Study Eruvin folio 13A with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
The Mishnah relates that a student recited a halakha before R' Akiva, and he did not accept the student’s version of the dispute between Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel, as R' Akiva said: They disagree about this, an alleyway less than 4 cubits wide, and about that, an alleyway more than 4 cubits wid
The Talmud asks: In that case, the opinion of R' Akiva is identical with the opinion first tanna of the Mishnah, as he too holds that Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel disagree in all cases, irrespective of the width of the alleyway. The Talmud answers: There is a practical difference between them with r
It was taught in a baraita that R' Akiva said: R' Yishmael did not state this matter, as it is unlikely that R' Yishmael would err in this manner; rather, it was that disciple who stated that matter on his own, and the halakha is in accordance with the opinion of that disciple.
With regard to that baraita the Talmud asks: This baraita itself is difficult. You stated initially that R' Yishmael did not state this matter; apparently the halakha is not in accordance with the opinion of the disciple. And then you said: The halakha is in accordance with the opinion of that disci
Rav Yehuda said that Shmuel said: R' Akiva said that the halakha is in accordance with that disciple only to sharpen the minds of his students with his statement. Seeking to encourage his students to suggest novel opinions, he praised that disciple before them but did not actually rule in accordance