Pidyon Haben
Crash Course of the Jewish Lifecycle
For first born boys, this is a special milestone. But why do we redeem first born boys? What is the thought process behind it?
Who needs to do a pidyon haben?
It is a mitzvah for a father to redeem his son who is a first born from a Jewish wife.[1]
Shulchan Aruch YD 305:1
מצות עשה לפדות כל איש מישראל בנו שהוא בכור לאמו הישראלית בה' סלעים שהם ק"כ מעים שהם שלשים דרהמים כסף מזוקק:
Who cannot do a pidyon haben?
A children born via a caesarian birth or a child born afterwards does not have a pidyon haben.
Mishna, Bechoros 47b -A child born after a miscarriage does not have a pidyon haben.
Mishna, Bechoros 46a - Kohanim and Leviim are also exempted from pidyon haben on their children.
Mishna, Bechoros 13a - This is true even for a bas kohen or a bas levi.
TB Bechoros 47a - For a miscarriage, how far along must it be for the next child’s pidyon haben to be exempted?
The Shulchan Aruch[2] explains that if a woman miscarries after 40 days from conception, any child born after that is not obligated in a pidyon haben. Rav Schachter follows this even not to do a pidyon without a bracha.
When must it be done?
The pidyon haben can only take place after a month. is based on the pasuk Bamidbar 18:16
וּפְדוּיָו֙ מִבֶּן־חֹ֣דֶשׁ תִּפְדֶּ֔ה בְּעֶ֨רְכְּךָ֔ כֶּ֛סֶף חֲמֵ֥שֶׁת שְׁקָלִ֖ים בְּשֶׁ֣קֶל הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ עֶשְׂרִ֥ים גֵּרָ֖ה הֽוּא׃
Take as their redemption price, from the age of one month up, the money equivalent of five shekels by the sanctuary weight, which is twenty gerahs.
The question is – what is a month?
The Shulchan Aruch[3] explains that a pidyon haben must take place after 30 days. So the pidyon must take place on the 31st day. However, other poskim understand the month means the time it takes for a lunar cycle which is 29 days, 12 hours and 793 chalakim. The pidyon must be after this. To avoid this dispute, it is recommended to make the pidyon on the morning of the 31st day.
It should be done as soon as possible after one is allowed to do the pidyon.
S
M
T
W
Th
F
Sh
Baby Born! At 3:52pm
Day 30
Day 31
Who can it be done with?
The pidyon haben should be conducted with a kohen who is a respected kohen with no questions about his lineage and has not married a divorcee. The
How does the money work?
The Shulchan Aruch tells us it much be 5 selaim of silver which is 30 dirham. The dirham is a unit of weight which has different measurements ranging from 2.8-3.2 grams.
If it is 3.2 grams. The cost of the pidyon haben is 96 grams of silver. The silver price can be checked for current rates. When one uses coins, one must ensure that the coins are worth more than that amount of cash value.
Why is it 5 selaim?
The Torah tells us that is the money used to redeem the first borns in place of the Leviim.
Bamidbar 3:46
וְלָקַחְתָּ֗ חֲמֵ֧שֶׁת חֲמֵ֛שֶׁת שְׁקָלִ֖ים לַגֻּלְגֹּ֑לֶת בְּשֶׁ֤קֶל הַקֹּ֙דֶשׁ֙ תִּקָּ֔ח עֶשְׂרִ֥ים גֵּרָ֖ה הַשָּֽׁקֶל׃
take five shekels per head—take this by the sanctuary weight, twenty gerahs to the shekel—
Rashi explains that that was how much the brothers sold Yosef for and Yosef was the first born of his mother.
חמשת שקלים לגלגלת; כָּךְ הָיְתָה מְכִירָתוֹ שֶׁל יוֹסֵף, עֶשְׂרִים כֶּסֶף, שֶׁהָיָה בְּכוֹרָהּ שֶׁל רָחֵל (ב"ר פ"ד):
What is the format?
There is a dialogue between the father and the kohen:
This, my first born son,
is the first issue of his mother's womb,
and the Holy One, blessed is He
has commanded to redeem him,
as it is said:
And those that are to be redeemed of them,
from a month old shall you redeem them,
according to your estimation,
for the money of five silver shekalim,
of the shekel of the Sanctuary
which is equal to twenty geirah.
And it is said:
Sanctify unto me all the firstborn,
whatsoever opens the womb
among the Children of Israel,
both of man and of beast is Mine.
אִשזֶה בְּנִי בְּכוֹרִי
וְהוּא פֶּטֶר רֶחֶם לְאִמוֹ,
וְהַקָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא
צִוָה לִפְדוֹתוֹ,
שֶׁנֶאֱמַר,
וּפְדוּיָו
מִבֶּן חוֹדֶשׁ תִּפְדֶה
בְּעֶרְכְּךָ
כֶּסֶף חֲמֵשֶׁת שְׁקָלִים
בְּשֶׁקֶל הַקוֹדֶשׁ
עֶשְׂרִים גֵרָה הוּא.
וְנֶאֱמַר,
קַדֶשׁ לִי כָל בְּכוֹר
פֶּטֶר כָּל רֶחֶם
בִּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל
בָּאָדָם וּבַבְּהֵמָה, לִי הוּא:
Which do you prefer,
to give me your firstborn son
who is the first issue of his mother's womb,
or would you rather redeem him
for five shekalim,
as you are required to do by the Torah?
מַה בָּעִית טְפֵי
לִיתֵּן לִי בִּנְךָ בְּכוֹרֶךָ
שֶׁהוּא פֶּטֶר רֶחֶם לְאִמוֹ,
אוֹ בָּעִית לִפְדוֹתוֹ
בְּעַד חָמֵשׁ סְלָעִים
כְּדִמְחֻיַּבְתָּ מִדְאוֹרַיְיתָא:
I wish to redeem my son
and here is the value of his redemption
which I am required to give
according to the Torah.
חָפֵץ אֲנִי לִפְדוֹת אֶת בְּנִי
וְהֵילָךְ דְמֵי פִדְיוֹנוֹ
כְּדִמְחֻיַּבְתִּי
מִדְאוֹרַייְתָא:
Blessed are You, Adonoy
our God, King of the Universe,
Who sanctified us with His commandments
and commanded us concerning
the redemption of the [firstborn] son.
Blessed are You, Adonoy
our God, King of the Universe,
Who has kept us alive and sustained us
and brought us to this time.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָֹה
אֱלֺהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם,
אֲשֶׁר קִדְשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו
וְצִוּנוּ
עַל פִּדְיוֹן הַבֵּן:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָֹה
אֱלֺהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם,
שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְמָנוּ
וְהִגִיעָנוּ, לַזְמַן הַזֶה:
This is instead of that,
this is in exchange for that,
this is pardoned for that.
May this child enter into life,
into the [study of] Torah,
chupah [the nuptial canopy] and good deeds.
Amein.
זֶה תַּחַת זֶה
זֶה חִלּוּף זֶה
זֶה מָחוּל עַל זֶה.
וְיִכָּנֵס זֶה הַבֵּן לְחַיִּים,
לְתּוֹרָה
וּלְחֻפָּה וּלְמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים,
אָמֵן:
Why do we need the dialogue?
The Chut Hashani[4] explains that really the father does not have the choice. It is not like he can leave his child with the kohen. The reason this is done so the father understands what he is doing. If he thinks he is just giving a gift to the kohen without understanding the import of this process, it could render the process invalid. It needs to be with the will of the parents.
What if the baby has not had a bris yet?
The pidyon haben can and should be done before the bris in such a case.
Why does the Torah mandate a pidyon haben?
Idea 1 – The Mistake of the First Borns
Most basic idea we know is because Hashem told Moshe to redeem to the remaining Leviim for money since there was a surplus of Leviim to first borns.
Bamidbar 3:45-48
קַ֣ח אֶת־הַלְוִיִּ֗ם תַּ֤חַת כׇּל־בְּכוֹר֙ בִּבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאֶת־בֶּהֱמַ֥ת הַלְוִיִּ֖ם תַּ֣חַת בְּהֶמְתָּ֑ם וְהָיוּ־לִ֥י הַלְוִיִּ֖ם אֲנִ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃
Take the Levites in place of all the male first-born among the Israelite people, and the cattle of the Levites in place of their cattle; and the Levites shall be Mine, יהוה’s.
וְאֵת֙ פְּדוּיֵ֣י הַשְּׁלֹשָׁ֔ה וְהַשִּׁבְעִ֖ים וְהַמָּאתָ֑יִם הָעֹֽדְפִים֙ עַל־הַלְוִיִּ֔ם מִבְּכ֖וֹר בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
And as the redemption price of the 273 Israelite male first-born over and above the number of the Levites,
וְלָקַחְתָּ֗ חֲמֵ֧שֶׁת חֲמֵ֛שֶׁת שְׁקָלִ֖ים לַגֻּלְגֹּ֑לֶת בְּשֶׁ֤קֶל הַקֹּ֙דֶשׁ֙ תִּקָּ֔ח עֶשְׂרִ֥ים גֵּרָ֖ה הַשָּֽׁקֶל׃
take five shekels per head—take this by the sanctuary weight, twenty gerahs to the shekel—
וְנָתַתָּ֣ה הַכֶּ֔סֶף לְאַהֲרֹ֖ן וּלְבָנָ֑יו פְּדוּיֵ֕י הָעֹדְפִ֖ים בָּהֶֽם׃
and give the money to Aaron and his sons as the redemption price for those who are in excess.
Why are the first borns being replaced?
Rashi Bamidbar 3:13
ואני הנה לקחתי. וַאֲנִי מֵהֵיכָן זָכִיתִי בָהֶן מתוך בני ישראל שֶׁיִּהְיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל שׂוֹכְרִין אוֹתָן לְשֵׁרוּת שֶׁלִּי? עַ"יְ הַבְּכוֹרוֹת זָכִיתִי בָהֶם וּלְקַחְתִּים תְּמוּרָתָם. לְפִי שֶׁהָיְתָה הָעֲבוֹדָה בַּבְּכוֹרוֹת, וּכְשֶׁחָטְאוּ בָעֵגֶל נִפְסְלוּ, וְהַלְוִיִּם שֶׁלֹּא עָבְדוּ עֲ"זָ נִבְחֲרוּ תַחְתֵּיהֶם (עי' זבחים קי"ב):
This is seen as a result of their not taking action when Moshe needed leadership at the sin of the golden calf.
Shmos 32:26
וַיַּעֲמֹ֤ד מֹשֶׁה֙ בְּשַׁ֣עַר הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה וַיֹּ֕אמֶר מִ֥י לַיהֹוָ֖ה אֵלָ֑י וַיֵּאָסְפ֥וּ אֵלָ֖יו כׇּל־בְּנֵ֥י לֵוִֽי׃
Moses stood up in the gate of the camp and said, “Whoever is for יהוה, come here!” And all the men of Levi rallied to him.
Idea 2 – The First Borns in Egypt
The problem with this theory is that the command to redeem the first born this incident.
Shmos 13:2
קַדֶּשׁ־לִ֨י כׇל־בְּכ֜וֹר פֶּ֤טֶר כׇּל־רֶ֙חֶם֙ בִּבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בָּאָדָ֖ם וּבַבְּהֵמָ֑ה לִ֖י הֽוּא׃
“Consecrate to Me every male first-born; human and beast, the first [male] issue of every womb among the Israelites is Mine.”
This is just as Israel leaves Egypt. So why was there a command then?
Seforno, Bamidbar 3:13 – It was not as a function of the first borns sinning and the Leviim standing up. That was a once off problem which was solved in a once off trade. The redemption is as a function of Hashem killing all the first borns in Egypt and yet sparing the first borns of the Israelites, thereby sanctifying them for Him. That means there is a holiness imbued in them which would not allow them to be involved in mundane work unless redeemed.
ביום הכותי כל בכור בארץ מצרים הקדשתי לי כל בכור בישראל. אמנם במכת בכורות שהיו הבכורות ראויים ליענש בעון הדור מפני היותם היותר נכבדים ובהיותם בלתי ראוים להנצל ממכת מדינה כענין פן תספה בעון העיר. ואני הצלתים במה שהקדשתים לי בענין שיהיו אסורים להתעסק בעבודת הדיוט כמשפט כל הקדש שהוא אסור בגיזה ועבודה ולמען יהיו מותרים בזה הצרכתים פדיון, כמשפט כל הקדש היוצא לחולין כאמרו (ו) כל בכור בניך תפדה ולא בשביל זה הפדיון היו פטורים מן העבודה ועכשיו שחטאו מאסתים ולקחתי הלוים תחתיהם לפדיון והיו לי הלויים לעבודה:
If this is in fact the case, why do we celebrate the occasion? Surely it is a sad time when we remove holiness from such a child?
Rav Ya’akov Kamenetsky explains that indeed this is fitting. One of the primary distinctions between the Jews and non-Jews, is the relationship between holy and mundane To the non-Jewish world, spirituality may exist, but in a silo. To achieve in the spiritual realm, a non-Jew must completely sublimate the physical. Spiritual success may only be measured in some form of celibacy. However, the Jewish understanding is that the physical and spiritual are both necessary components of the human. In his every physical action, man has the ability to lift his sp. Rav Nachman of Breslov would say: some people eat so they may learn: I learn so that I may eat. Hashem sanctified the first borns as holy to bring them above the clutches of the destruction in Egypt, but living a totally Spiritual life, devoid of Physical activity , is not the way Hashem wanted man to be in this world. So, we rejoice as we make this redemption which allows the first born to be involved in activities of this world.
Idea 3 – The Gratitude for Success
The Sefer Hachinuch points out that it is not only the first-born Jewish boy that is redeemed; the Torah also requires the redemption of first-born donkeys and the sanctification and donation of first fruits and first-born kosher animals to the kohanim. A pattern emergees, that there can be a single explanation for the sanctification of anything first. Any success whether in produce, livestock, or children, may cause us to become overconfident, to claim ownership over our achievements. In response, the Torah commands us to give up or redeem the first of our success - to set the tone and remind us that our triumphs and defeats depend not on ourselves but Him.