Rebbe’s teaching style is not mine TB Yevamot 9

Levi ben Sisi was one of the scholars who bridged the tannaitic era with the amoraic one. All throughout the Talmud he is known only as Levi. Although he was a great scholar in all fields of rabbinic knowledge, he was never ordained as a rabbi He was one of Rabbi Yehuda HaNai’s aka Rebbe’s outstanding students. He helped Rebbe with the compilation of the six orders of the Mishnah as well as a collection of bartaitot known as Kiddushin de-Bei Levi. After the death of Rebbe, Levi moved to Babylonia. “Levi moved to Babylonia, whither his fame had preceded him. (Shabbat 59b)  He died in Babylonia, and was greatly mourned by scholars. Abba bar Abba eulogized him, saying that Levi alone was worth as much as the whole of humanity (Yerushalmi Berakhot 2 5c).” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Levi_ben_Sisi)

We see on today’s daf TB Yevamot 9 that Rebbe taught in a way that instilled fear in his students. Rebbe edited the Mishnah carefully. There are no extraneous words. Levi asks Rebbe a question why the Mishnah only cites 15 cases when there are more possibilities and Rebbe belittles him. “§ After discussing different interpretations of the relevant verses, the Gemara addresses the details of the halakhot of the mishna. It first considers the numbers that comprise the structure of the mishna as a whole. The Sage Levi said to Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi: Why does the tanna specifically teach the cases of fifteen women? Let him teach the cases of sixteen women, including the case of a rival wife of a forbidden relation. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi said to him: Judging by his question, it seems to me that this Sage has no brain in his head.” (Sefaria.org translation) 

The answer to Levi’s question is that Rebbe only included those cases in the first Mishna of our massekhet where there is unanimous agreement. The four cases brought questioning this answer are dismissed in one way or another

Who am I to question Rebbe’s scholarship! Nevertheless, I like to comment on his teaching style. If a teacher ever responded to my question how Rebbe spoke to Levi, I would never ever again ask another question in class. If a student doesn’t ask questions, how will the student ever learn! As a teacher I always want to encourage my students to ask questions; consequently, I never belittle them or their questions. Even when the question is nonsensical, I preface my remarks by saying, “That’s a good question” or “That’s an interesting observation.” I’ll then try to answer the question to my best ability. This allows me to maintain my student’s kavod or dignity. When the student feels heard and not demeaned, the student will continue to ask questions and will learn.