Bechoros 8:7 - 8:8

חמש סלעים של בן – the Sela that is mention ed in the Torah in every place (see Numbers 18:16), and sometimes in the Torah it is called כסף /silver , one hundred pieces of silver. For this was during the days of Moses that the weight was three hundred and twenty grains of barley-corn, but during [the time of] the Second Temple, they increased it and raised it to the weight of three hundred and eighty-four [grains] of barley-corn. And similarly, we count today for five Selahs of the child [for redemption]. And it was found that five Selahs has the weight of one thousand nine-hundred and twenty intermediate barley-corns of refined silver.

במנה צורי – that comes from the country of Tyre. But all of the silver coinage of the Torah, as for example, the five Selaim of the son (i.e., the redemption of the first-born son), and the thirty [Selaim] of the slave, and the fifty of the one who wrongs (see Deuteronomy 22:29) and seduces (see Exodus 22:16) , and the one-hundred for the one who slanders, all of them are in the Tyrian coinage which is refined silver. But all of the money which is from the Rabbinic legislation, such as the fines, and the Ketubah of a wife, according to the words of Maimonides, all of them are the money/coinage of the state, for one from eight parts which are in them is silver and seven parts are copper. But my Rabbis taught that the Ketubah/marriage contract of a virgin has the law of silver of the Torah, for it is written (Exodus 22:16): “[If her father refuses to give her to him, he must still weigh out silver in accordance] with the bride-price for virgins,” and the two-hundred clear Zuzim. And the weight of each Zuz is ninety-six barley-corns.

וכולן נפדין – this is what he said, and all that is redeemed is redeemed in silver or its equivalent, except for Shekel dues. And all that is redeemed such as the first-born of a man and that which is dedicated to the Temple, is redeemed whether with silver or with the equivalent of silver, except for that of Shekel dues, for a person who comes to pay the one-half Shekel needs to give it from clear silver engraved coinage and not equivalent to silver. And Second Tithe also is not redeemed other than with silver coinage that has an engraving and not with that which is equivalent to silver, as it is written (Deuteronomy 14:25): “Wrap up the money in your hand ‘and take it with you to the place that the LORD your God has chosen,” – silver money that has upon it a form/shape.

אין פודין – [they do not redeem] the firstborn [male] of a man.

לא בעבדים – even though that we said above (i.e., in the previous Mishnah) with silver or with the equivalent of silver, we don’t redeem [a firstborn male child] with servants.

ולא בשטרות – that if he has a document on his fellow for five Selaim [owed him] and he gave it to the Kohen, that he (i.e., the Kohen) should collect that obligation/liability with the redemption of his son, his son is not redeemed.

ולא בהקדשות – that is to say, and not with that which is sanctified [to the Temple] also we don’t redeem them neither with slaves, documents nor with land.

כתב לכהן שהוא חייב לו ה' סלעים – because of the redemption of his [first-born] son.

חייב ליתן לו ובנו אינו פדוי – it is the word of the Torah that his son is redeemed when he gives [the money]. And what is the reason that they said that he must give it and his son or else his son is not redeemed? It is a decree perhaps they will say that the redeem with documents.

לפיכך – that we said that he is required to give him (i.e., to the Kohen) five other Selaim for the redemption of his son.

אם רצה הכהן – [if the Kohen wanted] to return them and to give them (i.e., the five Selaim) to him (i.e., the father) as a gift, he is permitted, but there is no other remedy/ordinance. But even though that the Kohen is permitted to return and give the five Selahim as a gift to the father of the first-born [son], if it is the intention of the father of the son relies that the Kohen will surely return to him the five Selaim, the son is not redeemed, whether the Kohen returned them or whether he didn’t return them. This is how it appears from the Gemara (see Talmud Bekhorot 51b).

שנאמר יהיה לך ופדה תפדה – when the redemption will be yours, then your son is redeemed, and this verse (Numbers 18:15) is stated to Aaron.