(a) Rabbi Yochanan said to Reish Lakish "Bira tochiach, shechazra larishonim
vilo chazra la'acharonim". Rashi explains "bira" as BEIS HAMIKDASH.
How can Rashi render this translation? We find a machloikes on 2a between
Rabbi Yochanan and Reish Lakish on the very meaning of the word bira.
It is only Reish Lakish who hold that "bira" refers to the beis hamikdash,
whereas Rabbi Yochanan holds that it is a specific site on har habayis!
Thus, when translating R' Yochanan's comments, shouldn't Rashi make
R' Yochanan consistent with his view on 2a?
(b) The gemara, further below, asks how Reish Lakish could have talked to Rabba b.b. Chana, when apparently Reish Lakish only spoke to an extremely righteous person, the kind of people the public could trust implicitly on all matters of business.
Is Rabba b.b. Chana, an Amora featured throughout sha"s and a faithful talmid
of Rabbi Yochanan not righteous or good enough to fit Reish Lakish's criteria for talking?! If not him, then who?
-Thank you very much. Kol tuv!
Shalom Spira, Montreal, Canada
(a) Your question that Rav Yochanan here seems to contradict his opinion of the meaning of "Birah" on 2a, is addressed by the Gevuras Ari.
He explains that Rav Yochanan also agrees that "Birah" refers to the Beis ha'Mikdash. The Pasuk in Divrei ha'Yamim (cited on 2a) explicitly refers to the Beis ha'Mikdash as "Birah." However, he holds that the Kohen who burns the Parah Adumah did not have to be secluded in the Beis ha'Mikdash proper, but he could have been placed anywhere on Har ha'Bayis. Therefore, the word "Birah" in the Mishnah in Parah cited earlier (2a) must mean something else.
(b) Raba bar bar Chana was a student of Rebbi Yochanan, as was Rebbi Elazar (also mentioned in the Sugya as "not on public speaking terms" with Reish Lakish). Perhaps Reish Lakish only spoke publicly to contemporaries -- such as Ze'iri, the example given later on this Daf -- or mentors. (Rebbi Elazar was only a Talmid Chaver of Rebbi Yochanan, see Bava Metzia 84a.)
See also Tosfos Yeshanim, who explains that Reish Lakish discussed Torah with anybody, but did not "begin jovial conversations" with anyone but exceptionally trustworthy people.
-Mordecai