Question:
Where do we learn from the practice of a Pidyon Haben and what are the relevant Halachos?
Answer: This Mitzvah is based on the posuk בְּכוֹר בָּנֶיךָ תִּתֶּן לִּי “the firstborn of your sons you shall give Me” and וְכֹל בְּכוֹר אָדָם בְּבָנֶיךָ תִּפְדֶּה “and every firstborn of man among your sons, you shall redeem”. It is considered a mitzvah deoraisah
The idea behind the mitzvah is to redeem the firstborn of his innate kedusha as the posuk says “קַדֶּשׁ־לִי כָל־בְּכוֹר פֶּטֶר כָּל־רֶחֶם בִּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּאָדָם וּבַבְּהֵמָה לִי הוּא”. The kedusha is a result of Hashem killing the Egyptian firstborns and saving the Jewish firstborns. Nonetheless, even before the pidyon haben the baby isn’t forbidden from benefit. Another explanation is that we have a mitzvah with our first offspring to recognize that everything is from Hashem.
The mitzvah of Pidyon Haben only applies to the male firstborn from the first pregnancy of a mother, even if it isn’t the firstborn to the father, such as if he has children from a previous marriage. Similarly, if she has children already, there would not be a pidyon haben
If the mother previously gave birth or had a miscarriage there is no mitzvah on the next child.Certain cases of miscarriage exempt the next child from pidyon haben and some don’t depending on the stage at which the miscarriage occurred.
Kohanim and Levim are exempt from Pidyon Haben. This if the father is a kohen or levi, or if the mother is the daughter of a Cohen or Levi, the child is also exempt from Pidyon HaBen.
A firstborn who had Cesarean birth (C-section) is exempt from pidyon haben.
The principle obligation of the mitzvah falls on the father. If the father fails to fulfill his obligation, the obligation is transferred to the son to redeem himself when he becomes the age of Bar Mitzvah (13 years old). The mother has no obligation to redeem her son. If she did, after the fact it is effective, unless she took her husband’s money against his will.
The obligation of pidyon never expires. Thus, if a boy wasn’t redeemed as a baby, and is already 20 years old when he becomes religious, he still must redeem himself.
An orphaned firstborn, according to most authorities should redeem himself when he reaches the age of Bar Mitzvah. However, some authorities hold that Beis Din should redeem him as a child by gifting to him the coins. Lastly, some authorities hold that the Beis Din should redeem the child (on condition that it should be effective if the child doesn’t do it himself later on) when he’s still a child and then when the child grows up he should redeem himself and both should be done without a Brocha.
If the father is non-Jewish, some say that the son should perform the Pidyon Haben on himself when he becomes the age of Bar Mitzvah and some say that the Beis Din should perform the Pidyon HaBen on the baby’s behalf.
It is not absolutely necessary to have a minyan at a pidyon haben, however, it is proper to have a minyan and to publicize this mitzvah.
Before the pidyon, the father should have kavana that he is fulfilling a positive commandment from the Torah of redeeming his eldest son.
The practice is to give the baby to the kohen to hold and the kohen asks the father if he’s a kohen or levi and the father answers no. Then the kohen asks if it is a firstborn and the father answers yes. Then the kohen asks whether he would rather your firstborn or five sela’im obligated to use to redeem your firstborn and the father answers I want my firstborn son. This should be done in a language that the parties involved understand. The kohen also asks the mother if she’s the daughter or a kohen or levi and she says no. Then the kohen asks if the baby is a firstborn and she responds yes.
The father recites the brocha of “asher kideshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al pidyon haben” and shehecheyanu and then gives the coins to the kohen. The father should not hand the money over before finishing the brocha.
As he gives the coins, the father says this is for the redemption of my son and the kohen responds that I received these coins on behalf of the redemption. Then the kohen places the coins over the son’s head and says that these are for your son.
The kohen proceeds to bless the baby with the pesukim of birkas kohanim and a yehei ratzon. Then the kohen makes a hagefen on the wine and drinks a little. Sephardim have the custom to make a brocha on besamim, while Ashkenazim do not.
Some then have the custom to recite another brocha of asher kidesh ubar bim’ei imo without shem u’malchut.According to Sephardim, the primary halacha is that one give the equivalent of 90 grams of pure silver, but it’s preferable to give the equivalent of 93 grams. According to Ashkenazim, one should give the equivalent of 96 grams of pure silver and the minhag is to give 100 grams.
One does not necessarily need to give silver coins; he could give that value in merchandise as well, but not with land or documents. According to many poskim, our paper money or coins should not be used since they lack inherent value. Others are lenient. Therefore, it is best to use silver coins.
One cannot write a check for the requisite amount to fulfill pidyon haben.
When the father gives the money to the kohen, he should give it wholeheartedly, without the expectation that he will be getting the money back. If the kohen then decides on his own to give the money back, the father is permitted to take it. If the father did, incorrectly, stipulate that he is giving the money on condition that he receive the money back, that pidyon is nevertheless valid but only if the kohen was aware of this condition. |