A HEBREW SAGE MIGHT SAY. . .
Honour is measured by him who gives it, not by him who receives it.

CUSTOMS — PIDYON HA'BEN     
Either phrase, Pidyon ha'Ben (Redemption of the son)  or Pidyon ha'Bechor (Redemption of the first-born male) are correct.  The child has been considered by Jews, even since olden times, as the greatest of human treasures.  To produce and raise children is a religious commandment and is the cause for rejoicing in the home.  However, when a son is born, there is special joy, for the parents trust that he will carry on the family name with honour.  Jewish women consider it a great blessing from the GREAT & ALMIGHTY GOD to bear a son.  It is natural that the first child should be received with special attention by the new parents.  The oldest son has always taken first rank in the Jewish family.  In case of the father's death, he usually becomes the head, to whom the younger brothers and sisters look for advice and help.  He inherits a larger share of the family's possessions than any of the other children.

Ever since the first promise of redemption, Jewish women (who are very devout) have hoped to be the mother of the REDEEMER.  Deeply imbedded in the Jewish soul there is the hope of the coming MESSIAH YESHUA and, "who knows" -- perhaps their little boy will grow up to be the DELIVERER OF ISRAEL!   Eve, when she gave birth to Cain, believed it was HE for whom she waited to save her from her sins.  She exclaimed: "I have acquired a MAN, the LORD." [Genesis/Bereshith 4. 1 Hebrew Translation]   In English, it is translated as "I have gotten a man-child from the LORD."  The word translated as from is simply the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet, Aleph-Tau, which represents HIM WHO is the FIRST and the LAST, the BEGINNING and the ENDING, WHO is, WHO was, and WHO ever shall be!  What a disappointment to her that Cain turned out to be, not the PROMISED DELIVERER, but the first murderer; not the LIFE-GIVER, but the life-taker!

One glorious day in the City of David, an event took place of which Isaiah wrote:  "For a CHILD has been born to us, a SON has been given to us. And authority has settled on HIS shoulders. HE will be called WONDERFUL (Pele), COUNSELOR (Yavats), THE MIGHTY GOD (Gibowr El), ETERNAL FATHER (Ad Aby), RULER (Prince) OF PEACE (Sar Shalowm)." [Isaiah (Yeshayah) 9. 6]   This was a CHILD like no other child before HIM or after, who was the GREATEST OF HEAVEN'S TREASURES; HE is the SON WHO far surpasses all the sons of earth; HIS was a birth at which all the hosts of heaven rejoiced; Miryam (Mary), who gave birth to this SON, truly could declare in reality:  "I have acquired a MAN-CHILD, the LORD!" for JESUS THE CHRIST had come!

The birth of the SAVIOR in the City of David caused all heaven "and the morning stars to sing together" — but one writer has expressed a significant fact: "Though MESSIAH a thousand times in Bethlehem be born, and not within thy heart, thy soul will be forlorn."  When HE, the MESSIAH, the unique SON OF THE LIVING GOD, is born in the heart, what rejoicing in heaven!  By faith we who are sons of men, become sons of GOD through the new birth.  Because YESHUA came into our humanity, we can become partakers of HIS divinity.  JESUS, WHO was born the SON of Abraham, the SON of David, brings us into the family of GOD; and we also are sons of David, sons of Abraham, of the heavenly family by faith.  "HE came to HIS OWN, and HIS OWN did not receive HIM. BUT AS MANY AS RECEIVED HIM, to them HE gave the right to become the sons of GOD." [John 1. 11 - 12]    

"But every firstling ass you shall redeem with a sheep; and if you will not redeem it, you must break its neck. AND YOU MUST REDEEM EVERY FIRSTBORN MALE AMONG YOUR CHILDREN." [Exodus (Shemot) 13. 13 Tanakh, Torah]   According to the teachings of Rashi: "The law of redemption is applicable to the ass only of the unclean animals, because the first-born of the Egyptians are in the BIBLE compared to the ass." [see Ezekiel/Yehezke-El 23. 20]   "As the ass is an unclean animal, it has to be redeemed with a lamb."  [Abraham Ibn Ezra]

On the thirty-first day after the child's birth, a home gathering is arranged to which relatives and friends are invited.  Among the guests is a Kohen (priest) who is thought to be a descendant of Aaron.  The ceremony consists of giving the Kohen the sum of five shekalim (about $2.50), or the more popular sum of five silver dollars, and reciting appropriate prayers.  The boy is then pronounced redeemed or freed from the service commanded for all first-born males.  {Unless the Kohen is very poor, he returns the money to the parents who give it to a worthy Jewish cause.}  This practice is almost not practiced today, but among the very orthodox Jews, the first-born is always redeemed, not with a lamb as in the BIBLICAL commandment, but as stated, with five silver dollars.  This custom is kept in remembrance of the salvation of the first-born in Egypt when the ALMIGHTY AWESOME ONE commanded the Israelites to substitute a lamb for their deliverance from death.  The redemption ceremony is followed by a party as an expression of thanksgiving for this privilege.

It is written concerning the firstborn SON of Miryam (Mary):  "Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought HIM to Jerusalem to present HIM to the LORD (as it is written in the Law of the LORD— Every male who opens the womb shall be called HOLY TO THE LORD)." [Luke 2. 22 - 23]  

"And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the CONSOLATION OF ISRAEL, and the HOLY SPIRIT was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the HOLY SPIRIT that he would not see death before he had seen the LORD'S MESSIAH. So he came by the SPIRIT into the Temple. And when the parents brought in the CHILD YESHUA (JESUS), to do for HIM ACCORDING TO THE CUSTOM OF THE LAW, he took HIM up in his arms and blessed GOD and said— LORD, now YOU are letting YOUR servant depart in peace, according to YOUR WORD; for my eyes have seen YOUR SALVATION which YOU have prepared before the face of all peoples, the LIGHT to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the gLORY of YOUR people Israel." [Luke 2. 25 - 32]  

Simeon, who perhaps had held many boy babies in his arms in the Temple at the Redemption Ceremony, was led of the SPIRIT OF GOD on this special occasion to see and recognize the PROMISED MESSIAH.  This SON needed not to be redeemed for HE came to redeem all those who put their trust in HIM.  Everyone has the same privilege as Simeon to see and recognize in YESHUA, THE REDEEMER, the SAVIOR of the world!  HE has redeemed us, not with corruptible things but with HIS OWN blood!  JESUS is the SUBSTITUTE — the ANTI-TYPE of the lamb which redeemed the first-born of Israel.  Comparable to the words of Simeon the devout when he took the CHILD YESHUA in his arms and blessed GOD, we who know our DELIVERER can also exclaim,  "LORD, we have seen YOUR SALVATION which YOU prepared before the face of all peoples!"  KING JESUS, the LIGHT that brings revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of YOUR people, Israel.


Sha’alu (Pray) for the shalom (Peace) of Jerusalem and all of Israel!
Welcome Sabbath — Queen of the week!  Praised are YOU, YEHOWAH, our GOD, SOVEREIGN of the Universe, WHO makes us holy with YOUR mitzvoth and favors us with the Holy Shabbat, lovingly and graciously given to us. Assuredly, the KEEPER of Israel gives good gifts to those who love and obey HIM!


Praying for the peace of Jerusalem, is praying for the return of our Messiah and Lord and for the Kingdom of God He is bringing when He comes.  Then God's Will shall be done on earth as it is in Heaven and the world will experience true godly universal peace.  

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