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Moses ben Maimon, '''Maimonides''' (Cordoba, [[Spain]] 1135 - Cairo, [[Egypt]] 1204) (Hebrew: Rambam), was a [[Jewish]] [[rabbi]], [[astronomy|astronomer]], and physician. He is regarded by the Jews as a great [[philosopher]], and called the "Lamp of [[Israel]]" and the "Eagle of the Doctors"; he was a man of immense learning who expanded greatly upon interpretations of the [[Talmud]] (the source of much of Jewish [[law]]), and was physician to the [[Sultan]] of [[Egypt]].<ref>Interestingly, at various points during their history, the Islamic principalities of the near east allowed Jews to hold high office, ranging from personal physician (like Maimonides) to [[vizier]]. However, the tenure of Jews in such high-ranking positions tended to come in and out of vogue with the success of the [[Islam]]ic state; when the state suffered, the Jews would be blamed, face harsher discrimination, and at times be purged from government and killed. For more information, please read ''Under Crescent and Cross: the Jews of the Middle Ages'', by Mark R. Cohen.</ref>; in his relation to He taught the Jews he ranks next to Moses, and taught them to interpret their religion in the light of reason; he wrote a "Commentary on the [[Mishna]] and the Second Law," but his chief work is the "Moreh Nebochim," or "[[Guide of the Perplexed]]" (which had been written in Arabic). <ref>{{Nuttall|Maimonides, Moses}}</ref> The Mishneh Torah, his 14-volume compendium of Jewish law, established him as the leading rabbinic authority of his time and quite possibly of all time.<ref>[http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/maimonides/ Maimonides]</ref> Maimonides also formulated a credo of Judaism expressed in thirteen articles of [[faith]].