Maimonides
Maimonides was born in the Almoravid city of Córdoba in Spain, in 1135. His Hebrew name was Moses ben Maimon. He is also known as the Rambam, from the initial letters of his title and name, Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon.
Maimonides was a doctor by profession.[1] Maimonides was one of the most important Jewish philosophers of the Middle Ages. He tried to show that the philosophy of the ancient Greek thinker, Aristotle, and Judaism supported each other.[1]
Important works
Maimonides' main philosophical work was called The Guide for the Perplexed. He wrote it in Arabic by 1190.[1] It has ideas from Aristotle's writings. The Guide influenced Christian Aristotelian theologians, for example, Thomas Aquinas. In 1168, Maimonides finished a commentary to the Mishnah, the written version of traditional Jewish oral law. Maimonides completed these books, called Mishneh Torah, in about 1178. They are one of the most important collections of Jewish laws.
Life story
When Maimonides was thirteen years old, the Almohads took Cordoba away from the Almoravid dynasty. The Almohads were Muslims who were conquering Al-Andalus (Muslim Spain). They forced all non-Muslims to leave, change their religion to Islam, or be killed. This forced Maimonides' family to leave Cordoba.[1] They spent twelve years traveling and looking for a home. During these years, he wrote the commentary on the Mishnah. Finally, his family settled in Cairo, Egypt. In 1166, Maimonides' father died and his brother drowned on a shipwreck in the Indian Ocean.
By this time, Maimonides was a very popular Jewish leader. He helped the Jewish community in Cairo, Egypt. He lived there for the last part of his life, and taught and wrote about Judaism.[1] He died in Cairo on December 13, 1204.
Maimonides Media
The dominion of the Almohad Caliphate at its greatest extent, c. 1200
Maimonides' house in Fez, Morocco, according to local tradition. It is now occupied by the Dar al-Magana.
Monument in Córdoba
Bas relief of Maimonides in the United States House of Representatives
An autograph from the Cairo Geniza with words in Arabic and their Romance translations, both written in Hebrew script
The Tomb of Maimonides in Tiberias
An autograph fragment of Maimonides' Guide for the Perplexed (Judeo-Arabic)
Autograph manuscript of Maimonides' Commentary to Tractate Sukkah, written in Judeo-Arabic solitreo
Depiction of Maimonides teaching students about the 'measure of man' in an illuminated manuscript
The title page of The Guide for the Perplexed
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