיו מַלְאָךְ מֵלִיץ אֶחָד מִנִּי־אָֽלֶף, לְהַגִּיד לְאָדָם יָשְׁרוֹ: וַיְחֻנֶּֽנּוּ, וַיֹּֽאמֶר, פְּדָעֵֽהוּ מֵרֶֽדֶת שַֽׁחַת, מָצָאתִי כֹֽפֶר: Children of men! Those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death bound in affliction and [chains of] iron. He brought them out from darkness, from the shadow of death, and their shackles, He broke. They are fools— because of their transgression and their iniquities— they cause their own affliction. All manner of food is abhorred by their soul, and they draw near until the gates of death. [Then] they cried out to Adonoy in their distress; from their anguish, He delivered them. He sends His word and heals them, and delivers them from destruction. Let them thank Adonoy for His kindness, and for His wonders to the children of man. If there be for him an angel, one interceding angel among a thousand, to vouch for man's uprightness; then [God] is gracious unto him, and says: “Redeem him from going down to the pit, I have found a ransom [for him.]”
A man should make the following declaration: (Each time you say, “This is my” revolve the rooster around your head)
זֶה חֲלִיפָתִי, זֶה תְּמוּרָתִי, זֶה כַּפָּרָתִי, זֶה הַתַּרְנְגוֹל יֵלֵךְ לְמִיתָה, וַאֲנִי אֶכָּנֵס וְאֵלֵךְ לְחַיִּים טוֹבִים אֲרוּכִים וּלְשָׁלוֹם: This is my exchange, this is my substitute, this is my atonement. This rooster shall go to its death, and I shall proceed to a good, long life and peace.
The entire sequence, beginning with “children of men” is repeated three times.
A woman makes the following declaration, following the procedure described above:
זֹאת חֲלִיפָתִי, זֹאת תְּמוּרָתִי, זֹאת כַּפָּרָתִי, זֹאת הַתַּרְנְגֽוֹלֶת תֵּלֵךְ לְמִיתָה, וַאֲנִי אֵלֵךְ וְאֶכָּנֵס לְחַיִּים טוֹבִים אֲרוּכִים וּלְשָׁלוֹם: This is my exchange, this is my substitute, this is my atonement. This hen shall go to its death, and I shall proceed to a good, long life and peace.
Repeat the entire sequence beginning “Children of men,” three times.
One who performs this ritual on behalf of a male makes the following declaration: (each time you say, “this is your,” revolve the rooster around the head)
זֶה חֲלִיפָתְךָ, זֶה תְּמוּרָתְךָ, זֶה כַּפָּרָתְךָ, זֶה הַתַּרְנְגוֹל יֵלֵךְ לְמִיתָה, וְאַתָּה תִּכָּנֵס וְתֵלֵךְ לְחַיִּים טוֹבִים אֲרוּכִים וּלְשָׁלוֹם: This is your exchange, this is your substitute, this is your atonement. This rooster shall go to it death, and you shall proceed to a good, long life and peace.
Repeat the entire sequence beginning “Children of men,” three times.
One who performs the ritual on behalf of a female makes the following declaration, following the procedure described above.
זֹאת חֲלִיפָתֵךְ, זֹאת תְּמוּרָתֵךְ, זֹאת כַּפָּרָתֵךְ, זֹאת הַתַּרְנְגֽוֹלֶת תֵּלֵךְ לְמִיתָה, וְאַתְּ תִּכָּנְסִי וְתֵלְכִי לְחַיִּים טוֹבִים אֲרוּכִים וּלְשָׁלוֹם: This is your exchange, this is your substitute this is your atonement. This hen shall go to its death and you shall proceed to a good, long life and peace.
A pregnant woman makes the following declaration: (Each time you say “These are our,” revolve the chickens around your head)
אֵֽלּוּ חֲלִיפוֹתֵֽינוּ, אֵֽלּוּ תְּמוּרוֹתֵֽינוּ, אֵֽלּוּ כַּפָּרוֹתֵֽינוּ, אֵֽלּוּ הַתַּרְנְגוֹלִים יֵלְכוּ לְמִיתָה וַאֲנַֽחְנוּ נִכָּנֵס וְנֵלֵךְ לְחַיִּים טוֹבִים אֲרוּכִים וּלְשָׁלוֹם: These are our exchanges, these are our substitutes, these are our atonements. These chickens shall go to their death and we shall proceed to a good, long life and peace.