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pidyon haben

alt. (context Judaism English) A ceremony in which a firstborn son is redeemed by a kohen, in order to release him from his obligation from serving in the Temple. n. (context Judaism English) A ceremony in which a firstborn son is redeemed by a kohen, in order to release him from his obligation from serving in the Temple.

pidyon haben

alt. (context Judaism English) (alternative spelling of pidyon haBen English) n. (context Judaism English) (alternative spelling of pidyon haBen English)

Wikipedia
Pidyon haben

The pidyon haben or redemption of the first-born son

  • Eugene Joseph Cohen (1984), Guide to ritual circumcision and redemption of the first-born son, Volume 1: "The Redemption of the First-Born - A mother's first-born is to be dedicated to the service of God, in accordance with the verse, "Sanctify the first-born who opens the womb." This sanctification was the result of an historical event."
  • Michele Klein (2000), A Time to Be Born: Customs and Folklore of Jewish Birth, page 224: "They have attributed healing properties to the stick. 54 REDEMPTION OF THE FIRST-BORN SON A first child has special significance for both parents, and this was as true in biblical times as today, but then only when the child was male"
  • Mark Washofsky (2001), Jewish living: a guide to contemporary reform practice, page 148: "Redemption of the First-born Son (Pidyon Haben) - In Jewish tradition, the first-born son is to be "redeemed" from God. This originates in the belief that God "acquired" the Israelite first-born by sparing them from makkat bekhorot"
  • Ruth Langer (2005), To Worship To Worship God Properly: Tensions Between Liturgical Custom and Halakhah in Judaism (Monographs of the Hebrew Union College Series), page 73 ("Redemption of the First Born").<!--

--> is a mitzvah in Judaism whereby a Jewish firstborn son is "redeemed" by use of silver coins from his birth-state of sanctity.

The redemption is attained by giving five silver coins to a Kohen (a patrilineal descendant of the priestly family of Aaron).