Pidyon Haben

Pidyon Haben

A couple of weeks ago I was the Kohen at the Pidyon Haben of my nephew. I wish to share with my readers the main point of the drasha that I said over.

Pidyon Haben: The Basic Halachos

The Tur when he opens up the subject of Pidyon Haben in YD 305, he brings the basic halachos, that the verses read like this, therefore it’s a Mitzvas Asay for anyone who has a son who is the peter rechem, (the first born) from a Jewish mother, etc. etc.to redeem him from a Kohen for five selayim, which is worth such and such, etc. And then, there on the spot, at the end of Halacha 1 so to speak, the Tur reads, “and if he (the baby) has two heads he needs to be redeemed with ten selayim”.

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Tell me, when was the last time that you saw a baby with two heads?

I ask on the Tur, even if you want to bring this Halacha, you have to sit him at the head table? At least put him where he belongs, around Halacha 50.

Pidyon Haben: Two Heads

The source of this Halacha is a well known gemora which relates that Plimo asked Rebi Yehuda HaNasi regarding Tefillin, if a person has two heads, on which head does he wear his Tefillin, and that Rebi Yehuda HaNasi got annoyed with Plimo for asking the question. Until, in comes a man and reports that he just gave birth to a son with two heads, how much does he need to give the Kohen for Pidyon Haben?

Pidyon Haben: Sefer Hachinuch

I brought the Sefer Hachinuch on Pidyon Haben, actually on all matters of bechor, in Parshas Bo, Mitzva 18, that the A’lmighty gave us the merit to fulfill a Mitzva with our first born, “lema’an da’as”, in order to know, that everything is His, that a person only has in the world that which Hashem Yisborach grants him in His mercy. A person exerts himself and struggles, until finally the time comes that he has the fruit of his efforts, and the thing is very dear to him, and then right then he is commanded to give it to the A’lmighy, to empty out his possessions, and put it in the possessions of the A’lmighty, so to speak. And additionally in remembrance of the miracles in Egypt with regard to the smiting of the Egyptian firstborn and that the Jewish firstborn were saved.

So, in brief, I suggested that since the Sefer Hachinuch writes that amongst the fundamentals of Pidyon Haben is “lema’an da’as”, in order that you know, in order that you internalize deeply in your understanding, therefore in order to hint to this, and to emphasize this, the Tur right at the beginning of the Halachos brought the halacha that if the baby has two heads, then the father has to give double. It all a function of the head.

Pidyon Haben: A Baby With Two Heads

Actually about a year or two ago someone sent me by email a picture of a child with two heads out east, from China, or some place like that. I posted it, but then I deleted it. If it interests you, you can google “baby with two heads”. So it does happen sometimes …

Boruch HaKohen Rappaport