Why pidyon haben

The mitzvah qualifies for the blessing Shehecheyanu to be recited - at a bris according to Ashkenazi custom Shehecheyanu is not said. The father brings the firstborn before the Cohen and the five Selaim of silver or its equivalent and informs him that the child is a firstborn, the first issue of the womb of his Israelite mother and says to him: "My Israelite wife has borne me this firstborn son. The Cohen asks him: "Which would you rather have - your firstborn son or the five selaim which you are obligated to give me for the redemption of this your firstborn son?

The father replies: "I want this, my firstborn son and here you have five sela'im which are required of me for the Redemption. Some observe the custom of preparing a festive meal in honor of the redemption of the firstborn.

If there is wine, the Redemption ceremony is performed during the meal after the blessing over bread. The Cohen recites a blessing over wine immediately after the Redemption. If there is no wine, the Redemption is performed before the meal and the Cohen recites a blessing over another beverage. Today, all Israelite male firstborns are redeemed in such a manner.

Who Needs to be Redeemed? A child born through a cesarean birth does not need to be 'redeemed'. If a daughter is born first, then no redemption of a subsequent male child is necessary. Who and When? How Much? Other Customs: The act of Pidyon Haben is one that inspires G-d's blessing to all who participate in the celebration of the mitzvah. They recite a formula in Hebrew meaning: "This is our first-born son, and the Holy One, blessed be God, has commanded us to redeem him.

And here is his redemption price, which we must give according to the Torah. The Kohein takes the money and hands the baby back to his parents. The parents recite two blessings,one regarding the mitzvah of pidyon haben the other the Shehecheyanu , to thank God for bringing them to this occasion. The Kohein places the money on the child's head and says: "This for that, this in commutation of that, this in remission of that.

The Priestly Benediction and the Kiddush over the wine, then conclude the ceremony. Birth Rituals. Live Baby Ceremonies Why mark a newborn's arrival? Live Some Meanings of Brit Milah The message to the one who is circumcised: The covenant involves pain and sacrifice as well as honor and sanctity.

When a male child, who is not a Cohen or a Levi, is naturally born of his mother's first pregnancy to a father not descended of Cohanim or Levim he must be "redeemed" by his father with the value of five biblical shekels, to be payed to a Cohen.

From Halachipedia. This is the approved revision of this page, as well as being the most recent. See also Shemot See, however, Seforno Shemot Chelkat Yaakov held that it should be done without a beracha.

Yalkut Yosef Sova Semachot vol. Nishmat Avraham vol 2. YD says that nowadays one must perform a pidyon. The Pitchei Teshuva YD quotes the Zichron Yosef who explains that the child should wait until he's the age of Bar Mitzvah so that he is obligated in the Mitzvah himself because as a child he's not obligated in the mitzvah and there's no even Chinuch for it because it's a one time mitzvah.

Minchat Chinuch has a doubt if a child did a pidyon haben for himself before he was bar mitzvah if it works since it comparable to paying off a debt, which doesn't depend on being of age for mitzvot. After the son has become bar mitzvah Pidyon Haben Kehilchato p. Minchat Chinuch maintains based on the Sefer HaChinuch that the mitzvah on the father continues to be the primary mitzvah.