More on 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.

Itemized lists of to-do tasks as well as what to bring along to the pidyon haben ceremony.

How much is five shekels in modern currency? And why does the firstborn child "cost" five silver shekels, why not ten or fifty?

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?"

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.