Musar for Eruvin 105:17

And in the chapter entitled "Man Takes Unto Him a Wife" they said that when Rabbi Meir died, Rabbi Judah said, "Let not the pupils of Rabbi Meir enter here for they are argumentative" (Kiddushin 52b). All this he said because he did not want to pause in his studying. For Rabbi Meir was very sharp and his companions could not successfully debate with him (Erubin 13b and 53a). Moreover, R. Johanan said, "The hearts of the ancients were like the door of the Ulam, but those of the last generations were like the door of the Hekhal, but ours are like the eye of a fine needle." ^** The Ulam and the Hekhal were two of the chambers in the Temple. The door of the Ulam was 20 cubits wide while that of the Hekhal was only ten. And Abaye said, "We are like a peg in a wall in respect of Gemara." And Raba said, "We are like a finger in wax as regards logical argument." "We," said R. Ashi, "are like a finger in a pit as regards forgetfulness" (Erubin 53a).