Over 1,000 people showed up in Ayalon Park in Ramat Bet Shemesh, a city located southwest of Jerusalem, on Thursday to experience the performance of a very rare Biblical commandment.  “Pidyon petter chamor,” or redemption of a first-born male donkey, is a ritual spoken about in the Bible no less than three times.

Yet, as Rabbi Yechiel Weiss, who brought his entire lower school class to the event noted to Breaking Israel News, “I have never attended such an event and who knows if my students will ever have this opportunity again.  It might just be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

Standing with her children, Chaya Clayman, the owner of the donkey along with her husband Binyamin, explained to Breaking Israel News, “My husband heard that this was done in 2011 in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. With our move to Israel 6 months ago, we were excited to sponsor the performance of a unique Biblical commandment for the community.”

The Clayman’s purchased two pregnant donkeys from Avner Eitan who owns a donkey riding business in Ramat HaGolan in the north. “We had no idea if either donkey would give birth to a boy,” she explained.

In order to fulfill the commandment, the foal needs to be from a donkey owned by a Jew, the first born for the mother and a male. The Clayman’s lucked out on all counts.

Even for Avner, this was an unusual occurrence. “I have only participated in this commandment one other time and I work with donkeys!”

Rabbi Simcha Hakohen Kook, the Chief Rabbi of Rehovot, addressed the large crowd in both Hebrew and English. He explained that God promised the Jewish people that when they left Egypt after 210 years of slavery, they would be laden with gifts as payment for their hard work. In the merit of the donkeys carrying the heavy weight for 40 years of wandering in the desert, the first-born male was granted a holy status.

Rabbi Kook reminded the crowd, “As Jews, we are commanded to remember all good that was done for us from time immemorial, even that of a non-kosher animal.”

Before the redemption of “Petter the Donkey”, children (and even a few adults) had the opportunity to pet the animal. Eleven-year-olds Akiva Weiss and Gershon Chaim Feinberg both excitedly reported that attending such a rare event will be something to remember throughout their lives.  Akiva noted, “Most donkeys in Israel are owned by Arabs. To find a Jewish owned donkey whose first birth is a male is extremely rare.”

Yael Zvia Bauer came with her three-year-old and one-year-old children.  She exclaimed, “I am so excited to be at this event right in my own backyard!”

The special blessings for this commandment were said and the thousands in attendance shared a unanimous, “Amen!”

With Petter’s redemption, the Clayman family is permitted to enjoy their donkey for rides, work or in anyway other suitable way. When Chaya Clayman was asked what their plans for Petter is, she replied, “Petter is only a week old. We haven’t really had time to fully discuss his future. But, most likely we’ll give him back to the original owner.”

The day finished with participants dancing and singing songs of praise to God for allowing them to attend such a special occasion.