Dear Rabbi Kornfeld, On Yevamot 82a the gemara has a Kashya on Rabbah:
"Wasn't Rabah the one who said, "By an Isur d'Oraisa it makes not difference whether it is an Isur Lav or Isur Kares... Kashya."
(a) What is the question? Rabah here is only explaining Reish Lakish; perhaps he does not agree to Reish Lakish?
(b) Also, the Gemara on 119a quotes the latter statement from "Rava," not Raba.
B'vrachah,
Yeshayahu Ha'Kohen Hollander
(a) From what Rava says on 119a, ("Michdi...") it seems that this precept was unquestionable and unchallenged. If he knew that Reish Lakish argued, he would have expressed it differently. Besides, if he knew that Reish Lakish argued with this statement, and no other Amora seemed is known to argue with Reish Lakish, Rava (a third generation Amora) would certainly not have argued with Reish Lakish.
(b) That is pointed out in the right hand margin of the Shas. From that Gemara it is clear that Rava, and not Raba, is speaking (based on chronological evidence), and if so the correct Girsa here, too, is Rava.
-Mordecai