Bechoros 8:7-8

Bechoros 8:7

The five sela given to a kohein to redeem a son are based on the maneh (a denomination of currency) of Tyre (a readjusted shekel from the second Temple era). The 30-shekel fine for a gored slave, the 50-shekel fine for a rapist and a seducer, and the 100-shekel fine of a man who slanders his wife’s reputation, all use the Temple shekel, which is based on the maneh of Tyre. All people and things are redeemed with money or things worth money except the annual half-shekel required of each person (which must be given specifically in that format).

Bechoros 8:8

One may not redeem a firstborn child using servants, notes worth five sela when collected, real estate or consecrated property. If the father wrote the kohein a promissory note for five sela, he must pay him and the child is not redeemed until he does. Since he must pay the kohein on top of the note that he gave him, if the kohein chooses to make the father a gift of the extra five sela, he may do so. If a man put aside the money to redeem his son and it got lost, he must replace it as per Numbers 18:15, “it shall be yours” and “you shall redeem” (i.e., redemption is effected only once the kohein takes possession of the money).