IDI

IDI (third century C.E.), Palestinian amora, called Rav Idi. It is related of him that he spent most of his time in travel connected with his business and sat in the bet ha-midrash only one day every three months. As a result his colleagues referred to him as "the one-day student." His title rav, given to amoraim ordained in Babylon, is significant and suggests that he stayed there a long time. Johanan, head of the Tiberias Academy, greatly esteemed him both because of his learning and his piety, stressing particularly his forbearance toward his colleagues and his refusal to react to the offensive appellation they gave him. His son JACOB, one of the most prominent Palestinian scholars in the second half of the third century, so outshone his father that Rav Idi is referred to as "the father of Rav Jacob b. Idi." There was another Palestinian amora of the same name, but as a Palestinian he is naturally referred to as Rabbi (not Rav) Idi. -BIBLIOGRAPHY: Bacher, Pal Amor. (Joshua Gutmann)