Barry Epstein asked:
The Gemara asks who the author of the Mishnah on 87a is. This is puzzling to me as on 82a the gemara clearly states that the remaining anonymous mishnayot in the chapter (11) are R' Yose. Given that the gemara knows this, why does it ask the question?
Barry Epstein, Dallas, USA
The Kollel replies:
Many times when the Gemara asks "Mani Masnisin" ("who is the Mishnah") it is not looking for the actual author of the Mishnah. Rather, it is asking "who is the author of the view that is expressed in the Mishnah" -- that is, whose opinion was the author of the Mishnah following. In this case, the Gemara is stating that the Mishnah follows the opinion of Rebbi Yishmael.
D. Zupnik