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How does maalas biyuchsin (stringencies in lineage matters) apply when a woman was secluded with someone of unknown status? The shiur develops that this isn't about whether we're stringent with lineage, but about whether her testimony is believed - both Rav Gamaliel and Rabbi Yehoshua agree on the stringency itself.
The shiur begins by analyzing why the Mishna specifically mentions nasar and mamzer as examples of men who would disqualify a woman for marriage to a Kohen, when these cases are much rarer than other disqualifying relationships. The analysis reveals that when discussing a pregnant woman (m'uberes), according to Rabbi Yehoshua the child would be a shtuki - someone whose father is unknown - and would be disqualified from marrying into the general population due to rabbinic decree (miderabanan), not because of the Torah (תורה) prohibition on mamzerim. The Gemara (גמרא)'s dispute between Ziri and Rav Asi centers on the meaning of 'midaberes' - whether it means mere seclusion (yichud) or actual relations (nivela). Rashi (רש"י) indicates that even without witnessing actual relations, the woman is disqualified according to Rabbi Yehoshua because of maalas biyuchsin. This principle means the Sages suspended normal rules of chazaka (presumptions) and rov (majority) that would normally permit the woman, creating a stringency even when there's only a suspicion.
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Kesubos 15b
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