Jacob ben Idi

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JACOB BEN IDI

JACOB BEN IDI (end of the third century c.e.), Palestinian amora. Jacob transmitted sayings of the amoraim of the first generation, such as Joshua b. Levi (tj, Kil 6:1, 30b), R. ?anina (tj, Ber. 6:1, 10b), and others, but chiefly in the name of R. *Johanan, who was his main teacher. In Johanan's old age, when he was vexed that his other disciples neglected him and did not transmit his halakhic sayings, Jacob appeased him (tj, Ber. 2:1, 46; Yev. 96b). According to the Jerusalem Talmud (Pe'ah, 8:9, 21b), he and Isaac b. Na?man were lay leaders of the community, apparently Tiberias. Toward the end of his life, however, he lived in Tyre or its vicinity. Jacob was regarded as one of the great scholars of his generation, and while *Zeira was still in Babylonia, he requested scholars traveling between Ere? Israel and Babylonia to take a circuitous route by way of Tyre in order to obtain Jacob's views on various problems (?ul. 98a; Er. 80a; bm 43b). R. Nahman made a similar request to ?ama b. Ada, "an emissary of Zion." However, when he arrived there Jacob was no longer alive (Be?ah 25b).

bibliography:

Frankel, Mevo, 105a; Hyman, Toledot, 776–8; ?. Albeck, Mavo la-Talmudim (1969), 250–2.

[Shmuel Safrai]

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