Checklist for Pidyon Haben

1. General laws:

• It is the Mitzvah on the father to redeem his firstborn son.
• Firstborn: Verify that the firstborn son is indeed obligated in being redeemed [i.e. is the firstborn of his mother and was not preceded by another child or invalidating miscarriage, was born naturally and not through C-section, both the mother and father are Yisraeilim and not a Kohen or Levi that have not been invalidated.
• When: The redemption ceremony is to take place during daytime of the 31st day of birth, which is four weeks and two weekdays after the birth, so long as it does not fall on Shabbos or Yom Tov, and the child was not born by Bein Hashmashos, in which case the ceremony is to be pushed off to the next day.
• The redemption money: The father is commanded to give the Kohen the value of five Selaim to redeem his son. Practically, the simplest way of accomplishing the giving of the value of five Selaim to the Kohen is to give him an item that contains 103 g of silver. One can preorder from the silver store five coins made of silver, which contain a total of 103 g of silver. Alternatively, one can search for a Kohen who already owns the five silver coins, purchase it from him for its market value, and then return it to him as part of the Pidyon Haben. Technically, however, one may give the Kohen any item that its market value is equal to or more than the price of 103 g silver on that day, although the custom is to give an item that contains an actual 103 g of silver. One may not however give the Kohen a check, credit card payment, or even cash, whether bills or coins, unless the coins contain actual silver as stated above regarding the ability to use the silver dollar, which contains a very high percentage of actual silver.

2. The day of the Pidyon:

• Eating prior to the Pidyon Haben: The custom of many is at the very least not to eat a meal prior to the Pidyon. However, to eat a snack prior to the Pidyon is permitted according to all opinions. Despite the above letter of the law allowance [to eat a snack and according to many even a meal], it was customary of the original Chassidim [in times of Rishonim] to fast on the day of any Mitzvah which comes on occasion until the actual Mitzvah is performed. Accordingly, some are accustomed for the father of the newborn to fast until after the Pidyon.
• Melacha prior to the Pidyon Haben: It is disputed if the father of the newborn is forbidden to perform Melacha [i.e. haircut, bathing, etc ] on the day Pidyon until the Pidyon takes place, as is the law regarding any other time-dependent Mitzvah.
• Tachanun: Tachanun is recited on the day of a Pidyon Haben, including by the father of the newborn.
• Shabbos clothing: It is customary to dress the child in elegant clothing and to adorn him with jewelry of gold and silver. Likewise, the father and mother are to wear Shabbos clothing in honor and respect of the Pidyon Haben.
• Tallis & Tefillin: Unlike a Bris, it is not customary to wear Tallis and Tefillin by a Pidyin Haben.
• Minyan: It is proper for the Pidyon Haben to take place in the presence of a Minyan. However, if one is unable to get a Minyan, then one should not delay the Pidyon Haben due to this.
• Preparing the child: It is customary to dress the child in elegant clothing and to adorn him with jewelry of gold and silver.
• Silver platter: It is customary to place the elegantly dressed child on a silver platter upon entering him into the room in which the Pidyon Haben will take place.
• Standing versus sitting: When the Pidyon Haben ceremony takes place and the money is given from the hand of the father of the child to the hand of the Kohen, then the father is to be in a standing position. It is disputed if the Kohen is to be in a sitting or standing position.

3. Seder Pidyon Haben – The ceremony:

• Washing hands for the meal: When a meal is eaten by the ceremony, then if there is wine available, then the redemption procedure is done after beginning the meal [i.e. after washing hands for bread and reciting Hamotzi and sitting on the table and eating a Kezayis of bread.
• If there is no wine available, and hence a blessing of Shehakol needs to be recited over other beverages after the ceremony, then the Pidyon Haben ceremony is to be performed prior to the meal.
• Bringing the child for the Kohen: The father brings his firstborn son before the Kohen. Some Poskim  write that the child is to be placed in front of the Kohen and it is not necessary to place him on the lap of the Kohen. However, other Poskim write the child is to be placed in the hands of the Kohen.
• Bringing the money or its value: The father brings the money, or its equivalence, of five Selaim with him.
• When to pour the cup of wine, before or after the ceremony: This matter is disputed amongst the Poskim, with some ruling that the wine should already be poured in the cup before the redemption ceremony in order so it be prepared and ready for its blessing immediately after the redemption money is received by Kohen. Other Poskim , however, rule that the wine should only be poured after the redemption ceremony is complete and the redemption money is received by Kohen.
• The conversation that ensues between the father and Kohen: The father is then to tell the Kohen that the child is a first-born child to his Yisraeli mother and says in this wording “My Israelite wife has given birth to a firstborn son for me.” The Kohen then asks the father, “Which would you rather own, your firstborn son or the five Selaim that you must give in order to redeem this firstborn?” The father then replies, “I would like to keep my firstborn son, and thus please take five Selaim as the redemption money that I am obligated to give you.”
• Giving the money or its equivalent value to the Kohen: The father is to then stretch out his hand with the money in it to give it to the Kohen and recite the two blessings of “Al Pidyon Haben” and then say the blessing of Shehechiyanu, and then he is to give to the Kohen the five Selaim, or its equivalent value.
• Blessing over wine: Immediately after the recital of the blessings and giving the money to the hands of the Kohen, the Kohen, while still standing, recites the blessing of Borei Peri Hagafen over a cup of wine and is to then drink from the wine.
• Who drinks the wine: The Kohen who recites the blessing of Borei Peri Hagafen is to drink from the wine. Some Poskim rule that the wine should also be given to the father of the child to drink.
• Birchas Kohanim: After the drinking of the wine, the Kohen is to place his hands on the head of the child and bless him with Birchas Kohanim, and other Pesukim, each person according to his Nussach.
• The meal and festivities: After the completion of the above ceremony, they are to sit down and eat and drink and rejoice.
• Who says Hamotzi on the main loaf: The father of the child or the Kohen  is to recite the Hamotzi on the main loaf of bread, and it is then to be distributed to the participants. Immediately afterwards the redemption ceremony is performed, as stated above.
• The menu of the meal – Bread, wine and meat: One should wash on bread for this festive meal. It is proper to serve meat and wine during the meal being that it is a Seudas Mitzvah, just as we rule regarding the Seudas Mitzvah of a Bris.
• Garlic: Some are accustomed to bringing garlic to the redemption ceremony and distribute it to all the participants.
• Attending a meal of a Pidyon Haben: It is an accepted tradition that a person who participates in the meal of a Pidyon Haben is equivalent to having fasted 84 fasts and is hence a Tikkun for Pegam Habris.
• Shehasimcha Bemiono by Birchas Hamazon: One does not recite Shehasimcha Bemiono by Birchas Hamazon of the Pidyon Haben.

4. Items to bring to the Pidyon Haben

• The newborn.
• The redemption money.
• The Kohen.
• A Silver platter.
• Bread, wine and meat.
• Garlic.

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