The Oral Talmud with Benay Lappe and Dan Libenson Episode 15

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Anywhere that you find a statement introduced with: A certain disciple said before Rabbi Akiva in the name of Rabbi Yishmael, it is none other than Rabbi Meir, who was the student who served both Rabbi Yishmael and Rabbi Akiva....

The Gemara comments: Granted, there is no difficulty between the accounts in the two sources with regard to service and service, as it can be suggested as follows: Initially, he (Rabbi Meir) came before Rabbi Akiva to study, but he wasn't able to "stand on his mind"; he then came before Rabbi Yishmael and "gamar-ed his gemara"/"learned his learning." Afterward, he returned and came before Rabbi Akiva and "savar-ed his svara"/"reasoned his reasoning."

Initially, he (Rabbi Meir) came before Rabbi Akiva to study, but he wasn't able to "stand on his mind"; he then came before Rabbi Yishmael and "gamar-ed his gemara"/"learned his learning." Afterward, he returned and came before Rabbi Akiva and "savar-ed his svara"/"reasoned his reasoning."

Gamar-ed his gemara: The simple, plain mishnas/oral teachings, just as they are, as they were taught by his teacher, and his teacher from his teacher.

Savar-ed his svara: To stand on the essence of the reasons for the mishna/oral teaching. On account of what is this impure and this pure, this forbidden and this permitted, and upon what is each thing supported, or on which verse. And this is what was called “talmud” in the days of the Tannaim. And to understand a thing from within a thing. When a new thing would be asked in the bet midrash, from where would they learn it out, and to which mishna would they analogize it.