Rabbi Zachary Hepner
Pidyon Haben Calculator
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Pidyon Haben Calculator
Based on Chabad.org's guidance on when the pidyon haben should take place. Jewish calendar and holiday dates from Hebcal.com.
Enter your son's birth details below to find the appropriate day and time for the pidyon haben, for both Ashkenazi and Sephardic custom.
Pidyon HaBen eligibility
To determine whether the rare mitzvah of Pidyon HaBen applies to your baby, please answer the following questions:
1a. Was the baby's maternal grandmother born Jewish?
There are exceptions to this rule. If you are unsure, please ask Rabbi Hepner.
1b. Is the baby's mother a Bat Yisrael (meaning she is neither a Bat Kohen nor a Bat Levi)?
There are limited exceptions to this rule. If you are unsure, please ask Rabbi Hepner.
2. Is the baby's father either not Jewish or, if Jewish, a Yisrael (neither a Kohen nor a Levi)? If you are unsure, you may ask Rabbi Hepner.
3. Is this the mother's first pregnancy to continue beyond 30 days?
If there was a previous pregnancy that continued beyond 30 days, please consult Rabbi Hepner before answering, as the circumstances and duration of the previous pregnancy may affect eligibility. Rabbi Hepner understands that questions about previous pregnancies can be deeply personal and sensitive and approaches these conversations with the utmost respect, sensitivity, discretion, and modesty.
4. Was the baby delivered vaginally (rather than by Cesarean section/C-section)?
Pidyon HaBen requires a peter rechem (“the first to open the womb”); therefore, a baby delivered by C-section does not qualify. There are no exceptions to this requirement.
Please select one:
Enter the details above and select Calculate to see the appropriate day and time.
מחשבון פדיון הבן
הפדיון חל ביום ה-31 ללידת הבן.
The rules this calculator follows
| Normal case | Day 31 = 4 weeks and 2 days after the Hebrew date of birth. |
| Ashkenazi custom | Afternoon of day 31. |
| Sephardic custom | The night preceding day 31 (earliest opportunity). |
| Day 31 = Shabbat / major Yom Tov | Moves to the next weekday. Once postponed, both customs converge on the Sephardic date and time. |
| Day 31 = Friday | Meal scheduled early afternoon, smaller group. |
| Day 31 = minor fast day | Ashkenazi: right before sunset. Sephardic: at nightfall. |
| Day 31 = erev Pesach | Held in the morning, early enough for the meal to include bread. |
This tool provides information based on Chabad.org's published guidance, not a personal halachic ruling. Please confirm your specific date with Rabbi Hepner or your rabbi.
Silver Requirement for Pidyon HaBen
To ensure that the correct type and amount of silver is purchased, please purchase (at least) four (4) one-troy-ounce .999 fine silver coins or rounds. Each piece should be clearly marked “1 TROY OZ .999 FINE SILVER.” Four such pieces contain approximately 124.4 grams of fine silver, which comfortably exceeds the amount required according to the mainstream halachic measurements used for Pidyon HaBen.
Please do not purchase ordinary U.S. “silver dollars,” such as Morgan or Peace dollars, as these contain less than one troy ounce of pure silver per coin. There is no need to purchase rare or collectible coins; what is important is that each piece contains one troy ounce of .999 fine silver.
(For those interested, the Chazon Ish followed a more stringent measurement of the required amount of silver, for which five one-ounce coins would be used. This is a minority view and is not the standard practice followed here.)