The commandment of redeeming the firstborn of a man: To redeem the firstborn of man; as it is a commandment upon every man in Israel to redeem, from the priest, his son who is the firstborn to his Israelite mother — as it is stated (Numbers 18:15), “but you shall redeem the firstborn of man.” Elsewhere we find that the Torah makes being firstborn dependent on exiting the womb, as it is stated in the Order of Bo el Pharaoh (Exodus 13:2), “all the firstborn, all that exit the womb of the Children of Israel — whether man or beast — is Mine.” And the meaning of “exit the womb” is “opening the womb,” meaning who was the first to open the womb of the mother. And because of this, they, may their memory be blessed, said (Bekhorot 46a) that one who is born after a stillborn — any stillborn for which the mother would be impure [as a result of it] — the one that comes after it is not a firstborn to [be redeemed from] the priest, as the stillborn preceded him; but if the fetus [is not developed enough that] the mother [contracts] the impurity of birthing, the one that comes after it is a firstborn. In Tractate Niddah (Niddah 21a) this distinction is elucidated, and likewise in Tractate Bekhorot (Bekhorot 46a) is elucidated which firstborn children are considered first for the priest and not for inheritance, and which are first for inheritance but not for the priest. It also said there that there is a firstborn for everything and one that is not a firstborn for [even] one of them.
From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Bekhorot 49a) that the commandment of redemption [begins when] the child is thirty days old, for [at that point he is no longer considered a potential] stillborn, as it is stated (Numbers 18:16), “And his redemption that you redeem, from one aged a month.” And this commandment is the responsibility of the father (Kiddushin 29a). If the father transgressed and did not want to redeem him, the commandment devolves upon the son, to redeem himself when he becomes an adult. The amount of the redemption is five sela, whether it be money equivalent to five sela or commodities that are the equivalent of money, such that their makeup is money, to exclude slaves, land and deeds — as if one redeemed him with them, he is not redeemed. The five sela may be given to one priest or to several priests, and the obligation is to give it to a male priest, and not to a female priestess; as it is written regarding the money of redeeming the firstborn, “Aharon and his sons.” If the priest wishes to return the redemption money after it is given to him, [the father] has [still] fulfilled his obligation, so long as the money is not given with this condition [in mind]. If he did give the money with this condition, the son is not redeemed, until he concludes in his heart to give it to him as a full gift. But if he did specify and gave the money with the condition that it be returned, and the priest was appeased to this, the child is redeemed.
Our Rabbis also taught us that in our time, we do the redemption of the firstborn in an order like this: They bring a cup of wine and a myrtle branch to the home of the father of the son or to [some] other place, and the priest to whom the father chooses to give the redemption of his son blesses first over the wine and over the myrtle and then recites this blessing: “Blessed are You, our Lord, King of the Universe, Who sanctified the fetus in his mother’s innards, and at forty days individuated his limbs into two hundred and forty-eight limbs, and then breathed in the spirit of life, as it is written (Genesis 2:7), ‘and He breathed in his nostrils...’; He clothed him with skin and flesh, and covered him with bones and ligaments, as it is written (Job 10:11), ‘He clothed me with flesh and skin and covered me with bones and ligaments.’ He appointed food and drink for him, honey and milk to bring him joy, and appointed two ministering angels to guard him in his mother’s womb, as it is written (Job 10:12), ‘with life and kindness, etc.’” His mother says, “This is my firstborn son, with which God opened the doors of my belly.” His father says, “This is my firstborn and I am warned about redeeming him, as it is stated (Exodus 13:13), ‘and all the firstborn of man, your sons shall you redeem.’ May it be the will in front of You, Lord, my God, that as You have allowed his father to merit to redeem him, so too should you allow him to merit Torah, marriage and good deeds. Blessed are You, Lord, Who sanctified the firstborn of Israel to be redeemed.” The father of the son then recites two blessings: ‘on the redemption of the firstborn’; and ‘Who has allowed us to live.’ He gives the well-known redemption to the priest, which is five sela, as specified in the Torah. This is equal to sixty argents of refined silver in our land. And after the redemption, the priest recites these three blessings that we wrote.
Ramban, may his memory be blessed, also wrote that when the father gives the money to the priest, he should first give the child into the priest’s hand, and the priest should say, “Which is more beloved to you, your son or these five sela?” And the father responds, “My son is more beloved to me.” The priest immediately takes the silver coins and passes them over the head of the son and says, “This is in the place of this, traded for this, this is rendered no longer sacred through this. This goes out to the priest and this child should come to life and Torah and fear of heaven. May it be His will that as this one came to redemption, may he also come to Torah, marriage and good deeds, and let us say amen.” The priest places his hands on the son’s head and blesses him, according to how he knows to bless him, such as “May the Lord guard you, etc.” (Psalms 121:5), or “As length of days and years of life, etc.” (Proverbs 3:2) or “The Lord shall protect you from all evil and guard your soul, etc.” (Psalms 121:7). And [the father] takes him out for all of his will. [This] and the rest of its details are elucidated in Tractate Bekhorot. (See Tur, Yoreh Deah 308.)
This commandment is practiced in every place and at all times by male Israelites, but not by females. As we have in our tradition that only a man who is obligated to [potentially] redeem himself is obligated to redeem his son; but not a woman, who is not [in the category of] redemption. The commandment is also not practiced by priests and Levites (Bekhorot 4a) from an a fortiori argument (kal vechomer): If they could exempt Israelites from redemption of the firstborn in the wilderness, it follows that they would exempt themselves. They, may their memory be blessed, also said that even a son of an Israelite who has relations with a priestess or a Levite woman and his son is from her is exempt from redemption (Bekhorot 47a); since the matter is dependent upon the mother, as Scripture made it dependent on exiting the womb. And one who transgressed this and did not redeem his son from when he is fit, that is after thirty days have passed [from his birth]; if he dies before he has redeemed him, he has violated this positive commandment, and woe unto him for he carries his sin upon his soul. And even though there is no specified time for this commandment, as any time after thirty days have elapsed is appropriate, still the wise of heart will grab commandments and perform them at the first available moment, and “the desire of God will prosper in his hand.” And it seems that the father is always obligated to redeem his son. And even after the son matures, the commandment is incumbent on the father, as the verse states (Exodus 13:17), “And all the firstborn of man, your sons you shall redeem” — behold, that the commandment is made incumbent on the father. And so does it seems in Kiddushin.
מִצְוַת פִּדְיוֹן בְּכוֹר אָדָם – לִפְדּוֹת בְּכוֹר אָדָם, כְּלוֹמַר, שֶׁמִּצְוָה עַל כָּל אִישׁ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁיִּפְדֶּה מִן הַכֹּהֵן בְּנוֹ שֶׁהוּא בְּכוֹר לְאִמּוֹ הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִית שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר יח טו) אַךְ פָּדֹה תִפְדֶּה אֵת בְּכוֹר הָאָדָם. וּמָצָאנוּ בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר, שֶׁתָּלָה הַכָּתוּב הַבְּכוֹרָה בְּפֶטֶר רֶחֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּסֵדֶר בֹּא אֶל פַּרְעֹה (שמות יג ב) כָל בְּכוֹר פֶּטֶר כָּל רֶחֶם בִּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּאָדָם וּבַבְּהֵמָה לִי הוּא, וּפֵרוּשׁ פֶּטֶר רֶחֶם פְּתִיחַת רֶחֶם, כְּלוֹמַר, שֶׁהָיָה רִאשׁוֹן לִפְתֹּחַ רֶחֶם אִמּוֹ, וּמִפְּנֵי כֵן אָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (בכורות מו, א), שֶׁהַבָּא אַחַר הַנְּפָלִים, כָּל נֵפֶל שֶׁאִמּוֹ טְמֵאָה לֵדָה מֵחֲמָתוֹ, הַבָּא אַחֲרָיו אֵינוֹ בְּכוֹר לַכֹּהֵן, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁלֹּא פָּתַח זֶה רֶחֶם אִמּוֹ, שֶׁהַנֵּפֶל פְּתָחוֹ שֶׁקָּדַם לוֹ, אֲבָל כָּל נֵפֶל שֶׁאֵין אִמּוֹ טְמֵאָה לֵדָה בִּשְׁבִילוֹ, הַבָּא אַחֲרָיו בְּכוֹר לַכֹּהֵן. וּבְמַסֶּכֶת נִדָּה (כא, א) יִתְבָּאֵר חִלּוּק זֶה, וּבְמַסֶּכֶת בְּכוֹרוֹת (שם) יִתְבָּאֵר כְּמוֹ כֵן אֵיזֶהוּ בְּכוֹר לַכֹּהֵן וְלֹא לַנַּחֲלָה, אוֹ בְּכוֹר לַנַּחֲלָה וְלֹא לַכֹּהֵן? גַּם אָמַר שָׁם, שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּכוֹר לַכֹּל, וְיֵשׁ שֶׁאֵינוֹ בְּכוֹר לְאֶחָד מֵהֶם.
The commandment of redeeming the firstborn of a man: To redeem the firstborn of man; as it is a commandment upon every man in Israel to redeem, from the priest, his son who is the firstborn to his Israelite mother — as it is stated (Numbers 18:15), “but you shall redeem the firstborn of man.” Elsewhere we find that the Torah makes being firstborn dependent on exiting the womb, as it is stated in the Order of Bo el Pharaoh (Exodus 13:2), “all the firstborn, all that exit the womb of the Children of Israel — whether man or beast — is Mine.” And the meaning of “exit the womb” is “opening the womb,” meaning who was the first to open the womb of the mother. And because of this, they, may their memory be blessed, said (Bekhorot 46a) that one who is born after a stillborn — any stillborn for which the mother would be impure [as a result of it] — the one that comes after it is not a firstborn to [be redeemed from] the priest, as the stillborn preceded him; but if the fetus [is not developed enough that] the mother [contracts] the impurity of birthing, the one that comes after it is a firstborn. In Tractate Niddah (Niddah 21a) this distinction is elucidated, and likewise in Tractate Bekhorot (Bekhorot 46a) is elucidated which firstborn children are considered first for the priest and not for inheritance, and which are first for inheritance but not for the priest. It also said there that there is a firstborn for everything and one that is not a firstborn for [even] one of them.
מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי הַמִּצְוָה. כָּתַבְתִּי מָה שֶׁיָּדַעְתִּי בְּסֵדֶר בֹּא אֶל פַּרְעֹה וְעַיֵּן שָׁם (מצוה יח).
I have written what I have known from the roots of the commandment in the Order of Bo el Pharaoh. See there (Sefer HaChinukh 18).
מִדִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה. מָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שם מט, א) שֶׁמִּצְוַת הַפִּדְיוֹן הוּא, מִשֶּׁיֶּשׁ לוֹ שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם וּמַעְלָה, שֶׁיָּצָא מִכְּלַל נֵפֶל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר יח טז) וּפְדוּיָו מִבֶּן חֹדֶשׁ תִּפְדֶּה. וּמִצְוָה זוֹ (קדושין כט, א) מֻטֶּלֶת עַל הָאָב, עָבַר הָאָב וְלֹא רָצָה לִפְדּוֹתוֹ מִצְוָה עַל הַבֵּן לִפְדּוֹת עַצְמוֹ מִשֶּׁיַּגְדִּיל, וְהַפִּדְיוֹן הוּא, בֵּין בְּכֶסֶף הַשָּׁוֶה חָמֵשׁ סְלָעִים, בֵּין בְּשָׁוֶה כֶּסֶף מִן הַמִּטַּלְטְלִין שֶׁגּוּפָן מָמוֹן, יָצְאוּ עֲבָדִים וְקַרְקָעוֹת וּשְׁטָרוֹת, שֶׁאִם פָּדָהוּ בָּהֶן אֵינוֹ פָּדוּי. חָמֵשׁ סְלָעִים שֶׁל פִּדְיוֹן הָאָב יָכוֹל לִתְּנָם לְכֹהֵן אֶחָד אוֹ לְכֹהֲנִים הַרְבֵּה, וְהַחִיּוּב לִתְּנוֹ לְכֹהֵן זָכָר וְלֹא לְכֹהֶנֶת דְּאַהֲרֹן וּבָנָיו כְּתִיב בְּכֶסֶף פִּדְיוֹן בְּכוֹר, וְאִם רָצָה הַכֹּהֵן לְהַחְזִיר לוֹ הַפִּדְיוֹן אַחַר שֶׁנְּתָנוֹ לוֹ יָצָא יְדֵי חוֹבָה, וּבִלְבַד שֶׁלֹּא יִתְּנֶנּוּ הוּא לוֹ עַל מְנָת כֵּן. וְאִם נְתָנוֹ לוֹ עַל מְנָת כֵּן אֵין בְּנוֹ פָּדוּי, עַד שֶׁיִּגְמֹר בְּלִבּוֹ לִתְּנוֹ לוֹ מַתָּנָה גְּמוּרָה. וְאִם פֵּרֵשׁ וְנָתַן לוֹ עַל מְנָת לְהַחְזִיר וְנִתְפַּיֵּס הַכֹּהֵן בְּכָךְ בְּנוֹ פָּדוּי.
From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Bekhorot 49a) that the commandment of redemption [begins when] the child is thirty days old, for [at that point he is no longer considered a potential] stillborn, as it is stated (Numbers 18:16), “And his redemption that you redeem, from one aged a month.” And this commandment is the responsibility of the father (Kiddushin 29a). If the father transgressed and did not want to redeem him, the commandment devolves upon the son, to redeem himself when he becomes an adult. The amount of the redemption is five sela, whether it be money equivalent to five sela or commodities that are the equivalent of money, such that their makeup is money, to exclude slaves, land and deeds — as if one redeemed him with them, he is not redeemed. The five sela may be given to one priest or to several priests, and the obligation is to give it to a male priest, and not to a female priestess; as it is written regarding the money of redeeming the firstborn, “Aharon and his sons.” If the priest wishes to return the redemption money after it is given to him, [the father] has [still] fulfilled his obligation, so long as the money is not given with this condition [in mind]. If he did give the money with this condition, the son is not redeemed, until he concludes in his heart to give it to him as a full gift. But if he did specify and gave the money with the condition that it be returned, and the priest was appeased to this, the child is redeemed.
וְכֵן לִמְּדוּנוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ שֶׁבִּזְמַנֵּנוּ, שֶׁבְּסֵדֶר כָּזֶה עוֹשִׂין פִּדְיוֹן הַבֵּן, מְבִיאִין כּוֹס יַיִן וַהֲדַס לְבֵית אֲבִי הַבֵּן אוֹ לְמָקוֹם אַחֵר, וְהַכֹּהֵן שֶׁיִּבְחַר בּוֹ הָאָב לָתֵת לוֹ פִּדְיוֹן בְּנוֹ מְבָרֵךְ תְּחִלָּה עַל הַיַּיִן וְעַל הַהֲדַס, וְאַחַר כָּךְ מְבָרֵךְ בְּרָכָה זוֹ בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדַּשׁ עֻבָּר בִּמְעֵי אִמּוֹ, וּלְאַרְבָּעִים יוֹם חָלַק אֶת אֵיבָרָיו מָאתַיִם אַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁמֹנֶה אֵבָרִים, וְאַחַר כָּךְ נָפַח בּוֹ נְשָׁמָה, כְּדִכְתִיב (בראשית ב ז) וַיִּפַּח בְּאַפָּיו וְגוֹ'. עוֹר וּבָשָׂר הִלְבִּישׁוֹ, וּבַעֲצָמוֹת וְגִידִים סוֹכְכוּ, כְּדִכְתִיב (איוב י יא) עוֹר וּבָשָׂר תַּלְבִּישֵׁנִי וּבַעֲצָמוֹת וְגִידִים תְּסֹכְכֵנִי. וְצִוָּה לוֹ מַאֲכָל וּמִשְׁתֶּה, דְּבַשׁ וְחָלָב, לְהִתְעַנֵּג בּוֹ, וְזִמֵּן לוֹ שְׁנֵי מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת לְשָׁמְרוֹ בְּתוֹךְ מְעֵי אִמּוֹ, דִּכְתִיב חַיִּים וָחֶסֶד וְגוֹ' אִמּוֹ אוֹמֶרֶת זֶה בְּנִי בְּכוֹרִי, שֶׁבּוֹ פָּתַח הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא דַּלְתֵי בִּטְנִי, אָבִיו אוֹמֵר, זֶה בְּנִי בְּכוֹרִי הוּא, וַאֲנִי מֻזְהָר לִפְדּוֹתוֹ. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יג יג) וְכֹל בְּכוֹר אָדָם בְּבָנֶיךָ תִּפְדֶּה, יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ ה' אֱלֹהַי, שֶׁכְּשֵׁם שֶׁזִּכִּיתָ אֶת אָבִיו לִפְדּוֹתוֹ כֵּן תְּזַכֵּהוּ לְתוֹרָה לְחֻפָּה וּלְמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים, בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' מְקַדֵּשׁ בְּכוֹרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְפִדְיוֹנָם. וַאֲבִי הַבֵּן מְבָרֵךְ שְׁתַּיִם (רמב"ם בכורים פי"א הל"ה) עַל פִּדְיוֹן הַבֵּן, וְשֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ. וְנוֹתֵן לַכֹּהֵן הַפִּדְיוֹן הַיָּדוּעַ, שֶׁהוּא חָמֵשׁ סְלָעִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁקָּצוּב בַּתּוֹרָה, וְהֵם שִׁשִּׁים ארגינ"ץ שֶׁל כֶּסֶף צָרוּף בְּמִשְׁקָל אַרְצֵנוּ, וְאַחַר הַפִּדְיוֹן, מְבָרֵךְ הַכֹּהֵן שָׁלֹשׁ בְּרָכוֹת אֵלּוּ שֶׁכָּתַבְנוּ.
Our Rabbis also taught us that in our time, we do the redemption of the firstborn in an order like this: They bring a cup of wine and a myrtle branch to the home of the father of the son or to [some] other place, and the priest to whom the father chooses to give the redemption of his son blesses first over the wine and over the myrtle and then recites this blessing: “Blessed are You, our Lord, King of the Universe, Who sanctified the fetus in his mother’s innards, and at forty days individuated his limbs into two hundred and forty-eight limbs, and then breathed in the spirit of life, as it is written (Genesis 2:7), ‘and He breathed in his nostrils...’; He clothed him with skin and flesh, and covered him with bones and ligaments, as it is written (Job 10:11), ‘He clothed me with flesh and skin and covered me with bones and ligaments.’ He appointed food and drink for him, honey and milk to bring him joy, and appointed two ministering angels to guard him in his mother’s womb, as it is written (Job 10:12), ‘with life and kindness, etc.’” His mother says, “This is my firstborn son, with which God opened the doors of my belly.” His father says, “This is my firstborn and I am warned about redeeming him, as it is stated (Exodus 13:13), ‘and all the firstborn of man, your sons shall you redeem.’ May it be the will in front of You, Lord, my God, that as You have allowed his father to merit to redeem him, so too should you allow him to merit Torah, marriage and good deeds. Blessed are You, Lord, Who sanctified the firstborn of Israel to be redeemed.” The father of the son then recites two blessings: ‘on the redemption of the firstborn’; and ‘Who has allowed us to live.’ He gives the well-known redemption to the priest, which is five sela, as specified in the Torah. This is equal to sixty argents of refined silver in our land. And after the redemption, the priest recites these three blessings that we wrote.
עוֹד כָּתַב הָרַמְבַּ"ן זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה, שֶׁבְּשָׁעָה שֶׁנּוֹתֵן הָאָב כֶּסֶף פִּדְיוֹנוֹ לַכֹּהֵן, שֶׁנּוֹתֵן בְּנוֹ בְּיַד הַכֹּהֵן וְאוֹמֵר לוֹ הַכֹּהֵן אֵיזֶה חָבִיב עָלֶיךָ יוֹתֵר, בִּנְךָ אוֹ חָמֵשׁ סְלָעִים הַלָּלוּ? וְהָאָב מֵשִׁיב בְּנִי חָבִיב עָלַי. מִיָּד נוֹטֵל הַכֹּהֵן הַדִּינָרִין וּמוֹלִיכָן בְּיָדוֹ עַל רֹאשׁ הַבֵּן וְאוֹמֵר זֶה תַּחַת זֶה, חִלּוּף זֶה, זֶה מְחֻלָּל עַל זֶה, יֵצֵא זֶה לַכֹּהֵן, וְיִכָּנֵס זֶה הַבֵּן לְחַיִּים וּלְתוֹרָה וּלְיִרְאַת שָׁמַיִם, יְהִי רָצוֹן, שֶׁכְּשֵׁם שֶׁנִּכְנַס לְפִדְיוֹן כֵּן יִכָּנֵס לְתוֹרָה וּלְחֻפָּה וּלְמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים, וְנֹאמַר אָמֵן. וְנוֹתֵן הַכֹּהֵן אֶת יָדָיו עַל רֹאשׁ הַבֵּן וּמְבָרְכוֹ כְּפִי שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ לְבָרְכוֹ, כְּגוֹן יְיָ שֹׁמְרֶךָ וְגוֹ' (תהלים קכא ה). כִּי אֹרֶךְ יָמִים וּשְׁנוֹת חַיִּים וְגוֹ' (משלי ג ב), יְיָ יִשְׁמָרְךָ מִכָּל רָע יִשְׁמֹר אֶת נַפְשֶׁךָ וְגוֹ' (תהלים שם ז). וּמוֹצִיאוֹ לְכָל חֶפְצוֹ. וְיֶתֶר פְּרָטֶיהָ, בְּמַסֶּכֶת בְּכוֹרוֹת [יו"ד סימן שה].
Ramban, may his memory be blessed, also wrote that when the father gives the money to the priest, he should first give the child into the priest’s hand, and the priest should say, “Which is more beloved to you, your son or these five sela?” And the father responds, “My son is more beloved to me.” The priest immediately takes the silver coins and passes them over the head of the son and says, “This is in the place of this, traded for this, this is rendered no longer sacred through this. This goes out to the priest and this child should come to life and Torah and fear of heaven. May it be His will that as this one came to redemption, may he also come to Torah, marriage and good deeds, and let us say amen.” The priest places his hands on the son’s head and blesses him, according to how he knows to bless him, such as “May the Lord guard you, etc.” (Psalms 121:5), or “As length of days and years of life, etc.” (Proverbs 3:2) or “The Lord shall protect you from all evil and guard your soul, etc.” (Psalms 121:7). And [the father] takes him out for all of his will. [This] and the rest of its details are elucidated in Tractate Bekhorot. (See Tur, Yoreh Deah 308.)
וְנוֹהֶגֶת מִצְוָה זוֹ בְּכָל מָקוֹם וּבְכָל זְמַן בְּיִשְׂרְאֵלִים הַזְּכָרִים אֲבָל לֹא בִּנְקֵבוֹת, שֶׁכָּךְ קִבַּלְנוּ (קדושין כט א) שֶׁהָאִישׁ שֶׁהוּא חַיָּב לִפְדּוֹת עַצְמוֹ הוּא חַיָּב לִפְדּוֹת בְּנוֹ, אֲבָל לֹא הָאִשָּׁה שֶׁהִיא אֵינָהּ בַּת פְּדִיָּה. וְכֵן אֵינָהּ נוֹהֶגֶת בְּכֹהֲנִים וּלְוִיִּם (בכורות ד א) מִקַּל וָחֹמֶר, אִם הֵם פָּטְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּמִּדְבָּר מִפִּדְיוֹן בְּכוֹרוֹת דִּין הוּא שֶׁיִּפְטְרוּ אֶת עַצְמָן, וְעוֹד אָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שם מז א), שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ בֶּן יִשְׂרָאֵל הַבָּא מִן הַכֹּהֶנֶת אוֹ הַלְּוִיָּה, בְּנוֹ מִמֶּנָּה פָּטוּר מִפִּדְיוֹן, לְפִי שֶׁהַדָּבָר תָּלוּי בָּאֵם, שֶׁבְּפֶטֶר רֶחֶם תָּלָה הַכָּתוּב. וְהָעוֹבֵר עַל זֶה וְלֹא פָּדָה בְּנוֹ מִשֶּׁהוּא רָאוּי, כְּלוֹמַר מִשֶּׁעָבְרוּ עָלָיו שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם, אִם מֵת קֹדֶם שֶׁיִּפְדֶנּוּ בִּטֵּל עֲשֵׂה זֶה, וְאוֹי לוֹ שֶׁנָּשָׂא עֲוֹנוֹ עַל נַפְשׁוֹ, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין לְמִצְוָה זוֹ זְמַן קָבוּעַ, דִּבְכָל שַׁעֲתָא וְשַׁעֲתָא אַחַר שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם זְמַנָּהּ הִיא, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן חֲכַם לֵב יִקַּח מִצְוֹת. וְיַקְדִּים וְיַעֲשֶׂה אוֹתָן מִיָּד שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר לוֹ, וְחֵפֶץ יְיָ בְּיָדוֹ יִצְלָח. וּלְפִי הַדּוֹמֶה, שֶׁהָאָב חַיָּב לְעוֹלָם לִפְדּוֹת בְּנוֹ, וַאֲפִלּוּ אַחַר שֶׁהִגְדִּיל הַבֵּן הַמִּצְוָה מֻטֶּלֶת עַל הָאָב, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (שמות יג יז) וְכֹל בְּכוֹר אָדָם בְּבָנֶיךָ תִּפְדֶּה. הֲרֵי שֶׁהִטִּיל הַמִּצְוָה עַל הָאָב, וְכֵן נִרְאֶה בְּקִדּוּשִׁין.
This commandment is practiced in every place and at all times by male Israelites, but not by females. As we have in our tradition that only a man who is obligated to [potentially] redeem himself is obligated to redeem his son; but not a woman, who is not [in the category of] redemption. The commandment is also not practiced by priests and Levites (Bekhorot 4a) from an a fortiori argument (kal vechomer): If they could exempt Israelites from redemption of the firstborn in the wilderness, it follows that they would exempt themselves. They, may their memory be blessed, also said that even a son of an Israelite who has relations with a priestess or a Levite woman and his son is from her is exempt from redemption (Bekhorot 47a); since the matter is dependent upon the mother, as Scripture made it dependent on exiting the womb. And one who transgressed this and did not redeem his son from when he is fit, that is after thirty days have passed [from his birth]; if he dies before he has redeemed him, he has violated this positive commandment, and woe unto him for he carries his sin upon his soul. And even though there is no specified time for this commandment, as any time after thirty days have elapsed is appropriate, still the wise of heart will grab commandments and perform them at the first available moment, and “the desire of God will prosper in his hand.” And it seems that the father is always obligated to redeem his son. And even after the son matures, the commandment is incumbent on the father, as the verse states (Exodus 13:17), “And all the firstborn of man, your sons you shall redeem” — behold, that the commandment is made incumbent on the father. And so does it seems in Kiddushin.