What is the meaning of the 'pidyon ha-ben' ceremony for a Jewish baby boy?

Answer 1

The background for this mitzvah is somewhat complex, but here goes: Originally, God intended for the first-born of each Jewish family to be a Kohen -- i.e. that family's representative to the Holy Temple. (Exodus 13:1-2, Exodus 24:5 with Rashi)

But then came the incident of the Golden Calf. When Moses came down from Mount Sinai and smashed the tablets, he issued everyone an ultimatum: "Make your choice -- either God or the idol" (Exodus 32:26). Only the tribe of Levi came to the side of God. At that point, God decreed that each family's first-born would forfeit their "Kohen" status -- and henceforth all the Kohanim would come from the tribe of Levi. (Numbers 3:11-12) Which brings us to the mitzvah of Pidyon Ha'Ben. Since the first-born child is technically a "Kohen" whose potential cannot be actualized, he has to be replaced (so to speak) by a Kohen from the tribe of Levi. This is accomplished by the father of the baby offering the Kohen a redemptive value of five silver coins for the boy. A deeper reason we perform this mitzvah is to remind us of the Exodus from Egypt, when God killed the Egyptian first born, yet spared the Jewish first born. Also, since a person loves his first born so much, it is a fitting time to re-acknowledge the fact that everything we own in fact belongs to God. (Numbers 3:13)