Parshat Bo 5786 "קדש לי"

This week’s Parsha is פרשת בא, where we read of בני ישראל’s exodus from מצרים. After the Jews are freed, HaShem tells Moshe that בני ישראל need to sanctify their בכורים (firstborns), stating: “קדש־לי כל־בכור פטר כל־רחם בבני ישראל באדם ובבהמה לי הוא - Sanctify Me all the firstborn, opener of the womb amongst Bne’i Yisrael, man and animal, they are Mine.” HaShem then pauses and speaks about the format of the חג of פסח. Afterwards, He returns to the topic of the בכורים - establishing the obligation of redeeming them. This commandment is greatly puzzling: What does it mean that בכורים will be sanctified - what is this קדושה of theirs? Why is this required of the בכורים specifically? And if they are going to be redeemed anyway, how are we to understand the very existence of this מצווה?Recorded in Yeshivat Sha'alvim