MISC section - contents: Q I am my parents’ firstborn son, and my father recently told me that my planned Pidyon HaBen (redeeming of the firstborn by a kohen) was delayed because of my illness and was never done. (My parents were not fully observant.) Is there something I should do now? A It sounds like you require a Pidyon HaBen, as the mitzva does not expire. However, first we have to try to determine if you definitely require it, and then we can discuss how to do it in this situation. First it pays to check if your father was right in planning the Pidyon HaBen. The main exemptions are as follows: either of your parents is the child of a male Kohen or Levi; if your mother had a miscarriage prior to your birth; if you were born in a Caesarian delivery. Also ascertain from your father if, after all these years, he is sure that there was no Pidyon HaBen. It is possible that the Rabbi/Kohen who was to have done the Pidyon did so in a quick, halachic procedure that your father may have forgotten, while he remembers the fact that the party was cancelled. If there is uncertainty, get back to us, as we cannot give one blanket rule in advance. Assuming that you need a Pidyon HaBen, we have to deal with an interesting, relevant dispute among halachic authorities. A father is required to redeem his son. However, if he fails to do so, the son becomes obligated to redeem himself once he is Bar Mitzva (Kidushin 29a). The question, though, is whether only the son is obligated at that point or whether the father's obligation remains. If the grown son does the Pidyon HaBen the matter is certainly taken care of, but the difference among the opinions is in a situation where the father is now interested in doing the mitzva which was delayed for whatever reason. The Rashba (Shut II, 321) says that as the mitzva of Pidyon HaBen creates a monetary obligation on the father's property from the outset, there is nothing to removes the obligation, and the father remains obligated. The gemara (ibid.) says that if one has enough money to redeem only himself or his son, he should redeem himself, because the mitzva that relates directly to himself has precedence. The Rivash (Shut 131) infers from there that the son's obligation to redeem himself is the primary obligation, and the father's practical responsibility to redeem his baby is due only to the fact that a small child is incapable of performing the Pidyon HaBen himself. When the child grows up, he alone is obligated. Many later authorities have debated the matter, and it is difficult to say that one approach is more accepted or acceptable than the other (see Pidyon HaBen K'hilchato 1:(16)). We would suggest as follows. As you know your father better than we do, try to determine if he would want to be involved in the Pidyon HaBen or not. If you think that he wouldn't mind, there is no problem doing it yourself. If he wants to do it, there is a way to devise a system whereby the right person will end up doing the mitzva. You can physically give the money to the Kohen and make the appropriate blessings and statements but do it on condition that if your father should rightfully be doing it, then you are doing it is as his agent. The process is only slightly complicated, and since few kohanim have done a Pidyon HaBen in a case where a person is doing it for himself you will anyway need a very learned kohen and/or a rabbi to make the appropriate adjustments in the text of the blessings and statements. We would be happy to explain whatever needs to be explained to such a kohen. In any case, it is both important (a full Torah law) and not as complicated as it might sound to do the Pidyon HaBen. While it is customary to have a minyan present (Otzar Pidyon HaBen 18:2), it can be done privately to avoid embarrassing your father, if he would feel embarrassed. Ed. addition: As far as "the fast of the firstborns" on Erev Pesach, none of the exemptions to Pidyon HaBen listed in the second paragraph of the answer remove the Erev Pesach rules for a B'chor. For example, a firstborn after a miscarriage does not get a Pidyon, but is obligated by custom to fast on Erev Pesach, or get out of the obligation in the standard way it is done throughout the Jewish world. Ask the Rabbi Q&A is part of Hemdat Yamim, the weekly parsha
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version). Please leave the subject blank. Ask the Vebbe Rebbe is partially
funded by the Jewish Agency for Israel "Moshe became famous among our people before the Torah had been
given, and therefore we preface his name to his title, Moshe Rabbenu. Moshe ben
Maimon, however, only became famous after his greatness in Torah became known,
therefore we refer to him as Rabbenu Moshe." Kabbalists teach us that creation is composed of Olam, Shana, and Nefesh – place, time, and man. Each of these elements has a manifestation of holiness. Holiness of time is manifest in Shabbat, holiness of man is manifest in one who rises above his animal drives (even those permitted to us). Holiness of place is manifest in the Land of Israel. Man achieves holiness by separating himself from indulgences
that are permitted, thus elevating himself through the control of his physical
desires (Yevamot 20a). This is the meaning of being "elevated from... Egypt." The Land of Israel has a unique quality, where every physical
activity has the potential to be holy, when done to enable Jews to live there
according to the Torah. It is the only place in the world where every mundane
activity can be imbued with holiness, which is the reason why the mission
statement of the Jewish people can truly be implemented only in the Land of
Israel. TORAH THOUGHTS as contributed by Aloh Naaleh members for
publication in the Orthodox Union's 'Torah Insights', a weekly Torah publication
on Parshat Ha'Shavuah If no one is available to hear a bracha from, there is STILL a
mitzva to count, even though you will not be saying a bracha, nor will you be
hearing and answering to a bracha. So please remember to count the Omer,
preferably every night, but as many nights as possible is something also. If one says MASHIV HARU'ACH UMORID HAGASHEM during this time of the year, the Amida is invalid and must be repeated. This rule includes realizing the mistake at the next davening. E.g. if one said MHUH in a Mincha Amida and later at Maariv it dawns upon the person that he definitely made the mistae at Mincha, then he must make up the messed up Mincha, as if he neglected to daven Mincha altogether, by saying a second Maariv Amida as Tashlumin. The only situation that starting over would not be required, is when one catches his mistake while he is still within the second bracha of the Amida. If that happens, then just repeat from the beginning of that bracha, ATA GIBOR, and proceed from there. If one realizes his mistake during the Amida, he may start over
without steps back or forth, and without repeating HASHEM, S'FATAI TIFTACH... Ravens belong to the animal kingdom, vertebrates, class: Aves (birds), order: Passeriformes (songbirds - although with ravens and crows the term is loose), family: Corvidae (which includes all the 'crow' type birds, including Magpies, Jays, Nutcrackers, Ravens, and Crows), genus: Corvus (this is the classification for ravens and crows). Within this genus are different species of both; they got the name (corvus) from the deep-throated 'croak' which is their distinctive call. Ravens are large black birds, with a blue-purple iridescence to their feathers. They are approximately 24-27 inches long at maturity, and their wingspan doubles that. The beak and feet are black, and the iris of the eye is brown... Although they are frequently confused with crows, ravens differ in many ways. A raven's beak is larger and heavier than a crow's... Their throat feathers differ... their caw is much deeper than the crow's, much throatier. Also, a raven's call is more varied...Ravens nest in single pairs...evidence suggests that once paired, ravens will remain mated for life... they build their nests on cliff ledges and cavities, or in trees... mass of sticks and twigs, lined with grass and bark, and often with bits of string or other tidbits which caught the builder's eye. Within that nest, the female raven will lay 4-7 eggs, green- ish, blotched with brown. Both parents incubate the eggs, and feed the hungry young. Young stay in the nest for approx. 6-10 weeks. Ravens will often reuse the same nest year after year. Ravens are omnivorous. They will eat anything which is edible (and many things which aren't). Their usual diet consists of insects, seeds, berries, carrion, the eggs and young of other birds, and occasionally small mammals. When living near humans, ravens will also eat human garbage... Ravens have been associated by various cultures with different qualities. In popular western literature, they symbolize darkness, depression, and death (popularized in Edgar Allan Poe)... Ravens are called wolf birds because they are known to lead
wolves to prey and then feed alongside the wolves... traits similar to wolves in
that they hunt in packs, form strong family ties, mate for life, are curious and
shy, eat large quantities of meat... Raverns are about 1/3 larger than crows.
Both have similar coloring and shape... Remember: One of 20 kinds of non- kosher
birds, each of which include many species. And finally, after all the necessary atonements and sacrifices took place and the people were blessed, the glory of Hashem appeared - and then, "A fire went forth from before Hashem… [and] the people… sang glad songs and fell on their faces" (Vayikra 9:24). Onkelos interprets this song as praise of G-d, a ceremony that would be repeated down the ages. For instance, the people fell on their faces and recalled Hashem's eternal beneficence when Solomon's Temple was dedicated (Divrei Hayamim 7:3). The prophet Mal'achi captured this moment when he envisioned that in the future, "The offering of Yehuda and Yerushalayim shall be pleasant to the Lord, as in the days of old and as in former years" (Mal'achi 3:4). HaRav Menachem Kasher reflects that the "Days of Old" might
refer to G-d's acceptance of Noah's sacrifice after the Flood, and the term
"Former years" to Hevel's offering to Hashem at the beginning of all time. May
we merit that those precious portents from the distant past hold true for us in
our days. [The Parshat Shmini Homepage]
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