Moses Maimonides (1136-1204)

Maimonides- the man (1136-1204) Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon was one of the towering figures in the history of the Jewish people. Of him it was said, "From Moshe (Moses) to Moshe (the son of Maimon) there arose none like Moshe." Among the Jewish people, he is known as the Rambam, an acronym for Rabbi Moshe ben (son of) Maimon רמב״ם (RaMBaM); while universally - for his fame and influence reached far beyond the confines of his own people - he is usually known as Maimonides, the Greek form of "the son of Maimon." The biographers of Maimonides have acclaimed his significance through their coining of the saying "from Moshe to Moshe there arose none like Moshe", thus giving voice to their belief that Maimonides stands virtually without peer in the Jewish world in terms of his impact, his significance and his recognition among Jews. The momentous contribution of Moses Maimonides to Judaism can be briefly summed up thus: Maimonides sought to consolidate Jewish communities in the face of the dual threats of persecution from Muslim communities and challenges of classical philosophy by advising Jewish communities on significant areas of controversy and with his literary works. Maimonides wrote the Commentary on the Mishnah and the Mishneh Torah to facilitate the study of the Torah and Talmud among Jewish communities thus strengthening these communities. Maimonides' Guide for the Perplexed addressed the relationship between religion and philosophy to demonstrate that Jewish beliefs had a sound basis in rational thought. Maimonides developed the 13 Principles of the Jewish Faith which would become the basis for many Jewish credal statements.

Maimonides- in his time References Marvin Fox Interpreting Maimonides, Univ. of Chicago Press 1990. Julius Guttman, Philosophies of Judaism Translated by David Silverman, JPS, 1964 Maimonides' Principles: The Fundamentals of Jewish Faith, in "The Aryeh Kaplan Anthology, Volume I", Mesorah Publications 1994 Dogma in Medieval Jewish Thought, Menachem Kellner, Oxford University press, 1986 Maimonides Thirteen Principles: The Last Word in Jewish Theology? Marc. B. Shapiro, The Torah U-Maddah Journal, Vol. 4, 1993, Yeshiva University A History of Jewish Philosophy, Isaac Husik, Dover Publications, Inc., 2002. Originally published in 1941 by the Jewish Publication of America, Philadelphia, pp. 236-311 Persecution and the Art of Writing, Leo Strauss, University of Chicago Press, 1988 reprint "How to Begin to Study the Guide", Leo Strauss, from The Guide of the Perplexed, Vol. 1, Maimonides, translated from the Arabic by Shlomo Pines, University of Chicago Press, 1974

Chronology born in 1135 in Córdoba, Spain Almohades conquered Córdoba in 1148-offered choice of conversion to Islam, death, or exile eventually settled in Fez in Morocco- acquired most of his secular knowledge, studying at the University of Fez briefly lived in the Holy Land, spending time in Jerusalem finally settled in Fostat, Egypt Maimonides was born in 1135 in Córdoba, Spain, then under Muslim rule during what some scholars consider to be the end of the golden age of Jewish culture in Spain. The Almohades conquered Córdoba in 1148, and offered the Jewish community the choice of conversion to Islam, death, or exile. Maimonides's family, along with most other Jews, chose exile. For the next ten years they moved about in southern Spain, avoiding the conquering Almohades, Almohades This golden era of Spanish Jewry which was characterised by tolerance and progress came to an end with the emergence of a Muslim sect known as the Almohades. The Almohades were a very powerful and fanatical group of Muslims who, under their leader Aba al-Mu'min, invaded Spain in 1148. They claimed that they had discovered a teaching of Muhammad which stated that Muslims were only to tolerate Jews for five hundred years and if, at the end of that period of time, the Jewish Messiah still had not come, then Jews had to renounce Judaism and become Muslims, or to be given the option of exile or death. These options - conversion, death or exile - also applied to Christians. Settled in Fes in Morocco, where Maimonides acquired most of his secular knowledge, studying at the University of Fes. During this time, he composed his acclaimed commentary on the Mishnah. Following this sojourn in Morocco, he briefly lived in the Holy Land, spending time in Jerusalem, and finally settled in Fostat, Egypt; where he was doctor of the Grand Vizier Alfadhil and also possibly the doctor of Sultan Saladin of Egypt. In Egypt, he composed most of his oeuvre, including the Mishneh Torah. He died in Fostat, and was buried in Tiberias (today in Israel). The office of Nagid was held by the Maimonides family for four successive generations until the end of the 14th century.

Maimonides- his contribution Maimonides composed both works of Jewish scholarship, and medical texts. Most of Maimonides' works were written in Arabic. However, the Mishneh Torah was written in Hebrew.

Letter by Rambam Signature on bottom

Maimonides- his contribution as a Jewish Thinker The Commentary on the Mishna, in Hebrew Pirush Hamishnayot, written in Arabic. This text was one of the first commentaries of its kind; its introductory sections are widely-quoted.; Sefer Hamitzvot ("The Book of Commandments"). The Mishneh Torah (also known as " Sefer Yad ha-Chazaka"), a comprehensive code of Jewish law; The Guide for the Perplexed, a philosophical work harmonizing and differentiating Aristotelian philosophy and Jewish theology; Teshuvot, collected correspondence and responsa, including a number of public letters With Mishneh Torah, Maimonides composed a code of Jewish law with the widest-possible scope and depth. The work gathers all the binding laws from the Talmud, and incorporates the positions of the Geonim (post-Talmudic early Medieval scholars, mainly from Mesopotamia). It is a highly-systematised work, and employs a very clear Hebrew, reminiscent of the style of the Mishna. The Mishneh Torah initially met with much opposition. There were two main reasons for this opposition. Firstly, Maimonides had refrained from adding references to his work for the sake of brevity. Secondly, in the introduction, he gave the impression of wanting to "cut out" study of the Talmud, to arrive at a conclusion in Jewish law. His most forceful opponents were the rabbis of the Provence (Southern France), and a running critique by Rabbi Abraham ibn Daud (Raavad III) is printed in virtually all editions of Mishneh Torah. Through the Guide for the Perplexed and the philosophical introductions to sections of his commentaries on the Mishna, Maimonides exerted an important influence on the Scholastic philosophers, especially on Albert the Great, Thomas Aquinas, and Duns Scotus. Educated more by reading the works of Arab Muslim philosophers than by personal contact with Arabian teachers, he acquired an intimate acquaintance not only with Arab Muslim philosophy, but with the doctrines of Aristotle. Maimonides strove to reconcile Aristotelian philosophy and science with the teachings of the Torah.

Sefer HaMitzvoth Tradition that the Torah contains 613 Mitzvot 248 positives 365 negatives gives an explanation of how he determined which commandments were the 613 commandments Maimonides sets out fourteen rules by which one comes to include and exclude particular commandments to form the 613 commandments. Positive and negative mitzvot The Sefer HaMitzvot (The Book of the Commandments) is essentially an introduction to his great work, the Mishneh Torah. The Sefer HaMitzvot seeks to list the 613 commandments (mitzvot) found in the Torah. Maimonides divides these 613 mitzvot into two categories: positive mitzvot and negative mitzvot. Positive mitzvot are commands to perform an act, for example to love one's neighbour. Negative mitzvot are commands to refrain from doing something, for example do not murder. Process of determining the 613 mitzvot There are 248 positive or affirmative precepts and 365 negative or prohibitory injunctions. But before Maimonides enumerates these 613 mitzvot, he gives an explanation of how he determined which commandments were the 613 commandments, remembering that a simple counting of Biblical mitzvot would yield a much greater number of commandments than 613. Maimonides sets out fourteen rules by which one comes to include and exclude particular commandments to form the 613 commandments.

Mishneh Torah 3 Sections the Book of Knowledge (Sefer HaMada)- covers issues of belief, study of Torah, repentenance thirteen books detail Jewish ritual and civil laws such as blessings, circumcision, holy days, relationships between males and females, dietary laws and ethics. notion of the Messiah- discusses the time when Messiah would come- apocolyptic vision versus Tikkun Olam In terms of the specific contents of the Mishneh Torah, the first book, the Book of Knowledge (Sefer HaMada in Hebrew) contains laws concerning belief in God, idolatry, repentance and the study of Torah. The other thirteen books detail Jewish ritual and civil laws such as blessings, circumcision, holy days, relationships between males and females, dietary laws and ethics. Messiah The conclusion of the Mishneh Torah deals with Maimonides' interpretation of the notion of the Messiah. Unlike some views of Messiah as the one who would come and make Jews a dominant people over their enemies, Maimonides saw the coming of the Messiah as a time of peace and prosperity in which Jews would not have to worry about wars and oppression but would be free to study the Torah and become familiar with the wisdom of the Law so that they would be worthy of the life that was to come.

Responsa- Teshuvot Maimonides was a much respected authority on Jewish law and religion, even prior to his appointment as Chief Rabbi of the Egyptian Jewry. As a result many Jewish leaders and authorities directed queries towards and called upon for his scholarly opinion on matters ranging from religious law to the general civil issues which affected Jews in that time. He wrote various Teshuvot (Responsa) in answer to the numerous queries which were directed to him from Jews from all around the world. These Teshuvot deal with a broad spectrum of issues, ranging from religio-philosophical problems to matters dealing with Jewish law and to explanations of complex Torah passages. Obadiah, a convert to Judaism who asked Maimonides whether he, a Jew by choice could recite the prayer "Our God and God of our fathers". Someone had told Obadiah that because his ancestors were not Jews he dare not recite that prayer. In Maimonides' response he writes "By all means you should pray 'Our God and God of our fathers' for in no respect is there a difference between us and you. Do not think little of your origin. If we trace our descent from Abraham Isaac and Jacob, your descent is from him by whose word the world was created."

Moreh Nevuchim Guide for the Perplexed Blended the sacred and secular- Sought to remove compartmentalised sacred from secular defend Judaism against philosophical challenges that the beliefs of Judaism could not be rationally sustained. deals with the question of anthropomorphisms (describing God in human terms) Among the Sephardim there had been some previous interest in the secular sciences, however, Maimonides brought this to a new level with his Guide for the Perplexed. Among the Ashkenazim there had not been any attempt to study anything beyond the Torah, thus for the Ashkenazim, Maimonides' approach was radically new. Significance of the Moreh Nevuchim Essentially, Maimonides was breaking down the tendency in the Jewish tradition to separate the sacred and the secular in a way which compartmentalised life by attending to the study of religious truths on the one hand and the living of life in a secular community on the other. In doing so, what Maimonides tried to resolve genuine philosophical concerns over some apparent contradictions in Jewish understanding. Ideas such as the spiritual nature of God and the anthropomorphic depictions of God in the Tenak were at the centre of these concerns. Effect of the Moreh Nevuchim Maimonides succeeded in providing a clear and sound philosophical explanation of these issues. In doing so he was also able to successfully defend Judaism against philosophical challenges that the beliefs of Judaism could not be rationally sustained. Contents of the Guide In the first part of the Guide, for example, Maimonides deals with the question of anthropomorphisms (describing God in human terms). He criticised Jews who accepted literally such Biblical expressions as "the finger of God". Although the Bible described God in human terms, they were not supposed to be taken literally. According to Maimonides, if taking the Bible literally contravened reason, then it should not be taken literally. Religious belief should be logical and open to intellectual debate. He also felt that one could acquire knowledge of God through the mind and that studying the Torah helped Jews to attain a greater knowledge of God in the philosophical sense. However, he also stated that there was a limit to the kind of knowledge of God that a human could attain. One could know what God was like through God's actions and knowing what God was like meant that one must then act as God did. For example, one could learn that God was compassionate and therefore Jews must be compassionate. They must "walk in God's ways". The Guide is also devoted to providing reasons for the commandments in the Torah which may be seen as unreasonable such as the dietary laws (kashrut).

13 principles of faith. The existence of God God's unity God's spirituality and incorporeality God's eternity God alone should be the object of worship Revelation through God's prophets The preeminence of Moses among the prophets God's law given on Mount Sinai The immutability of the Torah as God's Law God's foreknowledge of human actions Reward of good and retribution of evil The coming of the Jewish Messiah The resurrection of the dead In his commentary on the Mishna (tractate Sanhedrin, chapter 10), Maimonides formulates his 13 principles of faith. These principles were controversial when first proposed, evoking criticism by Hasdai Crescas and Joseph Albo, and were effectively ignored by much of the Jewish community for the next few centuries. ("Dogma in Medieval Jewish Thought", Menachem Kellner). The most rigorous medieval critique of Maimonides is Hasdai Crescas' Or Hashem. Crescas bucked the eclectic trend, by demolishing the certainty of the Aristotelian world-view, not only in religious matters, but even in the most basic areas of medieval science (such as physics and geometry). Crescas' critique provoked a number of 15th century scholars to write defenses of Maimonides. However, these principles became widely-held; today, Orthodox Judaism holds these beliefs to be obligatory. Two poetic restatements of these principles (Ani Ma'amin and Yigdal) eventually became canonized in the "siddur" (Jewish prayer book). The liturgical poem Yigdal, used as an opening hymn in the daily morning service, was composed by Rabbi Daniel ben Yehudah of 14th century Rome. It consists of 13 lines which summarize the 13 principles of faith as formulated by Moses Maimonides in his Mishnah commentary (on Sanhedrin 10:1). One rhyme runs through all the 13 lines, each of which consists of 16 syllables. Ani maamin beemuna shlemah B'viat hamashiach V'af al pi sheyitmameha Im kol zeh achake lo B'chol yom sheyavo   I believe with a complete belief In the coming of the Messiah And even though he may tarry I will wait for him, whenever he comes Yigdal Elokim chai v'yishtabach nimtza v'ein et el m'tziuto. Echad v'ein yachid k'yichudo ne'lam v'gam ein sof l'achduto. I believe with a perfect faith that the Creator creates and controls everything. He alone has made, is making, and will make all things. I believe with a perfect faith that the Creator is One. There is no other Unity like His. He alone is our G-d. He was, He is, and He will always be.

different levels of tzedakah (charity) Rambam organized a list from the least to the most honorable. 8. When donations are given grudgingly. 7. When one gives less than he should, but does so cheerfully. 6. When one gives directly to the poor upon being asked. 5. When one gives directly to the poor without being asked. 4. When the recipient is aware of the donor's identity, but the donor does not know the identity of the recipient. 3. When the donor is aware of the recipient's identity, but the recipient is unaware of the source. 2. When the donor and recipient are unknown to each other. 1. The highest form of charity is to help sustain a person before they become impoverished by offering a substantial gift in a dignified manner, or by extending a suitable loan, or by helping them find employment or establish themselves in business so as to make it unnecessary for them to become dependent on others.

How much to give Back from the time that Abraham welcomed the strangers into his tent (Genesis chapter 18), charity has been a foundation of Jewish life. The Torah commands us to give 10 percent of our earnings to people in need, based on Leviticus 25:35 and Deut. 15:7-8. This is called Ma'aser, literally "one tenth" (hence the English word "tithe"). This is colloquially called tzedakah (charity). Maimonides lists charity as one of the 613 mitzvot. Ten percent of a person's wages after taxes should be set aside for tzedakah. Business expenses and Jewish education costs may be deducted from the 10 percent. For those who want to do extra, the Torah allows you to give 20 percent. Above that amount is unrealistic. If you give too much, you'll come to neglect other aspects of your life. References: "Ma'aser Kesafim - Giving a Tenth to Charity" edited by Cyril Domb (Feldheim), "Permission to Receive," by Lawrence Kellemen (Targum Press). See also: "Code of Jewish Law" Y.D. 249:2; "Igrot Moshe"(R' M. Feinstein) Y.D. II, 112; "Orchat Rabeinu (R' Y. Kanievsky) I, 302. 

Maimonides- his contribution to medicine Maimonides also wrote a number of medical texts; some of which are still in existence. The best known is his collection of medical aphorisms, titled Fusul Musa in Arabic ("Chapters of Moses", Pirkei Moshe in Hebrew).

Maimonides' Grave Buried in Tiberias Photo taken pre-1950's The significance of his work is upheld by people from many different strands of Judaism. The different strands of Judaism place a slightly different emphasis on which parts of Maimonides' work they value the most. Zionists hold a high regard for Maimonides because Maimonides declared that it is a mitzvah to take possession of Israel and live in it. Orthodox Jews place a lot of emphasis on studying the works of Maimonides in religious institutions because it is a guide to understanding what is required of Jews on a day to day basis. Liberal and Reform Jews on the other hand dispute some of his Talmudic commentary including a number of the 13 principles of faith. Nevertheless, Liberal and Reform Jews do hold his philosophical works in high regard.