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Can someone help me with Leviticus 27? I have been chatting in a forum and challenged to explain why the Bible seems to place a monetary value on a human being. What is the meaning of this Chapter 27?

Hi lambsev, this portion of Leviticus deals with contributions to
the Temple. There are several types of contributions and this
one is translated as a "vaulation" vow. Since there is no way
for humans to evaluate the "value" of their soul, and thus
the amount they should give to the Temple, the Torah decides
this valuation based on age and sex. This payment would then
go towards maintaining the Temple.

hope that helps clarify it,
chava

It seems God would do so that  we would place greater significance on the value of a person's soul.

It was part of the cerimonial law? What was vowed? dedicated? Was this required of all persons?

The lesson of this passage hinges upon the "value" of redemption of every soul. Men offered the redemption price to Moses upon the exodus which was in the form of silver shekels. This silver was later melted and used in the tabernacle {Gods house of worship}. The foundation of the House {mishkan} was 50 silver sockets each weighing aproximatly 120 pounds.
The current "House of God" {those redeemed by the Lamb} has been redeemed not with silver but with the blood of Messiah.
David learned this lesson the hard way when he numbered his troops and failed to collect the redemption price. A plague hit the land as Moses had said it would in the law. Learning from his mistake David went and "purchased" {redeemed} the threshing floor of Arunah the Jebusite. Even though the land was offered as a gift he needed to pay for it. It was here that the temple of Solomon {House of God} was built. As the land for Solomons house was paid for with silver so too all of the stones used in that edifice were later covered in silver during its erecting.
We {church} are a redeemed temple of God being fitted together. Silver is the metal of redeemption and none will enter Gods assembly without it {redeemption}.
What you are considering here in Leviticus was a "type of better things to come". Ultimately fullfilled in Messiahs work at calvary for we are being together as living stones into the House of God.
Gold and cedar were later applied to those stones but that is an extended topic {just food for thought - have fun with it}.

Rashi writes:

And if [the person is] sixty years old [or over]   -  When people reach a venerable age, a woman’s value becomes closer to that of a man. This is why a man decreases [in value] in his old age [to] beyond a third of his value [as an adult, namely, from 50 shekels to 15], while a woman [in her old age] decreases [to] only one third of her value [namely, from 30 shekels to 10]. As people say: “An old man in the house is a breach in the house (Rashi) [or] a snare in the house (Rabbenu Gershom), while an old woman in the house is a hidden treasure in the house and a good sign for the house.”- [Arachin 19a]

The valuation deals with the contribution that is made to the soul of the individual, the family, the community.  The child gives the greatest value to that of his family, and it is purely spiritual from 1 month to 5 years.  After which, chores and works of the hands come into play...then later, the faculty of reasoning.  As one reaches closer to their zenith in life, so does their value increase.  As one wanes from their zenith, so does the value to community decrease, but the value to family ever remains.  

Therefore, at the value of 5 shekels is the value of being loved and cared for, and the value of 5 shekels a kind of reciprocation. The classes of reciprocation of duty to family, to charity, to community, to fellow man, etc. are not codified for us...but this is the general gist of the valuation process of Leviticus 27.

Therefore, it is a process to teach us to not over emphasize or burden the very young or the aged (over 60).  The greatest expectation in life, is placed upon those between 20 - 60 years of age.  After these 40 years, the demands of community, service to country, service to G-D (through works), and service to family are expected to be eased upon them.  This is partly symbolized by Moses twice staying with G-D 40 days upon the Mount.  Hope this helps.  Shalom.

TY all for your help.

P.S.

To clarify.  

Grandmother (over 60) is loved by husband and family - 5 shekels.
Grandmother reciprocates to husband and family - 5 shekels.
Grandfather leaves an inheritance (aids even grandkids - per proverb - in faith and charity) - 5 shekels    

  ( In this last sense, even if the wife is the one giving the grandchildren money, the expectation is that she gives out of her husband's wealth, and hence he receives a greater credit as the patriarch, from which she draws wealth from).


Regarding a widow over/under 60 years-

I Timothy 5 reads

4 But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God.

5 Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.

6But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.

7 And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless.

8But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

9 Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man.

10 Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints' feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work.

11 But the younger widows [under 60, especially under 40] refuse: for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry;

12 Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith.

13 And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.

14 I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.

In the above, Paul gives a valuation of those to whom the Church is obligated to care for.  Those women who have no husband and no near relatives to care for her, who are rich in service to G-D's work.  If they have not a track record, and have near kin-folk, etc., then the emphasis is to not place the burden upon the Church.  This is a sort of anti-socialism against the sort the the Church has adopted in these last 30 years. We are not a welfare agency.  We are not here to feed the hungry with food and clothe them at the expense of not evangelizing them with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

And Works are not a substitute for the Gospel nor the Gospel equivalent.

The Church of Christ has fallen away in its mission to harvest souls.  To feed the hungry without giving them specifically the means of salvation, is simply to prolong the life that is damned anyway.  Prolonging that life, is a small act of mercy and pity.  Giving them the gospel of Jesus Christ is the work of silver and gold, and a foundation that is laid up in Heaven for great reward, and the true act of charity - mercy - lovingkindness.  For us, this is more than just a 5 shekel worth in Heaven...the value of a little child...it is as if the bright shining of the sun in righteousness and glory that is added by the L-RD unto us in the Kingdom and ages to come.  Shalom.