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When may a Jew bury a corpse on Yom Tov Sheini, and when must burial wait until chol? The Gemara (גמרא) distinguishes between a body that has been lying for a while (ishtoy) and one that has not, examining whether the permission to violate Yom Tov Sheini is a form of dechiya (displacement of a prohibition) or huchra (full permissibility).
The shiur analyzes Beitzah 6a, which discusses the halachic status of burying a deceased person who died on Yom Tov Rishon or Yom Tov Sheini. Rashi (רש"י) explains that when someone dies on Yom Tov Rishon, the burial is conducted by non-Jews (yasas kiboi amim), whereas if death occurs on Yom Tov Sheini, it is conducted by Jews (yasas kiboi Yisroel). The Gemara (גמרא) introduces a key condition: according to Mar Zutra, this halacha (הלכה) applies only when the body has been lying for some time (ishtoy), creating concern that it will smell (masriach), but if it has not been lying (lo ishtoy), one should wait until the next day. Rav Ashi disagrees, holding that even if lo ishtoy, there is no difference—burial may proceed on Yom Tov Sheini. Rabbi Zweig explores the Maharshal's interpretation, which limits the application of kedusha achas (one sanctity) to cases where witnesses came on Yom Tov Rishon after mincha, triggering the rabbinic decree not to accept testimony at that late hour. The Maharshal argues that if no witnesses came at all, the two days remain shtei kedushos (two separate sanctities), and the stringency of a beitzah laid on one day being forbidden on the other would not apply. Rabbi Zweig questions this reading of Rashi, suggesting instead that Rashi holds that the takanah (rabbinic enactment) applied even when no witnesses came—the first day must be observed as Yom Tov out of doubt, creating a status of kedusha achas regardless.
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Beitzah 6a
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