Chapter 164 : Chapter 164 The Redemption of The Firstborn

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§1

It is a positive mitzvah incumbent on every Jewish man to redeem his son from a kohein, if his son is the mother's firstborn child. This is done by giving the kohein five selaim. Our coinage must be of sufficient value, so that their sum equals five and one-third loit of refined silver.¹This is an old measure. In todays measure it is 96 grams or its equivilent at the time of the Redemption. When old coins are going to be used, their silver content must be verified. You may give the kohein even other articles of that value, but not real property or notes. Therefore you may not redeem your son with paper money. It is customary to make a feast when performing this mitzvah.

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§2

If you told a particular kohein that you will redeem your son from him, you are forbidden to retract your word, but if you did retract and redeemed him from another kohein, the redemption is valid.

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§3

You cannot redeem the firstborn before he is fully thirty days old, and on the thirty-first day you should redeem him immediately, and not postpone the performance of the mitzvah. You may not redeem him on Shabbos or Yom Tov,²Because it is similar to buying and selling, which is forbidden on Shabbos and Yom Tov. (Shach 305:12, Rivash, Responsa 152) but you may redeem him on Chol Hamoed.³Ramah 305:11. It is customary to do the redemption during the daytime. However, if the thirty-first day has passed, and you have not yet redeemed the infant, or if that day is on Shabbos or Yom Tov or on a fast day, you should redeem him immediately on the following night, and not wait until the next day, thus, further postponing the mitzvah.

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§4

The father brings the firstborn before the kohein and informs him that the infant is the firstborn to his mother, who is an Israelite (i.e. she is not the daughter of a kohein or Levi). He brings the money, or goods worth five selaim, and places it before the kohein, and says to the kohein, "This is my firstborn son," etc. and then places the infant before the kohein. The kohein asks him, "What would you rather," etc., and the father responds, "I want to redeem my son," etc. While the father still holds the coins in his hand, before giving them to the kohein, he recites the berachah: Asher kideshanu bemitzvosav vetzivanu al pidyon habben "Who has sanctified us with His commandments, and has commanded us concerning redemption of the firstborn son." He also recites the berachah, Shecheyanu, and then immediately gives the coins to the kohein. The kohein takes the money, and revolves it over the child's head, and says, Zeh tachas zeh etc. "This (money) instead of this (child)." Afterwards he places his hand on the boy's head and blesses him, saying, Yesimcha Elokim etc. "May God make you etc;" Yevarechechah Hashem Veyishmerechah, May God bless you and keep you; Ki orech yomim ushnos chaim etc. "For length of days and years of life," etc. Adonoy Yisumarchah mikol rah etc. "God shall guard you from all evil" etc.). Thereafter the kohein recites a berachah over a cup of wine. If no wine is available, he may recite a berachah over some other beverage which is commonly used in the region. But if so, the redemption should take place before the hands are washed for the meal, for during the meal, it is not permitted to recite a berachah over any beverage (other than wine). This is not the case when there is wine, for then the redemption takes place after the Hamotzi has been recited over the bread.

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§5

If the father is not with his son, he may redeem his son from a kohein wherever he is. In such an event he says to the kohein, "I have a firstborn son to redeem," whereupon the kohein inquires: "What would you rather," etc.

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§6

The Turei Zahav gives a reason for the custom of having the kohein return all the redemption money or part of it to the father, (and [even] this requires further deliberation). He who desires to perform the mitzvah properly, should choose a kohein who is poor, who is learned in Torah and is God-fearing, and both the father and the kohein should agree that the money is not to be returned,⁴If the father had in mind that the kohein will return it but the kohein was not aware of it, the redemption is invalid, even if the kohein returns the money. or else the father should give it explicitly as a gift on condition that the kohein return it to him.

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§7

The mother is not obligated to redeem her son; and if the father has died, the Beis Din (Jewish court) redeems him.

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§8

If the father violated the law, and did not redeem his son, or if the father died and the Beis Din failed to redeem him, he himself is obligated to redeem himself when he becomes Bar Mitzvah, at which time he recites the berachah, Asher kideshanu bemitzvosav vetzivanu al pidyon bechor "Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us concerning the redemption of the firstborn." He also recites the berachah, Shehecheyanu.

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§9

Kohanim and Levites are exempt from redeeming their firstborn sons. Even if the daughter of a kohein or a Levite is married to an Israelite, the son is exempt from redemption. If the daughter of a kohein had sexual relations with a non-Jew and has become pregnant from him, or even if she had thereafter become pregnant from a legal marriage, the son must be redeemed, for his mother was disqualified from the kehunah (priesthood) by having cohabitation with a non-Jew. (This also applies to any illicit cohabitation through which his mother's priesthood is profaned.)

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§10

If a woman had a miscarriage and thereafter has given birth to a viable child, a Rav should be consulted (regarding his redemption).