Pidyon HaBen – An Overview

By Rabbi Yair Hoffman

What is Pidyon HaBen?

Pidyon HaBen (פדיון הבן) means “redemption of the son.” It is a mitzvah from the Torah where parents redeem their firstborn son by giving money to a Kohen. This comes from the psukim “the firstborn of your sons you shall give Me” and “every firstborn of man among your sons, you shall redeem” (Shmos 22:28, 13:13).

The Spiritual Significance

The idea behind this mitzvah is to redeem the firstborn son from his innate kedushuh (holiness). According to the Rambam in Bikkurim 11:1, this is a biblical positive commandment. The kedushuh comes from when Hashem killed the Egyptian firstborns during makas bechoros (plague of the firstborns) but saved the Jewish firstborns.

How Rare Are Pidyon HaBen Ceremonies?

Believe it or not, Pidyon HaBen ceremonies are actually quite rare, occurring in approximately only 1 out of 13 Jewish births! This rarity comes from the many factors that must align for a Pidyon HaBen to be required.

The Statistical Breakdown

Let’s break down the math and halochuh behind this:

• First, Orthodox Jewish families have about 4.1 children on average according to the 2020 Pew Research Center study. Since Pidyon HaBen is only done for male children, we’re already at 1 out of 8.2 births.
• Next, babies born by C-section don’t require a Pidyon HaBen. With primary C-section rates in the US at about 20.6% according to the CDC, our ratio becomes 1 out of 10.33 births.
• Then we need to consider miscarriages. If a mother’s first pregnancy ended in miscarriage after a certain point of development, her next child doesn’t need a Pidyon HaBen. Rav Moshe Feinstein ruled that a Pidyon HaBen with a brochuh is permitted if the miscarriage happened before ten weeks. Since about 6% of pregnancies miscarry after ten weeks, we’re now at 1 in 11 births.
• Finally, if the child’s father is a Kohen or Levi, or if the mother is a daughter of a Kohen or Levi, no Pidyon HaBen is needed. Kohanim and Levi’im make up about 8% of the Jewish population, bringing us to our final estimate of 1 in 13 births.

Rule of Thumb: Take the average family size and multiply by 3.2 to estimate how rare Pidyon HaBen ceremonies are.

When Do You Need a Pidyon HaBen?

Not every baby boy needs a Pidyon HaBen. Here are the rules:

Must Be the Firstborn of the Mother

The mitzvah only applies to the male firstborn from the mother’s first pregnancy. It doesn’t matter if the father already has children from another marriage. If the mother already has children, even if this is the father’s first child, there’s no Pidyon HaBen.

If the mother previously gave birth or had a miscarriage, there’s no mitzvah for the next child (Shulchan Aruch YD 305:22). For questions about miscarriages at different stages, you should ask your rov.

Interesting Case: Two Uteruses

In a rare case where a woman has two rechems uteruses (a medical condition called uterus didelphys), and she already had a child from one uterus, the first child born from the second uterus would require a Pidyon HaBen according to Rav Elyashiv who told this to Rav Dovid Morgenstern (See Assay 113-114 p. 115) Some sau that since this is not a simple case, the Pidyon HaBen should be done without a brochuh.

Must Be a Yisroel

Kohanim and Levi’im are exempt from Pidyon HaBen. If either the father is a Kohen or Levi, or if the mother is the daughter of a Kohen or Levi, the child is exempt (Shulchan Aruch YD 305:18).

Must Be a Natural Birth

A firstborn delivered by Cesarean section (C-section) is exempt from Pidyon HaBen. Any later children would also be exempt, even if they’re born naturally (Shulchan Aruch YD 305:24).

A baby born with an episiotomy (a surgical cut to widen the birth canal) still needs a Pidyon HaBen according to Har Tzvi YD 248. A baby born with vacuum assistance still needs a Pidyon HaBen, but there’s a debate about forceps deliveries. For such cases, ask your rov.  A child born through IVF or other artificial methods needs a Pidyon HaBen

Whose Job Is It?

The main obligation falls on the father. If the father doesn’t do it, the son must redeem himself when he becomes Bar Mitzvah at age 13 (Shulchan Aruch YD 305:15).

The mother has no obligation to redeem her son, but if she did, it works – unless she took her husband’s money against his will (Pidyon Haben Kehilchaso 1:9).

The obligation never expires. Even if a person becomes religious at age 20 and wasn’t redeemed as a baby, he still must redeem himself.

For an orphan, most poskim say he should redeem himself at Bar Mitzvah, but some say Beis Din should do it while he’s still young.

How to Do a Pidyon HaBen

The Ceremony

While you don’t absolutely need a minyan, it’s good to have one to publicize the mitzvah.

The custom is:

1. The father gives the baby to the Kohen to hold
2. The Kohen asks if the father is a Kohen or Levi (father says no)
3. The Kohen asks if this is a firstborn (father says yes)
4. The Kohen asks if the father wants his son or the five sela’im coins required for redemption
5. The father answers he wants his son
6. The Kohen asks the mother similar questions
7. The father makes the brochuh “asher kideshanu b’mitzvosav v’tzivanu al pidyon haben” and shehecheyanu
8. The father gives the coins to the Kohen, saying “This is for the redemption of my son”
9. The Kohen places the coins over the baby’s head and says they’re for the son
10. The Kohen blesses the baby with birkas kohanim
11. The Kohen makes a brachahon wine and drinks some

The Money

According to Sephardim, one must give the equivalent of 90-93 grams of pure silver. Ashkenazim give 96-100 grams (Yalkut Yosef YD 305:42).

You should use silver coins with actual value, not paper money or checks. When the father gives the money, he should give it wholeheartedly without expecting it back. If the Kohen decides on his own to return the money afterward, that’s okay.

The Seudah (Meal)

It’s customary to make a festive meal for a Pidyon HaBen. This is considered a seudas mitzvah. According to the Chida, eating at a Pidyon HaBen meal is like fasting for 84 days!

Some have the custom to do the meal before the pidyon, while others do it after.

Choosing a Kohen

Ideally, choose a talmid chochom (Torah scholar) as your Kohen. But if you can’t find one, use any Kohen rather than waiting. If you have a relative who’s a Kohen, you can choose him to avoid hurt feelings, even if he’s not a scholar.

The child should be redeemed from a male Kohen, not a female Kohenes. Some poskim say you shouldn’t use a Kohen who publicly desecrates Shabbos.

When to Do the Pidyon HaBen

The Pidyon HaBen must be done after 30 days from birth, on the 31st day. This includes both the day of birth and the day of the pidyon. For example, if the baby is born on Monday, the pidyon would be on Wednesday four weeks later.

Timing Differences:

• Ashkenazim wait until 29 days and 12.75 hours have passed from the birth.
• Sephardim hold that the Pidyon is on the 31st day even before that exact time passes.

Night or Day?

Ashkenazim don’t usually perform a Pidyon HaBen at night. Sephardim allow it even at night.

Special Situations

Hospital Cases

If the baby is in the hospital when the pidyon should take place, don’t delay it. Perform the pidyon on time without the baby present.

Shabbos and Holidays

A Pidyon HaBen shouldn’t be performed on Shabbos or Yom Tov. If the 31st day falls on Shabbos, the pidyon is postponed until Motzaei Shabbos. If it falls on Yom Tov, wait until after Yom Tov.

Other Special Times

• Fast Days: If the 31st day falls on a fast day, some say to push it off until nighttime, while others say to do it during the day and just delay the meal.
• Erev Pesach: Ideally do it at night or early in the morning before chometz becomes prohibited.
• Nine Days: Meat may be eaten at a Pidyon HaBen, but people shouldn’t attend just to eat meat.
• Tisha B’Av: Some say to do it near the end of the day and have the meal after the fast, while others say to wait until after Tisha B’Av.
• Permitted Times: A pidyon haben can be done on Purim and during Chol HaMoed.

The author can be reached at [email protected]