These and these are words of the living God

For three years Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel disputed, each saying the halacha follows us. A heavenly voice declared: these and these are words of the living God, and the halacha follows Beit Hillel. The Gemara explains that Beit Hillel were gentle and humble, and taught Beit Shammai’s views before their own.

1. 1Restate the source in your own words.
2. 2Identify the central distinction and explain its significance.
3. 3Apply the distinction in the exercise without adding a ruling absent from the source.