Study Gittin folio 59A with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
I was present for the counting of the vote in the court set up in the school of R' Yehuda HaNasi when they established this ordinance, and they would start with me first, asking for my opinion on the matter, although I was the youngest member of the court.
The Talmud asks: But didn’t we learn in the Mishnah (Sanhedrin 32a): In cases of monetary law and in cases involving ritual purities and impurities, the judges begin their deliberations with the opinion of the most learned member sitting on the bench, as a demonstration of honor to him. But in case
And Rabba, son of Rava, says, and some say that it was R' Hillel, son of R' Volas, who says: The counting of the vote in the court in the school of R' Yehuda HaNasi was different, as all of their deliberations and countings of the vote would begin with the junior members sitting on the side. This w
And apropos of the greatness of R' Yehuda HaNasi, Rabba, son of Rava, says, and some say that it was R' Hillel, son of R' Volas, who says: From the days of Moses and until the days of R' Yehuda HaNasi we do not find unparalleled greatness in Torah knowledge and unparalleled greatness in secular matt
The Talmud asks: But was there not such a person? Wasn’t there Joshua, who was unparalleled in both domains? The Talmud answers: During his day there was Elazar, who was Joshua’s equal in Torah knowledge. The Talmud asks: Wasn’t there Elazar, who outlived Joshua? The Talmud answers: During his da