## Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah Section 25

###### Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah 25:1
[Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah 25:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rambam%20Introduction%20to%20the%20Mishnah/r/25:1)

**הפרק הששי**לגלות הסתום משמותם ולהוסיף בם פרסום עד שיהיו נקובים: ר"א סתם הנזכר במשנה הוא ר"א בן הורקנוס תלמיד רבן יוחנן בן זכאי.

**Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah, translation by Rabbi Francis Nataf, 2017:**
**The sixth [appendix]** is to reveal from their names that were hidden and to add celebrity to them, until they would be [more] clearly recognized: The undifferentiated Rabbi Eliezer that is mentioned in the Mishnah is Rabbi Eliezer ben Horkanos, the student of Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai.


###### Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah 25:2
[Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah 25:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rambam%20Introduction%20to%20the%20Mishnah/r/25:2)

ורבי יהושע סתם הוא רבי יהושע בן חנניא תלמיד רבן יוחנן בן זכאי.

**Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah, translation by Rabbi Francis Nataf, 2017:**
And the undifferentiated Rabbi Yehoshua is Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananiah, the student of Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai.


###### Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah 25:3
[Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah 25:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rambam%20Introduction%20to%20the%20Mishnah/r/25:3)

ור"י סתם הנזכר במשנה הוא ר"י בר אלעאי שעליו נאמר בתלמוד מעשה בחסיד אחד והוא שמו מפורסם אצלם.

**Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah, translation by Rabbi Francis Nataf, 2017:**
And the undifferentiated Rabbi Yehudah is Rabbi Yehudah ben Elaye, about whom it is stated, "There was a story about one pious man." And that is his name that was well-known among them.


###### Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah 25:4
[Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah 25:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rambam%20Introduction%20to%20the%20Mishnah/r/25:4)

ורבי אלעזר סתם הוא רבי אלעזר בן שמוע הכהן שהיה בדורו של רבן גמליאל שרצה לקרות לפניו רבינו הקדוש ולא הניחו תלמידיו לקרות לפניו אלא מעט (יבמות פד.).

**Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah, translation by Rabbi Francis Nataf, 2017:**
And the undifferentiated Rabbi Elazar is Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua the Priest that was in the generation of Rabban Gamliel – that our Holy Rabbi wanted to read in front of, but his students only let him read a little in front of him (Yevamot 84a).


###### Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah 25:5
[Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah 25:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rambam%20Introduction%20to%20the%20Mishnah/r/25:5)

ור"ש הנזכר במשנה סתם הוא רבי שמעון בן יוחאי תלמיד רבי עקיבא שנודע ענינו עם קיסר ור' אלעזר (ור"ש הוא ובנו) [בר"ש הוא בנו] (שבת דף לג:).

**Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah, translation by Rabbi Francis Nataf, 2017:**
And Rabbi Shimon that is mentioned in the Mishnah anonymously (without his father's name) is Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai the student of Rabbi Akiva, whose incident with the Roman emperor is known, and Rabbi Elazar [son of Rabbi Shimon] was his son (Shabbat 33b).


###### Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah 25:6
[Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah 25:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rambam%20Introduction%20to%20the%20Mishnah/r/25:6)

ובן עזאי ובן זומא ובן ננס הם שמעון בן עזאי ושמעון בן זומא ושמעון בן ננס ובן בתירא הוא רבי יהושע בן בתירא. ובן בג בג הוא רבי יוחנן ויוחנן כהן גדול הוא יוחנן בן מתתיה הידוע הנזכר בתפלות במלחמות מלכי יון.

**Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah, translation by Rabbi Francis Nataf, 2017:**
And Ben Azzai and Ben Zoma and Ben Nannas are Shimon ben Azai and Shimon Ben Zoma and Shimon ben Nannas [respectively]. And Ben Beteira is Rabbi Yehoshua ben Betira. And Ben Bag-Bag is Rabbi Yochanan. And Yonatan the High Priest is the well-known Yonatan ben Matitya mentioned in the prayers about the wars of the kings of Greece.


###### Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah 25:7
[Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah 25:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rambam%20Introduction%20to%20the%20Mishnah/r/25:7)

ורצו ר"מ ור' נתן לבייש רבן גמליאל אביו של רבינו הקדוש על דבר יאריך להזכיר ענינו והרחיקם רבן גמליאל מישיבתו (הוריות פ"ג ד' יג:) וכשהיו אומרים הלכה על שם אחד מהם אם היתה בשם ר"מ יאמרו אחרים אומרים ואם היתה בשם ר' נתן יאמרו יש אומרים.

**Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah, translation by Rabbi Francis Nataf, 2017:**
And Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Natan wanted to embarrass Rabban Gamliel the father of our Holy Rabbi about something – it would take long to mention the affair – and Rabban Gamliel distanced them from his academy (Horayot 13b – Chapter 3). And when they would say laws in the name of one of them, if it was in the name of Rabbi Meir, they would say, "Others say"; and if it was in the name of Rabbi Natan, they would say, "There are those that say."


###### Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah 25:8
[Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah 25:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rambam%20Introduction%20to%20the%20Mishnah/r/25:8)

אך מה שאמר במשנה רבי משום רבי ישמעאל אמר תלמיד אחד לפני רבי עקיבא והוא רבי מאיר.

**Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah, translation by Rabbi Francis Nataf, 2017:**
However that which Rabbi said in the Mishnah, "One student said in the name of Rabbi Yishmael in front of Rabbi Akiva," was [also a reference to] Rabbi Meir.


###### Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah 25:9
[Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah 25:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rambam%20Introduction%20to%20the%20Mishnah/r/25:9)

ומה שאמרו הדנין לפני חכמים הם חמשה אנשים ר"ש בן עזאי ור"ש בן זומא ור"ש בן ננם וחנן וחנניה איש אונו.

**Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah, translation by Rabbi Francis Nataf, 2017:**
And that which they said, "Who deliberated in front of the sages," is [a reference to] five men: Rabbi Shimon ben Azzai, Rabbi Shimon ben Zoma, Rabbi Shimon ben Nannas, Chanan and Chananiah the man of Ono.


###### Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah 25:10
[Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah 25:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rambam%20Introduction%20to%20the%20Mishnah/r/25:10)

ורבי מאיר נקרא גם הוא ר' נהוראי והענין אחד ושמו העיקר רבי נחמיה.

**Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah, translation by Rabbi Francis Nataf, 2017:**
And Rabbi Meir is also called Rabbi Nehorai and the matter is one [in that both names refer to light]. And his primary name is Rabbi Nechemiah.


###### Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah 25:11
[Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah 25:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rambam%20Introduction%20to%20the%20Mishnah/r/25:11)

אבל מה שנאמר במשנה חכמים ר"ל כי לפעמים יכנה בחכמים בשביל אחד מן האנשים שהקדמנו שמותם ופעמים ירצה לומר בשביל כל המון החכמים ופעמים יבאר בתלמוד ויאמר מאן חכמים רבי פלוני ואולם יעשה זה בהיות המקבלים רבים שקבלו מן החכם ההוא ובעבור היות אנשי הדעת ההיא רבים יקראם חכמים ואפילו שיהיה לאיש אחד.

**Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah, translation by Rabbi Francis Nataf, 2017:**
But that which it states in the Mishnah, "The sages" – I mean to say that sometimes he used the term, 'the sages,' for one of the men whose names we have already mentioned and sometimes he will want to say it for the whole multitude of the sages and sometimes the Talmud will elucidate and say, "Who are 'the sages?' Rabbi x" – he will do this in that many received the transmission from that sage, and in that the men of that opinion are many, he calls them 'the sages,' even though it is that of one man.


###### Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah 25:12
[Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah 25:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rambam%20Introduction%20to%20the%20Mishnah/r/25:12)

ואולם מה שאמרו ב"ש וב"ה רצונו לזכור החבורה הנוטה לדעת שמאי והחבורה הנוטה לדעת הלל שתלמידי האדם הם אנשי ביתו.

**Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah, translation by Rabbi Francis Nataf, 2017:**
Nonetheless, that which they said, "the House of Shammai and the House of Hillel," [is because] he wanted to mention the group that inclined to the opinion of Shammai and the group that inclined to the opinion of Hillel, as the students of a man are the people of his household.


###### Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah 25:13
[Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah 25:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rambam%20Introduction%20to%20the%20Mishnah/r/25:13)

ורבי הוא רבינו הקדוש והוא ר' יהודה הנשיא הששי להלל הזקן והוא המחבר המשנה.

**Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah, translation by Rabbi Francis Nataf, 2017:**
And Rabbi is our Holy Rabbi, who is Rabbi Yehudah HaNassi, the sixth [generation] from Hillel the Elder. And he is the redactor of the Mishnah.


###### Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah 25:14
[Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah 25:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rambam%20Introduction%20to%20the%20Mishnah/r/25:14)

וכל מקום שנאמר במשנה באמת אמרו הוא הלכה למשה מסיני.

**Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah, translation by Rabbi Francis Nataf, 2017:**
And everyplace that it is stated in the Mishnah, "In truth they said," it is a law of Moshe from Sinai (*halacha le'Moshe me'Sinai*).


###### Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah 25:15
[Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah 25:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rambam%20Introduction%20to%20the%20Mishnah/r/25:15)

אבל סתם משנה הוא מה שהסכימו עליו דעת רבים והשתוה עיונם בו ולא נפלה בו מחלוקת או שיקבלוהו רבים מפי רבים עד משה כפי אשר חלקנו בפתיחת דברינו.

**Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah, translation by Rabbi Francis Nataf, 2017:**
But an undifferentiated mishnah (teaching) is one that the opinion of the many agreed to, and their analysis was identical and no disagreement occurred about it, or the many received this [transmission] from the many [going] back to Moshe, according to that which we delineated in the introduction of our words.


###### Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah 25:16
[Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah 25:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rambam%20Introduction%20to%20the%20Mishnah/r/25:16)

והמקבל הקרוב שנתיחס אליו המאמר הוא ר"מ. וזהו ענין שאמרו סתם משנה רבי מאיר. אלא במקצת סתומות שאפשר שהם לר"מ לבדו ועליו מחלוקת או יהיו לאיש אחר חוץ מר"מ והתלמוד יבאר אותם.

**Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah, translation by Rabbi Francis Nataf, 2017:**
And the closest receiver of the transmission that the statement is referring to is Rabbi Meir. And this is [the meaning of] the matter that they stated, "An undifferentiated mishnah is Rabbi Meir." However in some undifferentiated [cases], it is possible that they are from Rabbi Meir by himself and there is a disagreement about them or that it is of another man besides Rabbi Meir – and the Talmud will elucidate them.


###### Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah 25:17
[Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah 25:17](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rambam%20Introduction%20to%20the%20Mishnah/r/25:17)

וכשנפסק ההלכה על דעת מי היא בכל הלכה מהלכות המשנה אז תגיע לתכלית שאלתך בענין זה:

**Rambam Introduction to the Mishnah, translation by Rabbi Francis Nataf, 2017:**
And when it is determined who the law is according to, in each law of the laws of the Mishnah, you will then arrive at the resolution to your question about this matter.