We are all in this together TB Pesakhim 79

The korban Pesakh is unique amongst all the other sacrifices because sometimes it may be offered up in ritual unreadiness (or what many people translated as impure) and even eaten in ritual unreadiness. A baraita on today’s daf TB Pesakhim 79 spells out the conditions.

“The Sages taught: If most or all of the Jewish people were impure and the priests and sacred vessels used in the Temple service were pure; or, conversely, if the Jewish people were pure and the priests and sacred vessels were impure; and even in a situation in which the Jewish people and the priests were pure and the sacred vessels were impure, they may perform any part of the ritual of the Paschal lamb in ritual impurity. ” (Sefaria.org translation)

Rav Hisda  limits the type of impurity or ritual unreadiness (tumah-טומאה) concerning the sacred vessels. The Gemara identifies these vessels as the knives which are used to slaughter the animals. A knife or any metal object  assumes the same level of ritual unreadiness as the source tumah. If the knife comes in contact with a corpse (an av hatumah), the knife also becomes an av hatumah. By using that knife, the person becomes ritually unready. If the knife only comes in contact with an impure creeping animal,  only the meat becomes ritually unready and not the person wielding the knife. With this distinction Rav Hisda teaches:  

“The Gemara comments on Rav Hisda’s attempt to distinguish between different types of impurity and to claim that the entire community sacrifices the Paschal lamb in a state of ritual impurity only when the people have become impure with a severe form of impurity. Apparently, Rav Hisda holds that impurity is overridden in cases involving the public. The prohibition of sacrificing offerings in a state of impurity is not wholly permitted for a community; rather, it is overridden in cases of great need. Therefore, whenever it is possible to minimize the severity of the impurity, in is necessary to do so. And, so too, Rabbi Yitzhak said explicitly: Impurity is overridden in cases involving the public. ” (Sefaria.org translation) Rambam decides Jewish law based on the baraita with Rav Hisda’s distinction. (Mishneh Torah, Sefer Korbanot, Hilkhot Pesakh, chapter 7 halakha  1)

The Gemara gives the reason why people may perform any part of the ritual Passover sacrifice and ritual unreadiness. “The reason for this is that a communal offering, which is sacrificed even in a state of ritual impurity, is not divided. Therefore, since some of the service must be performed in a state of ritual impurity, it may all be performed in a state of ritual impurity.” Serious and deep divisions can render the very fabric of society. We see this truth being played out in our country before, during the assault and breach of the Capital, and its aftermath. Several of the Super Bowl ads encouraged us to bridge the breach and find a common ground.

I think that the rabbis wanted to prevent such a breach within Israel as they celebrated our holiday of freedom, Passover. By ordaining when the majority of the Jewish people, or the priests, or the knives were ritually unready everybody celebrates it the same way without distinction. The Jewish people are the strongest when we are united and not divided.