Explanation: These matters were written so people will not slander people who are [big] like this.

Implied question: R. Yochanan was after the Churban!

Since it mentioned that R. Yochanan was different from other people in one way (his Ever), it mentions also that he was different in beauty.

Implied question: It says in Pesachim (111a) that one who encounters a woman who just immersed Tevilas Mitzvah (from Nidah), a spirit of Zenus seizes him!

Answer #1: That is when he encounters her. R. Yochanan sat there on a fixed basis. This is not encountering.

Answer #2: There we discuss when he encounters her coming up naked from the river.

Explanation #1 (R. Tam): This shows that initially, Reish Lakish knew much, but he cast off the yoke of Torah and became an Am ha'Aretz, and engaged in burglary.

Source: Since [R. Yochanan] said "if you return", this connotes to be like initially, and not cast the yoke of Torah off of yourself.

Support: Also, [Reish Lakish] said [below] "what did you benefit me? There they called me Rebbi", i.e. also initially they called me Rebbi, but I forgot.

Explanation #2 (Rashi): They called him "Rebbi", i.e. the teacher of robbers.

Rejection: This is wrong, even though we find [like this] in Avodah Zarah (17b)! (The Romans had accused R. Elazar ben Parta of teaching Torah, which they forbade. He denied it. They asked) "why are you called 'Rebbi'?" He answered "I am the Rebbi of weavers."

Note: Obviously that was a mere Dichuy, but the Romans accepted it. Perhaps Tosfos holds that it is no proof, for we can distinguish weaving, which is permitted, and it is a Mitzvah to teach a trade to one's son, from burglary. Alternatively, why would a robber teach others? He can steal more than if others do not know how to steal!

Support (for Explanation #1): In Shabbos (119b), Reish Lakish said to R. Yehudah Nesi'ah "I received from my ancestors - some say, from your ancestors - that any city without children learning from their Rebbi..."

Inference: Before R. Yochanan taught him, he had learned from others.

Observation: Below, it is proven that [Reish Lakish] married [R. Yochanan's sister], for it says "[R. Yochanan's] sister came and cried in front of him." [Reish Lakish] was not concerned lest people say that he repented for this [to marry her], like [R. Tarfon's grandson] was concerned for this below (85a. Some say that he married Rebbi's daughter, and divorced her. Others say that he never married her, lest people say that he repented just to marry her.)

Question (R. Tam): A Mishnah (Kelim 14:5) says "when are a sword and knife Mekabel Tum'ah? A sword [is Mekabel] from when he rubs and smoothes it, and a knife from when he sharpens it.

This is unlike R. Yochanan, and unlike Reish Lakish!

Answer: That Mishnah discusses when they became rusted, and he comes to fix them;

(Tosefta): A rusted sword and knife are Tehorim. If he rubbed and smoothed them, they returned to their initial Tum'ah.

Distinction: From the beginning, they are finished like it explains in our Sugya (R. Yochanan and Reish Lakish argued about this).

Assertion: [In the Tosefta,] "he rubbed them" refers [only] to a sword, and "he smoothed them" refers [only] to a knife. Now, the Tosefta is just like the Mishnah.

Citation: The Midrash explains that a great storm was about to drown them, and they vowed to [R. Elazar b'Rebbi Shimon, if they will be saved in his merit], and the wind abated.