The pidyon haben () or redemption of the first-born son is a mitzvah in Judaism whereby a Jewish firstborn son is "redeemed" by use of silver coins. Interpretations differ in what the firstborn son is to be redeemed from, ranging from being redeemed from their firstborn status, which was stigmatized after the Ten Plagues, or their obligation to serve as a priest.
The redemption is attained by paying five silver coins to a kohen (a patrilineal descendant of the priestly family of Aaron), on behalf of one's firstborn son.
Pidyon haben is a relatively rare ceremony. A family does not perform the ceremony if its firstborn is either a girl, or born by caesarian section, or preceded by a miscarriage, or if either grandfather is a kohen or a Levite.
Origin
In the Hebrew Bible the laws (see mitzvah) concerning the redemption of the first-born male are referred to in Exodus, Numbers and Leviticus:
The redemption price for firstborn non-Levites was set at 5 shekels:
The arakhin laws set the redemption price of different classes of people whose "value" was consecrated; the price for a male child under five years is similarly five shekels.
The Torah describes the Levite tribe (to which the priests belong) as having inherited the role of divine service which previously belonged to the firstborns:
According to the traditional rabbinic interpretation, even prior to the Exodus the priestly duties were reserved for the oldest son in each family.
The priesthood was given specifically to the kohanim (Aaron and his descendants), and at the same time it was instituted that the firstborn should be redeemed. The replacement of firstborns with Levites occurred following the golden calf episode, during that episode the Levites remained loyal to God.
Laws
The Shulchan Aruch states that when a Jewish woman gives birth to a firstborn male by natural means (i.e. a boy born vaginally and not by Caesarean section) then the child must be "redeemed". The father of the child must "redeem" the child from a known kohen representing the original Temple priesthood, for the sum of five silver shekels, or equivalent in country's currency (if it has silver currency of the correct weight).
This redemption ceremony is performed when at least thirty days have passed since the child's birth. If the 31st day falls on Shabbat or a festival, the redemption is delayed, because any sort of business transaction is not allowed on those days. The elapsed days are counted from sunset to sunset, and the day of birth counts as the first day. While the redemption could be performed immediately after dark on the 31st night, it is usually done the next day; but if the 31st day is a fast day, it is done the previous night, so that it can be accompanied by a festive meal. It is also possible to hold the ceremony on the 30th day itself, if it will be impossible to perform it the next day, so long as at least one synodic month has passed since the moment of birth.
If a first-born son reaches bar mitzvah age without having been redeemed, he is responsible for arranging the mitzvah himself as soon as possible.
Exemptions
Redemption is required for "the first to exit the womb" () so it is not performed if a daughter is born first. If a woman gives birth to a second son naturally when the first son was born by caesarean section, that child is not redeemed either. Also, a first-born male does not require redemption if his birth was preceded by an earlier miscarriage by the mother that occurred after the third month of pregnancy. However, if the miscarriage occurred during the first 40 days of pregnancy, redemption is required. If the previous miscarriage occurred after forty days, but before the fetus developed distinguishing characteristics, redemption of the first-born is still required, but the blessing said by the father is omitted.
The procedure does not apply when the father is a kohen or Levite, and does not normally apply when the mother is the daughter of one. The reason is that the Levites, as substitutes for the first-born, are pledged to minister and assist the kohanim in divine service, and cannot be redeemed from this service obligation.
The first-born son from a Levite's daughter is not redeemed (whether or not the father is Jewish). Similarly, the first-born son of a kohen's daughter, as long as the father is Jewish.
The poskim (rabbinic authorities) debate whether or not a first-born son who is a Jewish convert (whose biological mother is not considered to be his mother) or from a caesarean section has the laws of a bechor.