English, Postscripts

Memories and Evening in Memory of Prof. Dimitrovsky

In the spirit of Prof. Friedman’s obituary, and the comments it elicited, here is a short memory sent in by Prof. Daniel Boyarin.

I will only now share one precious memory as there is so much to feel and think about.Once when we were learning, Prof. Dimitrovsky ז”ל recalled the midrash on ‘ויאכלו וישתו וחזו אל ד. He described it as a great barbecue with people sitting around on blankets with beers in their hand and saying: Look who is going there. It was a moment of midrash-citing and midrash-making that left me feeling as I too were right then present at the moment when G-d could be seen.

On Wednesday evening, August 31st at 6:30pm, the Hebrew University will be hosting an evening in memory of Prof. Dimitrovsky. Professors Shmuel Shprecher, Simcha Emanuel, and Shamma Friedman will be offering their remarks. The evening will take place in room 502 in the Maeirsdorf Faculty club.  Here is the flyer:

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5 thoughts on “Memories and Evening in Memory of Prof. Dimitrovsky

  1. Mel Scult says:

    In addition to the scholarly lights who emerged from Professor Demitrovsky’s classes, there are those of us who never became Talmud scholars but deeply appreciated Professor Demitrovksy’s knowledge , gentleness and patience. But above all his patience. There were always those at the Seminary who intimidated but never Professor Demitrovsky. He helped us feel relaxed and thereby would bring out the best. I for one , am deeply grateful for the experience of having studied with him in the Seminary College.

    Mel Scult

    .

  2. I met Dimitrovsky once, at the bookstore on rehov Shatz where I worked when I was doing my BA; he was unassuming and bearded, and spoke little. I think he was wearing a beret. He asked me if there was anything new, and I pointed at his festschrift, which had just arrived as a used book in the store for a first time. He smiled and said he already had it, and turned to go. I had no idea whom I was speaking to, until a woman – I presume Frau Prof. Dimitrovsky, tibadel lehayyim arukim, whispered to me: “do you know who that is? It’s Haim Zalman Dimitrovsky!” I wanted to go over and tell him that I loved his edition of the Rashba, but I never got the nerve, and he had already sauntered over to the philosophy section.

  3. Pingback: Postscript: Jonah Frankel, 1928-2012 | The Talmud Blog

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