Is the baal tosfos in the beginning of erchin not the usual tosfos in shas? he seems to be a combination rashi/tosfos.
Also, i noticed this in bchoros and a little later in erchin, why are some tosfos in small print? other places in shas that usually means tosfos yeshanim. but there is no tuf yud at thethe end of these. is this just the printer squeezing in more room?
Thank you
Moshe Lamm, brooklyn usa
(a) According to E.E. Orbach ("Ba'alei ha'Tosfos), Tosfos to Bechoros were written by Rabeinu Shimshon (a.k.a. Rash) of Sens/Shantz. (Tosfos 22a DH Ta'aleh and Bilvad can be found word for word in the Rash's commentary to Terumos 5:2). Tosfos of Erchin was written by students of Rabeinu Shimshon and Rabeinu Elchanan HY'D, such as the brothers Rav Moshe, Rav Yitzchak and Rav Shmuel, sons of Shneur, of Evreux/Evra - and by their students.
It is true that in Erchin Tosfos often cites from Rashi, sometimes without adding anything to his words. The expression "Lamed - Heh" (Lashon ha'Kuntrus) - without introductory words such as "Ad Kan" - seems to be exclusive to Tosfos in Erchin (according to my database search). But since I can't find a similar expression in other Rishonim, it doesn't help us identify the author of these Tosfos.
(b) As for the small print used for Tosfos to Erchin 9a - I think it was indeed just the printer squeezing it in. The addition of the Shitah Mekubetzes in the Vilna print didn't leave him enough room for putting Tosfos on that Daf. (In the original, Venice print of the Shas, Tosfos there is the same size as elsewhere.)
I am not sure where you saw small print used for Tosfos in Bechoros. Perhaps you were referring to the second column with the "other" Rashi, that appears towards the end of Bechoros?
Best wishes,
Mordecai Kornfeld
thanks for the answer. in my gmara bchoros daf 4, 10, 8 amud alef, 6 amud bais the bottom 3 tosfos are all in small "tosfos yeshanim " print and many more times throughout the mesechta
Moshe Lamm, brooklyn usa
Yes, the same applies to those Tosfos; it appears to have been a Vilna adjustment to account for the lengthy comments of the Shitah and RGM'H that were added to those Dapim in the new print. (The Venice edition has them the same size as the other Tosfos in Bechoros.)
Best wishes,
Mordecai Kornfeld