Question #1: They ask that, since Rebbi Meir explains that his name was 'Sh'mo', it implies that Acherim is not Rebbi Meir.

Question #1 (cont.): Whereas in Horiyos (Daf 13b) the Gemara states that they called Rebbi Meir by the name Acherim?

Question #2: Also, in the first Perek of B'rachos (Daf 9b) in the Sugya of when one reads the Sh'ma in the morning, Rebbi Meir and Acherim argue?

Answer #1: Tosfos' Rebbe says that he saw a commentary in France which states a tradition that the sayings that he (Rebbi Meir) received from Elisha ben Avuyah (his Rebbe) they fixed by the name Acherim ...

Reason: Because his name was 'Acher', whereas all his other sayings they fixed by his real name.

Refutation: This is not logical however, seeing as they also called Rebbi Nasan to 'Yesh Omrim', and everybody agrees that this refers to all his statements, in which case, the same will apply to Rebbi Meir.

Answer #2: One must therefore say that after they called him 'Acherim', he retracted, and stated that he was born already circumcised.

Clarification: Tosfos Rebbe explains in the name of Rash bar K'lonimus that both of these were on the inside of the box where the lime covered the pitch. But on the outside he did not place pitch ...

Reason: In order that it should not be noticed, because papyrus (of which the box was made) is similar to the bulrushes in the river, and people would not be able to distinguish the box among the bulrushes.

Question: On the contrary, it was because of him that the decrees were issued in the first place, based on what the astrologers saw?

Answer: He was the first baby to be cast into the river, and the initial decree "If it is a son, then kill him" was not on account of him, but because "They will fight with us ... ", and it is generally men who fight.