Dimi (also called Abdimi and Abudimi) is the name of several

Amoraim ''Amoraim'' ( , singular ''Amora'' ; "those who say" or "those who speak over the people", or "spokesmen") refers to Jewish scholars of the period from about 200 to 500 CE, who "said" or "told over" the teachings of the Oral Torah. They were p ...

, mostly of Babylonian origin.

Dimi

Amora of the fourth century who often carried Palestinian doctrinal and exegetical remarks to the Babylonian schools, and Babylonian teachings to Palestine (see Abdima Naḥota). In consequence of a decree of banishment issued by

Constantius II Constantius II (; ; 7 August 317 – 3 November 361) was Roman emperor from 337 to 361. His reign saw constant warfare on the borders against the Sasanian Empire and Germanic peoples, while internally the Roman Empire went through repeated civ ...

against the teachers of Judaism in Palestine, he finally settled in Babylonia. Dimi was a perfect storehouse of diversified knowledge, which he diligently gathered and as freely disseminated; and he made the transmission of the teachings of his most prominent Palestinian predecessors his special mission. He reported in the names of Jannai, Hanina,

Joshua ben Levi Joshua ben Levi or Yehoshua ben Levi (220 – 250 CE) was an amora—a scholar of Jewish law during the period in which the Gemara was codified—who lived in the Land of Israel in the first half of the third century. He lived and taught in the ...

Shimon ben Lakish Shimon ben Lakish (; ''Shim‘on bar Lakish'' or ''bar Lakisha''), better known by his nickname Reish Lakish (c. 200 — c. 275), was an amora who lived in the Roman province of Judaea in the third century. He was said to be born in Bosra, eas ...

, Isaac, Eleazar, and, most frequently, R. Johanan; and almost as often he reported Palestinian observations with merely the introductory formula ("They say in the West").

Abaye Abaye () was an amora of the fourth generation of the Talmudic academies in Babylonia. He was born about the close of the third century and died in 337. Biography Abaye, according to Talmudic tradition, was the head of the Pumbedita Academy unt ...

was the most appreciative recipient of Dimi's information, which ranged along the lines of the halakhah and the aggadah, occasionally touching also physical geography, history, and ethics. When Abaye once inquired of him, "What do the Westerners alestiniansmost strenuously avoid in their social intercourse?" Dimi replied, "Putting a neighbor to shame; for R. Ḥanina counts this sin among the three unpardonable ones". Dimi was also opposed to the bestowal of excessive praise, and thus illustrated the Biblical proverb (Proverbs 27:14), "He that blesses his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him." Usually Dimi communicated his knowledge personally; but where circumstances required it, he did so by messages. Thus, when on one occasion, having himself reported in Pumbedita a halakhah as construed by R. Johanan, he discovered on his arrival at Nehardea that he had been mistaken, he sent word to the misinformed, candidly confessing, "What I have told you is founded on an error".

Dimi

Babylonian scholar of the fourth century; brother of Rav Safra. According to the testimony of his contemporary, R. Abba, Dimi was not endowed with worldly goods, but was blessed with a clear conscience. In his last hours he was visited by his learned brother, to whom he remarked, "May it come home to me ("I deserve God's mercy") because I have observed all the rules prescribed by the Rabbis". When asked, "Did you also refrain from sounding your neighbor's praises, for in continually talking of one's virtues, a man incidentally refers to his vices?" he replied, "I have never heard of such a precept; and had I heard it, I should have followed it." Another version makes Dimi himself the transmitter of that very rule.

Dimi of Ḥaifa

(Meg. 29b; compare "

Sheiltot She'iltot of Rav Achai Gaon, also known as Sheiltot de-Rav Ahai, or simply She'iltot (), is a rabbinic halakhic work composed in the 8th century by Ahai of Shabha (variants: Aḥa of Shabha; Acha of Shabcha), during the geonic period. ''She'ilto ...

on Ḥanukkah," end): See

Avdimi of Haifa Avdimi of Haifa (, translit: ''Avdimi d'min Haifa''; in the Jerusalem Talmud: , translit: ''Avduma d'Haifa''; hebraized form of , ''Eudēmos'') was among the greatest of the ''amoraim'' of Eretz IsraelRav Safra and of Hiyya bar

Rabbah bar Nahmani Rabbah bar Naḥmani () (died c. 320 CE) was a Jewish Talmudist known throughout the Talmud simply as Rabbah. He was a third-generation amora of the talmudic academies in Babylonia, which were in Asoristan, the Lower Mesopotamian part of the ...

; also of Rava, before whom he and his brother Rabbah (Rabbin) b. Hinena once appeared as litigants. That he was prominent among the scholars of his age may be assumed from the fact that

Rav Chisda Rav Ḥisda () was a Jewish Talmudist who lived in Kafri, Asoristan in Lower Mesopotamia near what is now the city of Najaf, Iraq. He was an amora of the third generation (died c. 320 CE at the age of ninety-twoMoed Kattan 28a), and is menti ...

cites a halakhic decision of his.

Dimi b. Huna of Damharia

Babylonian halakhist of the sixth amoraic generation (fifth century); contemporary of Rabbina III.

Dimi b. Isaac

Babylonian amora of the fourth generation; junior of Rav

Judah bar Ezekiel Judah bar Ezekiel (220–299 CE) () often known as Rav Yehudah, was a Babylonian amora of the 2nd generation. Biography Judah was the most prominent disciple of Rav, in whose house he often stayed, and whose son Hiyya b. Rav was his pupil. Af ...

, who gave him some lessons in comparative anatomy. Introducing a lecture on the

Book of Esther The Book of Esther (; ; ), also known in Hebrew language, Hebrew as "the Scroll" ("the wikt:מגילה, Megillah"), is a book in the third section (, "Writings") of the Hebrew Bible. It is one of the Five Megillot, Five Scrolls () in the Hebr ...

, Dimi cites Ezra 9:9, "Our God has not forsaken us in our bondage, but has extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia." "When?" he asks; and answers, "In the days of Haman".

Dimi bar Joseph

Babylonian scholar of the third amoraic generation (third century); disciple of

Samuel of Nehardea Samuel of Nehardea or Samuel bar Abba, often simply called Samuel (Hebrew: שמואל) and occasionally Mar Samuel, was a Jewish Amora of the first generation; son of Abba bar Abba and head of the Yeshiva at Nehardea, Babylonia. He was a teach ...

and senior to

and Rav

Sheshet Rav Sheshet () was an amora of the third generation of the Talmudic academies in Babylonia (then Asoristan, now Lower Mesopotamia, Iraq). His name is sometimes read Shishat or Bar Shishat. Biography He was a colleague of Rav Nachman, with whom ...

. His sister sued him before

Rav Nachman Rav Nachman bar Yaakov (; died 320) was a prominent Jewish Talmudic sage ( Amora) of the third generation, who lived in Babylonia. He is generally identified with the figure referred to simply as ''Rav Nachman'' in the Babylonian Talmud. He was ...

for the restoration of a parcel of land which she had legally transferred to him in her illness. Probably because of Dimi's age and professional status, he refused to obey Nachman's summons until he was threatened with excommunication. When his son had the misfortune to lose a child within thirty days from its birth, and—contrary to the rabbinic rule, which does not impose mourning for an infant under thirty days of age—he had assumed ritualistic mourning, Dimi remonstrated with him, observing, "It is only because you desire to be regaled with delicacies that you indulge in ritualistic mourning for so young an infant".

Dimi b. Levai

Babylonian scholar of the fourth century. Once on a cloudy Friday, he thought that the sun had set, and at once recited the Sabbath prayer. Subsequently the skies cleared, and he discovered his mistake. Upon his seeking rabbinic guidance,

declared that he could resume his weekday work.

Dimi of Nehardea

Babylonian scholar of the fourth century; head of the Academy of

Pumbedita Pumbedita ( ''Pūm Bəḏīṯāʾ'', "Mouth of the Bedita"See The river "Bedita" has not been identified.) was an ancient city located in modern-day Iraq. It is known for having hosted the Pumbedita Academy. History The city of Pumbedita was s ...

(385-388). Prior to his elevation to the rectorate he was a produce-merchant; and the Talmud preserves an anecdote of that time which affords an insight into the economic laws of the age as well as an idea of Dimi's standing among the learned even in his youth. The law had provided that—except the dealer in spices or perfumes at any time, and the public generally while fairs were being held—no non-resident merchant might enter his wares in competition with local traders. A notable exception to this rule was the scholar. To him the market was always open; and to facilitate his sales and his return to study, the law gave him the rights of monopoly until he disposed of his goods. Now, Dimi once brought to

Mahuza Al-Mada'in (, ; ''Māḥozā''; ) was an ancient metropolis situated on the Tigris in what is now Iraq. It was located between the ancient royal centers of Ctesiphon and Seleucia, and was founded by the Sasanian Empire. The city's name was used ...

a shipload of dried figs, when Rava was requested by the

exilarch The exilarch was the leader of the Jewish community in Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) during the era of the Parthians, Sasanians and Abbasid Caliphate up until the Mongol invasion of Baghdad in 1258, with intermittent gaps due to ongoing polit ...

"to tap Dimi's pitcher", i.e., to examine him ascertain whether he was a scholar and consequently entitled to the special market privileges. Rava deputed Adda bar Abba (Ahaba) to examine Dimi; and Adda propounded to the newcomer a supposititious ritual question. Dimi thought that his interlocutor was Rava himself, and deferentially inquired, "Is not my master Rava?" The other, familiarly tapping him on the sandal, replied, "Between me and Rava there is a great difference. At any rate, I am your superior, and Rava is your superior's superior." The privileges of the market were not granted to Dimi, and eventually the figs spoiled. He then applied to

Rav Yosef Rav Yosef bar Hiyya (), or simply Rav Yosef, was a Babylonian rabbi of the third generation of amoraim. Biography Yosef was a student of Judah bar Ezekiel and was Abaye's teacher, and a scholarly disputant (''bar plugata'') of Rabbah bar Nahm ...

for redress; and the latter, provoked at the discomfiture of the scholar, exclaimed, "He who has not failed to avenge the disgrace of the Edomite king will not fail to avenge your disgrace." It is added that shortly afterward Rab Adda died suddenly, and several rabbis, including Dimi, who had some grievances against him, reproached themselves with having been indirectly instrumental in his punishment. As an educator Dimi acted on the maxim, "Rivalry among scholars advances scholarship"; therefore he approved Rava's rule not to remove a teacher because his rival makes better progress with his pupils, arguing that rivalry will induce more strenuous efforts and produce better results. On the other hand, Rava, believing that "mistakes will correct themselves," showed preference for the teacher that succeeded in imparting much knowledge, even if not very exact. Dimi opposed this with his maxim, "Where error has once crept in, it stays"; and he therefore looked for precision rather than for quantity. He is only cited in the Talmud in connection with halakhah, while no aggadah appears in his name.

Dimi b. Nehemiah (Nahman) b. Joseph

A Babylonian amora of uncertain age, only rarely cited in rabbinical literature. He is probably identical with Avdimi b. Nehuniah, by whom the Psalmist's effusion, "I will praise you; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are your works; and that my soul knows right well," is illustrated thus: "Some things are beneficial to the liver and deleterious to the windpipe; others are beneficial to the latter and deleterious to the former. There are ten organs in man: the windpipe arynxproduces voice; the gullet conducts the food; the liver is the seat of anger; the lungs promote thirst; the gall, jealousy; the stomach, sleep; the first stomach grinds the food; the spleen promotes laughter; the kidneys counsel; and the heart decides. Therefore David glorifies, 'I will praise you..." Therefore, too, he elsewhere exhorts, 'Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name'".

Midrash Tehillim Midrash Tehillim (Hebrew: מדרש תהלים), also known as Midrash Psalms or Midrash Shocher Tov, is an aggadic midrash to the Psalms. Midrash Tehillim can be divided into two parts: the first covering Psalms 1–118, the second covering 119� ...

ad loc.; compare

Ecclesiastes Rabbah Ecclesiastes Rabbah or Kohelet Rabbah (Hebrew: קהלת רבה) is an aggadic commentary on Ecclesiastes, included in the collection of the Midrash Rabbot. It follows the biblical book verse by verse, only a few verses remaining without commentary ...

7:19

References

It has the following bibliography: * Grätz, Gesch. 2d ed., iv., note 29; * Bacher, Ag. Pal. Amor. iii. 691; * Sherira, Letter, ed. Goldberg, 1845. p. 37; * Zacuto, Yuḥasin, ed. Filipowski, p. 123; * Heilprin, Seder ha-Dorot, ii., s.v.; * Weiss, Dor, iii. 207. {{DEFAULTSORT:Dimi Talmud rabbis