Reply To: To All Yeshiva Haters

FWIW, Artscroll says it was “the Rabbis” who originally thought it meant listim. Mesivta Gemara explains this way as well. As you admitted, it is by far the pashtus (you didn’t admit the “by far” part).

Also of note is that it also says ?????? ????, which means they changed their minds based on sevara, not necessarily new information.