Bechorot 36: Ba'alei Terisin, Competing Sages

The Sages were aware that priests might be tempted to blemish their bechorot intentionally in order to benefit themselves.  Today the Gemara shares another example of how this issue was managed, followed by commentary.

We learn that Rabbi Tzadok had a firstborn animal that he fed by leaving barley in wicker baskets.  It's lip was damaged while eating, creating a ba'al mum, a permanent blemish.  Rabbi Tzadok asked Rabbi Yehoshua if he was suspected of intentionally causing the blemish.  Rabbi Yehoshua said, "Didn't we differentiate between chaverim (learned, righteous citizens) and priests who are ignoramuses?"  He implied that Rabbi Tzadok was credible to testify that the blemish was accidental.   When Rabbi Tzadok approached Rabban Gamliel, he was again told, "Didn't we differentiate difference between a priest who is a chaser and a priest who is an ignoramus?", but he also said that Rabbi Tzadok was not credible to testify about his innocence.  When Rabbi Tzadok wondered what to do, Rabban Gamliel told him to wait until the ba'alei terisin, the competing Sages or the security officers, entered the Temple.

When they entered the Temple, the ba'alei terisin battled over the interpretation of Torah.  There is a descriptions of Rabbis being asked to sit or stand by the Nasi; to defend themselves.  They are challenged about changing their testimony.  Rabbi Yehoshua defends himself: "How should I act?  If I were alive an he were dead, the living can contradict the dead.  But since both he and I are alive, how can the living contradict the living?".  Rabban Gamliel was lecturing while Rabbi Yehoshua stood; he was told to sit.  There were people present who insisted that Chutzpit the disseminator silence the lecture.