Horayot 14a — the Talmud in English

And Rabbi Meir answered him: The eleventh is not a temura for the tenth; rather, it is a peace-offering.

For

if it had been

the eleventh a sacrifice

of temura

for the tenth,

it would not be sacrificed. For the temura of tithe is not sacrificed! And Rabbi would teach in place of “the words of Rabbi Meir”: “Others say”!

For a substitute for an animal tithe may not be sacrificed! And Rabbi would teach in place of “the words of Rabbi Meir”: “Others say”!

Rabban Shimon son of Rabbi

said to his father:

Who are these

called “Others,”

whose waters we drink, but whose names we do not mention?

Rabbi said

to his son: These

are people who sought to uproot your honor and the honor of your father’s house! He said to him:

Rabban Shimon said to Rabbi, his father: Since so much time has passed since then, it is fitting to recite concerning this the verse [Ecclesiastes 9]: “

Their love also, their hatred also, and their jealousy also have already perished”!

Rabbi said

to him: Another verse is fitting to recite here [Psalms 9]: “

The enemy are finished

even though the enemy has ended, they are still

ruins forever.” For the destruction of the enemy must remain forever; and here as well, one must not return to mention them by their names.

For the destruction of the enemy must remain forever; likewise here, they should not again be mentioned by name.

Rabban Shimon said

to him:

These words apply

that they have no restoration forever only

where their deeds were effective,

but what

the Sages,

Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Natan, did,

their deeds were not effective!

And indeed,

Rabbi repeated it

to Rabban Shimon, his son, this Mishna, and amended its wording:

“They said in the name of Rabbi Meir: If it had been a temura, it would not be sacrificed!”

Rava said: Even Rabbi, who was humble,

did not conduct himself in this matter with excessive humility; rather, he

taught

in this Mishna

“They said in the name of Rabbi Meir,”

but

“Rabbi Meir said,” he did not say

in his Mishna!

Rabbi Yohanan said:

Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel and the Sages disagreed over it:

which Torah scholar is superior to his fellow.

One said —

Sinai is superior!

For his Mishna is arranged for him as at its giving from Sinai.

And one said —

the uprooter of mountains,

for he is sharp and pilpulistic in Torah,

is superior!

Rav Yosef

was called

“Sinai,”

because the Mishnayot and baraitot were arranged for him as at their giving from Sinai; but he was not as pilpulistic as Rabba.

Rabba

was called

“the uprooter of mountains,”

because he was pilpulistic, but the Mishnayot and baraitot were not arranged for him as they were for Rav Yosef.

They sent

to ask

there [in the Land of Israel]:

which of them

Which of them

Rav Yosef, who knew, or Rabba, who was pilpulistic

should precede

in appointing him head of the academy?

They sent to them: Sinai is superior

! Because the Master said: “Everyone needs the master of wheat.”

Everyone needs to purchase from the owner of the wheat, to buy wheat from him in order to bake bread from it. And Rav Yosef is the “master of wheat,” for the Mishnayot and baraitot, which are the sources of the halakha, were arranged for him. And therefore everyone needs him.

And even so,

although they ruled that Rav Yosef is superior to Rabba,

Rav Yosef did not accept

the authority upon himself.

Therefore

Rabba reigned for twenty-two years, and afterward,

after him,

Rav Yosef reigned.

And all the years that Rabba reigned,

Rav Yosef practiced no conduct of authority,

and even

when Rav Yosef wanted to have blood let, and it was the practice of important people to summon to themselves the practitioner who let blood, instead of going to him, Rav Yosef did not practice this authority, but

“the bloodletter to his house—he did not pass!”

Abaye and Rava, and Rabbi Zeira, and Rabba bar Rav Mattana, were sitting, and they needed

to appoint one of them as

head

over them all.

They said: Whoever says a matter and it is not refuted

by the others, he

shall be head!

They all said their words.

For all of them were refuted, whereas Abaye was not refuted.

Rabba saw Abaye, that his head was raised,

that he raised his head and rejoiced that his words had not been refuted.

Rabba said

to Abaye:

Naḥmani!

[This was what Abaye was called.]

Open and say

a discourse, for from Heaven they have decreed greatness for you!

It was asked of them: Rabbi Zeira and Rabba bar Rav Mattana—which of them is superior?

Whether

Rabbi Zeira

is superior because he is

sharp

and, through his sharpness, he

raises difficulties

and answers.

Or perhaps

Rabba bar Rav Mattana

is superior, for he studies

deliberately,

pausing and examining carefully, and through his deliberation he reaches the halakha.

What

—which of them is superior?

And we conclude:

Teyku!

We shall return to you, chapter “An Anointed Priest,” and the tractate Horayot is completed.