Yevamos 16a - Exiting Through 3 Different Doors

The gemara tells that R' Elazar Ben azarya, R' Yehoshua and R' Akiva all exited through different doors. Tosafos explains that they did this in order to avoid Yonasan Ben Hurkinas who would prove the opinion of Beis Shamai to be correct and they would have to establish the halacha like B"S to do yibum to a tzaras ervah. The obvious question is, if they knew that Yonasan would prove his position that Beis Shamai was correct, how are they allowed to deliberately avoid him? R' Elchonon (divrei sofrim 5:15) explains that these 3 Rabbonim had a kabbalah from Chagai Hanvi that B"H position is correct. But, they realized that Yonasan would be smarter than them and present arguments and proofs that they would not be able to refute. Ain l'dayan ela mah sh'einav ro'os, so they would be forced to submit and pasken like B"S, even they knew that B"H was correct. Therefore, they avoided Yonasan so as not to hear his proofs so that they can continue holding like B"H. He continues to explain that in the machlokes B"S and B"H in general, we now pasken like B"H only bec. we can't grasp the true opinion of B"S who were much sharper, but in the world to come, when we will be enlightened to higher levels of understanding we will follow Beis Shamai.

This reminds me of a story from the sridei eish that he writes about the rogotchov - see comment #1.

I will be away for a little while starting sunday - R' Yossi and R' Aryeh please start posting!!