A bright student once asked why it is that the גמרא asks “מאי טעמה דתנא קמא” and doesn’t ask “מאי טעמה דתנא בתרא?” He asked the question and he answered it. “The basis for the opinion of the תנא בתרא is readily understandable. He heard the opinion of the תנא קמא and therefore, his opinion had to differ. But the תנא קמא hadn’t heard the opinion of the תנא בתרא. So, the גמרא asks why did he dispute an opinion that had not even been stated?”
06/10/2021