daf bit: Eruvin 13

[cellio]

In debates between Beit Hillel and Beit Shammai the former almost always win. The g'mara on today's daf tells about a debate that lasted for three years, with each side saying "the halacha is in agreement with our view". Finally a voice from Heaven (a bat kol) announced: these and these are the words of the living God, but the halacha follows Hillel. Why did Beit Hillel merit this? Because they were kindly and modest, they studied both their rulings and those of Beit Shammai, and they were humble enough to mention the deeds of Beit Shammai before their own.

Another dispute between them lasted two and a half years, with Beit Shammai saying it would have been better if man had not been created than to have been created, and Beit Hillel saying it was better for man to have been created than to not have been. They finally took a vote and decided that it would have been better for man not to have been created, but since he already was, let him examine his past deeds (to make amends) and his future actions (before committing them). (13b)

Some questions arising out of this:

• What did Beit Hillel and Beit Shammai argue about for three years?
• What were the arguments for and against man's creation?
• How were long-running talmudic discussions actually conducted?