Pesachim 91 - Integrity

Earlier, we saw cases where people were not ritually pure in the afternoon when the Passover sacrifice was brought but would become pure at night when its meat was eaten at the Seder. So it was allowed to bring a sacrifice on their behalf.

Now, we will see cases where the people may become impure by nighttime. The priests will still slaughter the lamb for them anyway. But, since there was a chance of them becoming impure, they would need to be combined with others who were definitely pure - or else the meat might have no eaters at all.

For example, take the case of a rescue worker who is clearing a house's debris where someone may have been trapped. He may find and save a person or find a corpse, touch it, and become impure. Or it could be someone who was promised a release from prison - because the jailers may change their minds.

In the last case, Rabbi Yochanan commented that if it is a Jewish prison, he can rely on their promise because the Jewish courts have integrity: "The remainder of Israel will not perform iniquity and will not speak lies."

Art: The Prisoner by Vladimir Makovsky