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I found the gemara and rishonim here very hard to read. Just a couple of things that I think I got from it.
1) According to the Rosh, the Cohanim's shemira (in three places) always has a Levi below the Cohen. He has two opinions throughout,
(a) There are 21 Leviim guarding, three of which have Cohanim above them. Or
(b) [Rabbeinu Tam] There are 21 Leviim guarding, plus three more with Cohanim above them.
2) According to the Mefaresh, according to Abbaye, the Leviim don't need to be directly under the Cohanim. They are at ground level, but can be at different places. There are 21 Leviim guarding, and three Cohanim at three other places.
One sugya where this plays a role: The gemara asks that there are seven gates, not five. The Rosh asks, according to (b) Rabbeinu Tam, what's the question? The extra two gates could be Beis Hamokeid and Beis Hanitzutz, which are also guarded - by Cohanim and Leviim below. Why didn't the gemara know that?
According to the Mefareish, that is exactly the answer of Abbaye in the gemara: the two gates don't need guarding - that is, they are guarded already by Cohanim. [The Rosh has a different p'shat - they don't need guarding because these two gates are each between other gates, and the guards there can keep track of them.]
I think the difference is that since it is Abbaye's chiddush, according to the Mefareish it's acceptable for the gemara to use it as a question and answer. According to the Rosh it was known all along.
1) According to the Rosh, the Cohanim's shemira (in three places) always has a Levi below the Cohen. He has two opinions throughout,
(a) There are 21 Leviim guarding, three of which have Cohanim above them. Or
(b) [Rabbeinu Tam] There are 21 Leviim guarding, plus three more with Cohanim above them.
2) According to the Mefaresh, according to Abbaye, the Leviim don't need to be directly under the Cohanim. They are at ground level, but can be at different places. There are 21 Leviim guarding, and three Cohanim at three other places.
One sugya where this plays a role: The gemara asks that there are seven gates, not five. The Rosh asks, according to (b) Rabbeinu Tam, what's the question? The extra two gates could be Beis Hamokeid and Beis Hanitzutz, which are also guarded - by Cohanim and Leviim below. Why didn't the gemara know that?
According to the Mefareish, that is exactly the answer of Abbaye in the gemara: the two gates don't need guarding - that is, they are guarded already by Cohanim. [The Rosh has a different p'shat - they don't need guarding because these two gates are each between other gates, and the guards there can keep track of them.]
I think the difference is that since it is Abbaye's chiddush, according to the Mefareish it's acceptable for the gemara to use it as a question and answer. According to the Rosh it was known all along.
