I'm now learning Bava metzia and I've come across a story between Rebbi and Rabbi Elazar when they were young. It says that they used to sit on the floor until the teachers made benches for them etc.. but One of the rabbis put them back on the floor... then it goes on to say that Rabbi Elazar used to preempt his questions with answers... i don't really get this part can somebody please explain it better please?
Bava metzia / hasocher es hapoalim / chapter 7 / 84(b3)
דכי הוו יתבי רבן שמעון בן גמליאל ורבי יהושע בן קרחה אספסלי יתבי קמייהו רבי אלעזר בר' שמעון ורבי אארעה
When Rabban Shimon b. Gamliel and R' Yehoshua b. Karcha sat upon benches, R' Elazar and Rebbi sat on the ground in front of them.
In those days, it was common for the rabbis to sit on benches and their students to sit on the ground before them and listen.
מקשו ומפרקו
They asked and answered.
The students, R' Elazar and Rebbi would propose questions to their rabbis and answer questions their rabbis asked them.
אמרי מימיהן אנו שותים והם יושבים על גבי קרקע
They said, "We drink from their water, and they sit on the ground?"
The rabbis, Rabban Shimon b. Gamliel and R' Yehoshua b. Karcha asked themselves, "Our students give us many insights, and yet they sit on the floor, as if they are inferior?"
עבדו להו ספסלי אסקינהו
They made benches for them and sat them on them.
So Rabban Shimon b. Gamliel and R' Yehoshua b. Karcha made benches like theirs for their students, R' Elazar and Rebbi, to make sure they did not feel inferior.
אמר להן רבן שמעון בן גמליאל פרידה אחת יש לי ביניכם ואתם מבקשים לאבדה הימני אחתוהו לרבי
Rabban Shimon b. Gamliel said to them, "I have one pigeon among you, and you want to take him from me!?" They moved Rebbi down.
Rabban Shimon b. Gamliel, who was Rebbi's father, was afraid that the evil eye would take notice of Rebbi, who was now sitting on a bench like a teacher. Thus, they moved Rebbi down from the bench back onto the floor.
אמר להן רבי יהושע בן קרחה מי שיש לו אב יחיה ומי שאין לו רב ימות אחתוהו נמי לרבי אלעזר ברבי שמעון
R' Yehoshua b. Karcha said to them, "The one who has a father should live and the one who does not have a father should die?!" They also moved R' Elazar b. R' Shimon down.
After Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel moved Rebbi down back to the floor for fear that he might be harmed, R' Yehoshua b. Karcha wanted R' Elazar also moved back because R' Elazar's father, R' Shimon bar Yochai, was dead.
חלש דעתיה אמר קא חשביתו ליה כוותי
His mind became weak. He said, "You thought him as important as me!"
R' Elazar became insulted for being moved down.
עד ההוא יומא כי הוה אמר רבי מילתא הוה מסייע ליה רבי אלעזר ברבי שמעון
Until that day, whenever Rebbi said something, R' Elazar b. R' Shimon supported him.
Before this incident, whenever Rebbi said something, R' Elazar agreed.
מכאן ואילך כי הוה אמר רבי יש לי להשיב אמר ליה רבי אלעזר ברבי שמעון כך וכך יש לך להשיב זו היא תשובתך השתא היקפתנו תשובות חבילות שאין בהן ממש
But from then on, whenever Rebbi said, "I have a question," R' Elazar b. R' Shimon said to him, "This is your question and this is your answer."
But from then on, R' Elazar would accuse Rebbi of asking questions that were unimportant and would show him that his questions really had no reality.
חלש דעתיה דרבי אתא א''ל לאבוה
Rebbi's mind became weak. He went and told his father.
Rebbi now became insulted, so he ran and told his father, Rabban Shimon b. Gamliel, what was happening.
אמר ליה בני אל ירע לך שהוא ארי בן ארי ואתה ארי בן שועל
He said to him, "My son, don't feel bad, for he is a lion the son of a lion, and you are a lion the son of a fox."
Rabban Shimon b. Gamliel told Rebbi, "Do not be insulted for R' Elazar's father was more learned than I." For R' Elazar's father was R' Shimon bar Yochai.
