The Rabbis say the Rabbi has preference over his father, and if both were in prison, his master has preference to be released

TRACT BABA METZIA (MIDDLE GATE).

CHAPTER II.

LAWS RELATING TO FOUND ARTICLES, WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT BE KEPT WITHOUT PROCLAMATION, AND HOW FOUND ARTICLES SHALL BE CARED FOR, ETC.

p. 78

MISHNA XIII.: If one lost a thing as did his father before, his own has preference. The same is the case with his master. If, however, his father and his master have lost an article at the same time, his master has preference because his father brought him only into this world, while his master, who taught him wisdom, brings him into the world to come; if, however, his father was a sage, he has the preference (i.e., to trouble himself for him). If his father and his master were overburdened, he should unload his master first, and after his father. If both were in prison, his master has preference to be redeemed; if, however, his father was a sage, he has the preference.

GEMARA: Whence is this deduced? Said R. Jehudah in the name of Rabh: "It is written [Deut. xv. 4] 'No needy man among thee' 1 (above, p. 69), which means that yours has the preference always." The same said again in the name of the same authority: "Although the law is exactly so, he who always acts accordingly will finally need the support of others." (Rashi explains this that he who is always particular that he shall have the preference absolves himself of charity, of bestowing favors, and is not respected, and therefore he stands alone and will finally need support.)

"If his father and his master were overloaded," etc. The rabbis taught: "The master in question is meant one who has taught him the wisdom of Gemara" (i.e., the reasons of the decisions of the Mishna and that they do not contradict each other, and some sense for allowed and not allowed obligations and absolutions of the Scripture.--Rashi); "but not who taught him Scripture, exact Mishnayoth," is the dictum of R. Meir. R. Jehudah says: He who taught him the greater part of his wisdom only is considered his master. R. Jose, however, maintains: "That even if he enlighted his eyes in only one Mishna, he is to be considered his master." Said Rabha: "As, e.g., R. Sh'orah, who explained to me the word Zuhma with the word Listrum." 2 Samuel tore his garment at the death of one of the rabbis who had explained to him only one expression in the Gemara. Said Ula: "The Babylonian sages arise one before another, and tear their garments, for the death of one of their colleagues; however, concerning a lost thing of which the master has preference, they do not consider only the master of whom he had learned the greater part of his wisdom."

R. Hisda questioned R. Huna: How is it with a disciple whom his master needed? And he answered: "Hisda, Hisda, I have not any need for you; you, however, need me for forty years more." They both became angry, and did not visit each other any more. R. Hisda, however, fasted forty days for the disgrace of R. Huna, and R. Huna did the same because he suspected that R. Hisda with his question meant him. "It was taught: R. Itzhak b. Joseph in the name of R. Johanan said: The Halakha prevails in accordance with R. Jehudah. R. Aha b. R. Huna in the name of R. Shes'heth said: The Halakha prevails according to R. Jose."

Could R. Johanan say so? Did he not say elsewhere that the Halakha prevails in accordance with an anonymous Mishna, and our Mishna states his master, who taught him wisdom? By the word wisdom, i.e., the greater of his wisdom.