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1)

(a) Rebbi Nasan asked Raban Shimon ben Gamliel for Mechilah - following a dream where he received instructions to appease him.

(b) Rebbi Meir had the same dream, yet he declined to go - because he considered dreams to be meaningless.

(c) Raban Shimon ben Gamliel commented to Rebbi Nasan - that if his 'Z'chus Avos' worked to secure him the position of Av Beis-Din, that did not mean that it would also secure him the Nesi'us (since he was not a descendant of Hillel).

(a) Rebbi taught his son Rebbi Shimon, a Beraisa regarding a case where someone declared the ninth, tenth and eleventh animals 'Ma'aser'. Rebbi Meir ruled - that the eleventh animal was brought as a Shelamim, and could even make a Temurah.

(b) Rebbi Yehudah queried this on the grounds that the eleventh animal is considered a Temurah, and one Temurah cannot make another Temurah. Acherim replied - that had it been considered a Temurah, then it could not have been brought as a Shelamim.

(c) When his son ...

1. ... expressed surprise that the name of a Chacham 'whose water we drink' is not mentioned, Rebbi replied - that these were people who had attempted to uproot his Kavod and that of his family.
2. ... quoted the Pasuk "Gam Ahavasam, Gam Sin'asam Gam Kin'asam K'var Avdah" (meaning that Rebbi Meir's deed was long over and forgotten, and should therefore be forgiven), he answered him with the Pasuk "ha'Oyev Tamu Charavos la'Netzach" (meaning that an attack against the Nesi'us left its imprint forever [bearing in mind that Rebbi Meir had not apologized]).

(d) Rebbi Shimon countered that - by confining this Pasuk to where his threat bore fruit (but not to where it failed, as Rebbi Meir had done).

(a) Rebbi subsequently quoted Rebbi Meir - by name, but quoted by others.

(b) Rava commented on this - that even Rebbi, the epitome of humility, declined to mention Rebbi Meir directly.

(a) Raban Shimon ben Gamliel and the Rabbanan argue over which is preferable, 'Sinai' - which refers to someone who possesses superior Beki'us (a wide knowledge of the texts) or 'Oker Harim' - someone who is sharper, with a deeper understanding of the texts that he learns.

(b) This Machlokes affected Rabah - who was 'Oker Harim', and Rav Yosef - who was 'Sinai'.

(c) The Chachamim of that generation concluded that 'Sinai' takes precedence - because everyone needs 'the person who owns large stores'.

(d) In that case, Rav Yosef should have become the Rosh Yeshivah - but he declined, allowing Rabah to rule first. And it was only after the latter's death twenty-two years later, that he became Rosh Yeshivah.

(a) The extent of Rav Yosef's humility - was that, for the duration of those twenty-two years, he did not even allow a blood-letter to enter his house, but lowered himself to visit the blood-letter (see also Tosfos ha'Rosh)..

(b) Abaye, Rava, Rebbi Zeira and Rabah bar Masnah were once sitting together. They appointed Abaye as the Rosh Yeshivah - following the agreement that the first one to say a D'var Torah without being disproved would become the Rosh Yeshivah. And Abaye was the first one (see also Mitzpeh Eisan).

(c) When Rava saw Abaye adopt on aura of greatness, he told him to go ahead and Darshen. He called him Nachmeini - because that was his real name (Abaye is the acronym for 'Asher Becha Yerucham Yasom').

(d) We ask who takes precedence, Rebbi Zeira or Rabah bar Masna. Rebbi Zeira was the sharper of the two - but Rabah bar Masna's strong point was to take his time to delve into the matter, ultimately arriving at the truth.

(e) The outcome of the She'eilah is 'Teiku'.

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