There is a very interesting Rabbenu Bachye in Parasahas Ki Siso on the expressiion of the gemora חסורי מחסרא והכי קתני first a joke from the Ben Ish Chai, people when they have no money, sit and learn. Now he explains that originally the mishna left things out on purpose as it was understood when left out. You were only allowed to write down what was necessary for understanding. As the generations became weaker, the gemora came about and more elaborations were necessary and so on. They say about Rav Nasan Adler ztz’l that he had a photographic memory so he only required to place a dot in the margin. We only know things from him from his talmidim.
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