Pidyon Haben

Ever since the Golden Calf debacle, all male Israelite firstborn must redeem themselves in a pidyon haben ceremony from a descendant of Aaron, a.k.a a kohen.

Could you please explain why at a Pidyon HaBen ("Redemption of the Son") ceremony the firstborn child "costs" five silver shekels, why not ten or fifty?

The mitzvah of pidyon haben is to redeem the firstborn son by giving a Kohen five silver shekels when the boy becomes a month old.

In the Pidyon HaBen ceremony one finds a very strange dialogue between the father and the Kohen. "Which do you prefer," asks the Kohen, "your first born son, or the five silver shekels?"

This class provides a thorough understanding of the mitzvah of redeeming the firstborn son.