Rav Idi bar Abin Naggara (or Idi bar Abin, or Idi ben Abin, or Rav Idi b. Avin (I), or Ada bar Abin) was a Jewish Babylonian rabbi who lived around 350 CE (fourth generation of

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 ...

Biography

He was the son of Abin Naggara, who likely worked as a carpenter (Naggara = "the carpenter"), and who came from Nerash or Nerus () in Babylonia. It is said that

Rav Huna Rav Huna (Hebrew: רב הונא) was a Jewish Talmudist and Exilarch who lived in Babylonia, known as an amora of the second generation and head of the Academy of Sura; he was born about 216 CE (212 CE according to Gratz) and died in 296–297 ...

once passed the door of R. Abin and, when seeing the house lit by

Shabbat candles Shabbat candles () are candles lit on Friday evening before sunset to usher in the Jewish Sabbath. Lighting Shabbat candles is a rabbinically mandated law. Candle-lighting is traditionally done by the woman of the household, but every Jew is o ...

, remarked that "Two great men will issue hence",

Babylonian Talmud The Talmud (; ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law (''halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the centerpiece of Jewi ...

Shabbat Shabbat (, , or ; , , ) or the Sabbath (), also called Shabbos (, ) by Ashkenazi Hebrew, Ashkenazim, is Judaism's day of rest on the seventh day of the seven-day week, week—i.e., Friday prayer, Friday–Saturday. On this day, religious Jews ...

23b since it is stated that "He who habitually practises he lighting ofthe lamp will possess scholarly sons". Indeed, he then had two scholarly sons: Idi and Hiyya b. Abin Naggara. Idi married a woman of

Kohen Kohen (, ; , ، Arabic كاهن , Kahen) is the Hebrew word for "priest", used in reference to the Aaronic Priest#Judaism, priesthood, also called Aaronites or Aaronides. They are traditionally believed, and halakha, halakhically required, to ...

descent and thus ate the

foreleg, cheeks and maw The gift of the foreleg, cheeks and maw () of a kosher-slaughtered animal to a ''kohen'' is a positive mitzva, commandment in the Hebrew Bible. The Shulchan Aruch rules that after the slaughter of animal by a ''shochet'' (kosher slaughterer ...

. His sons Shesheth and Shisha were ordained to teach. Idi acquired his

Torah The Torah ( , "Instruction", "Teaching" or "Law") is the compilation of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, namely the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. The Torah is also known as the Pentateuch () ...

knowledge from Rav Amram and

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 ...

. He also delivered papers in the name of R. Isaac b. Ashian, most of them in the

Aggadah Aggadah (, or ; ; 'tales', 'legend', 'lore') is the non-legalistic exegesis which appears in the classical rabbinic literature of Judaism, particularly the Talmud and Midrash. In general, Aggadah is a compendium of rabbinic texts that incorporat ...

, and most likely he was also his pupil. Idi gave an explanation in the presence of

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 ...

, had discussions with

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 ...

on various occasions, and likewise gave explanations in the presence of

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 ...

. He also had occasion to appear in the court of Rav Chisda. His pupils were

Rav Pappa Rav Pappa () (c. 300 – died 375) was a Babylonian rabbi, of the fifth generation of amoraim. Biography He was a student of Rava and Abaye. After the death of his teachers he founded a school at Naresh, a city near Sura, in which he officiat ...

and Huna b. Joshua, who were hosted at one of his sons' houses. Idi was considered the main authority in Nerash, where he introduced a certain law. Idi seems to have moved at a later period to Shekanzib, where he had occasion to receive Papa and Huna, whom he treated in a somewhat slighting manner.Yevamot 85a

References

Talmud rabbis of Babylonia {{authority control