Maimonides
Moses ben Maimon, Maimonides (Cordoba, Spain 1135 - Cairo, Egypt 1204) (Hebrew: Rambam), was a Jewish rabbi, astronomer, and physician. He is regarded by the Jews as a great philosopher, and called the “Lamp of Israel†and the “Eagle of the Doctorsâ€; 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[1]; in his relation to 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). [2] 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. [3] Maimonides also formulated a credo of Judaism expressed in thirteen articles of faith.
- "... no Israelite can have any private interview with me, except on the Sabbath. On that day the whole congregation, or at least the majority of the members, come to me after the morning service, when I instruct them as to their proceedings during the whole week; we study together a little until noon, when they depart. Some of them return, and read with me after the afternoon service until evening prayers. In this manner I spend that day." [4]
He was renowned for his efforts to reach fair judgments; in interpreting some of the sexist presumptions and rules of the Talmud, Maimonides often struggled to reach outcomes which would allow women to be happy and fulfilled in their lives.[Citation Needed] Maimonides also wrote medical treatises on a number of diseases and their cures.
Succeeding generations of philosophers wrote extensive commentaries on his works, which influenced thinkers as diverse as Thomas Aquinas, Spinoza, Leibniz, and Newton. In concert with Plato and Aristotle, he holds that like the body, the soul can be diseased or healthy... virtue is a habit that can only be developed by practice.
Maimonides died mourned by many congregations in different parts of the world.
- morality is not an end in itself but a way of controlling the passions and creating an atmosphere in which science and philosophy can flourish
See also
External links
- Maimonides Religion Facts.
- Maimonides
- Maimonides/Rambam
References
- ↑ 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 Islamic 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.
- ↑ Nuttall Encyclopedia of General Knowledge, article on Maimonides, Moses originally published in 1907 written by Reverend James Wood
- ↑ Maimonides
- ↑ Maimonides/Rambam
