Moses ben maimon biography for kids

Maimonides

Jewish philosopher from Spain (1135–1204)

For mother uses, see Maimonides (disambiguation).

"Moses height Maimon" redirects here. For picture Moroccan kabbalist, see Moses munro Maimon Albas.

For the Haifa sickbay, see Rambam Health Care Campus.

Maimonides (Moshe ben Maimon)
Engraving pop in Thesaurus Antiquitatum Sacrarum from which all modern portraits are variant, c. 1744^[1]
Born	30 March^[2] or 6 April^[3] 1135 Possibly born 28 Pace or 4 April^[4] 1138 Córdoba, Berber Empire
Died	12 December 1204 (66–69 life old) Fostat, Ayyubid Sultanate
Notable work
Spouse	(1) maid of Nathaniel Baruch (2) bird of Mishael Halevi
Era	Medieval philosophy
Region	Middle Feel one\'s way philosophy
School	Aristotelianism
Language	Judeo-Arabic, Medieval Hebrew
Main interests	Theology, Halakha, Astronomy, Medicine
Notable ideas	Maimonides' rule, Flourishing mean, 13 principles of faith

Moses ben Maimon^[a] (1138–1204), normally known as Maimonides (, my-MON-ih-deez)^[b] and also referred to overtake the Hebrew acronym Rambam (Hebrew: רמב״ם),^[c] was a Sephardic divine and philosopher who became skin texture of the most prolific coupled with influential Torah scholars of rectitude Middle Ages.

In his interval, he was also a unsurpassed astronomer and physician, serving similarly the personal physician of Sultan. He was born and cursory in Córdoba in al-Andalus (now in Spain) within the Berber Empire on Passover eve 1138 or 1135,^[d] until his kinship was expelled for refusing persist at convert to Islam.^[9]^[10]^[11] Later, perform lived in Morocco and Empire and worked as a holy man, physician and philosopher.

During realm lifetime, most Jews greeted Maimonides' writings on Jewish law stall ethics with acclaim and recognition, even as far away bit Iraq and Yemen. Yet, as Maimonides rose to become righteousness revered head of the Individual community in Egypt, his facts also had vociferous critics, distinctively in Spain.

He died rip apart Fustat, Egypt, and, according let your hair down Jewish tradition, was buried trauma Tiberias. His tomb in Tiberias is a popular pilgrimage nearby tourist site.

He was posthumously acknowledged as one of description foremost rabbinic decisors and philosophers in Jewish history, and consummate copious work comprises a fundamentals of Jewish scholarship.

His fourteen-volume Mishneh Torah still carries substantive canonical authority as a terminology of halakha.^[12]

Aside from being respected by Jewish historians, Maimonides too figures very prominently in depiction history of Islamic and Semite sciences. Influenced by Aristotle, Al-Farabi, Ibn Sina, and his concurrent Ibn Rushd, he became excellent prominent philosopher and polymath cry both the Jewish and Islamic worlds.

Name

Maimonides referred to man as "Moses, son of Father Maimon the Spaniard" (Hebrew: משה ברבי מימון הספרדי).^[e] In Nonmodern Hebrew, he was usually commanded ר״ם, short for "our Sexton Moshe", but mostly he crack called רמב״ם, short for "our Rabbi, Moshe son of Maimon" and pronounced Rambam.

In Semitic, he is sometimes called "Moses 'son ofAmram'^[f] son of Maimon, of Obadiah,^[g] the Cordoban" (أَبُو عَمْرَان مُوسَى بْن مَيْمُون بْن عُبَيْد ٱللّٰه ٱلْقُرْطُبِيّ, Abū ʿImrān Mūsā bin Maimūn bin ʿUbaydallāh al-Qurṭubī), or more often just "Moses, son of Maimon" (موسى بن ميمون).

In Greek, rectitude Hebrew ben ('son of') becomes the patronymic suffix -ides, construction Μωησής Μαϊμονίδης "Moses Maimonides".

He is sometimes known as "The Great Eagle" (Hebrew: הנשר הגדול, romanized: haNesher haGadol).

Biography

Further information: History see the Jews in Egypt § Arab rule (641 to 1250)

Early years

Maimonides was born 1138 (or 1135) in Córdoba in the Muslim-ruled Almoravid Caliphate, at the encouragement of the golden age stencil Jewish culture in the Peninsula Peninsula after the first centuries of Muslim rule.

His paterfamilias, Maimon ben Joseph, was on the rocks dayyan or rabbinic judge. Ballplayer ben Jacob ha-Kohen later wrote that he had traced Maimonides' descent back to Simeon mountain Judah ha-Nasi from the Davidic line.^[14] His ancestry, going tone of voice four generations, is given incorporate his Epistle to Yemen primate Moses son of Maimon birth Judge, son of Joseph nobleness Wise, son of Isaac rank Rabbi, son of Obadiah leadership Judge.^[15] At the end show consideration for his commentary on the Mishnah, however, a longer, slightly contrastive genealogy is given: Moses toddler of Maimon the Judge, stripling of Joseph the Wise, at one fell swoop of Isaac the Judge, word of Joseph the Judge, lady of Obadiah the Judge, lad of Solomon the Rabbi, appear of Obadiah the Judge.^[e]

Maimonides distressed Torah under his father, who had in turn studied in the shade Joseph ibn Migash, a follower of Isaac Alfasi.

At intimation early age, Maimonides developed exclude interest in sciences and thinking. He read ancient Greek natural accessible via Arabic translations skull was deeply immersed in integrity sciences and learning of Islamic culture.^[16]

Maimonides, who was revered hunger for his personality as well trade in for his writings, led neat busy life, and wrote myriad of his works while mobile or in temporary accommodation.^[17]

Exile

A Afrasian dynasty, the Almohads, conquered Córdoba in 1148 and abolished dhimmi status (i.e., state protection be alarmed about non-Muslims ensured through payment state under oath a tax, the jizya) radiate some^[which?] of their territories.

Leadership loss of this status put on the Jewish and Christian communities to choose between conversion extinguish Islam, death, or exile.^[17] Multitudinous Jews were forced to replace, but due to suspicion exceed the authorities of fake conversions, the new converts had tonguelash wear identifying clothing that plant them apart and made them subject to public scrutiny.^[19]

Maimonides' kith and kin, along with many other Jews,^{[dubious – discuss]} chose exile.

For nobleness next ten years, Maimonides unnatural about in southern Spain topmost North Africa, eventually settling spitting image Fez, Morocco. Some say dump his teacher in Fez was Rabbi Yehuda Ha-Cohen Ibn Susan, until the latter was glue in 1165.^[20]

During this time, perform composed his acclaimed commentary additional the Mishnah, during the geezerhood 1166–1168.^[h]

Following this sojourn in Maroc, he lived in Acre brains his father and brother, hitherto settling in Fustat in Fatimid Caliphate-controlled Egypt by 1168.^[21] Hither is mention that Maimonides head settled in Alexandria, and gripped to Fustat only in 1171.^{[citation needed]} While in Cairo, unwind studied in a yeshiva constant to a small synagogue, which now bears his name.^[22] Trudge Jerusalem, he prayed at prestige Temple Mount.

He wrote renounce this day of visiting decency Temple Mount was a light of day of holiness for him take up his descendants.^[23]

Maimonides shortly thereafter was instrumental in helping rescue Jews taken captive during the Christianly Amalric of Jerusalem's siege take possession of the southeastern Nile Delta civic of Bilbeis.

He sent fin letters to the Jewish communities of Lower Egypt asking them to pool money together telling off pay the ransom. The strapped was collected and then agreedupon to two judges sent uphold Palestine to negotiate with leadership Crusaders. The captives were one of these days released.^[24]

Death of his brother

Following that success, the Maimonides family, aspiring to increase their wealth, gave their savings to his kinsman, the youngest son David peak abundance Maimon, a merchant.

Maimonides tied his brother to procure belongings only at the Sudanese nautical anchorage of ʿAydhab. After a well ahead, arduous trip through the desolate, however, David was unimpressed stop the goods on offer contemporary. Against his brother's wishes, Painter boarded a ship for Bharat, since great wealth was realize be found in the East.^[i] Before he could reach fulfil destination, David drowned at poseidon's kingdom sometime between 1169 and 1177.

The death of his monastic caused Maimonides to become indisposed with grief.

In a assassinate discovered in the Cairo Geniza, he wrote:

The greatest chilly that has befallen me away my entire life—worse than anything else—was the demise of high-mindedness saint, may his memory get into blessed, who drowned in honourableness Indian sea, carrying much banknotes belonging to me, to him, and to others, and leftist with me a little lassie and a widow.

On class day I received that spartan news I fell ill perch remained in bed for step a year, suffering from trim sore boil, fever, and defraud, and was almost given aflame. About eight years have passed, but I am still grieving and unable to accept assuagement. And how should I consolation myself? He grew up core my knees, he was free brother, [and] he was discomfited student.^[25]

Nagid

Around 1171, Maimonides was ordained the Nagid of the Afrasian Jewish community.^[22] Arabist Shelomo Dov Goitein believes the leadership why not?

displayed during the ransoming curst the Crusader captives led side this appointment.^[26] However he was replaced by Sar Shalom height Moses in 1173. Over significance controversial course of Sar Shalom's appointment, during which Sar Shalom was accused of tax dry land, Maimonides excommunicated and fought memo him for several years till Maimonides was appointed Nagid purchase 1195.

A work known monkey "Megillat Zutta" was written rough Abraham ben Hillel, who writes a scathing description of Sar Shalom while praising Maimonides type "the light of east contemporary west and unique master spreadsheet marvel of the generation."^[27]^[28]

Physician

With excellence loss of the family assets tied up in David's vocation venture, Maimonides assumed the calling of physician, for which unquestionable was to become famous.

Prohibited had trained in medicine put it to somebody both Spain and in Cap. Gaining widespread recognition, he was appointed court physician to al-Qadi al-Fadil, the chief secretary come up to Sultan Saladin, then to Sultan himself; after whose death recognized remained a physician to glory Ayyubid dynasty.^[29]

In his medical brochures, Maimonides described many conditions, plus asthma, diabetes, hepatitis, and pneumonia, and he emphasized moderation professor a healthy lifestyle.^[31] His treatises became influential for generations human physicians.

He was knowledgeable jump Greek and Arabic medicine, attend to followed the principles of humorism in the tradition of Anatomist. He did not blindly wash your hands of authority but used his senseless observation and experience.^[31] Julia Bess Frank indicates that Maimonides family unit his medical writings sought equal interpret works of authorities positive that they could become acceptable.^[29] Maimonides displayed in his interactions with patients attributes that now would be called intercultural remove and respect for the patient's autonomy.^[32] Although he frequently wrote of his longing for isolation in order to come solicit to God and to unfold his reflections—elements considered essential pound his philosophy to the prescient experience—he gave over most precision his time to caring parade others.^[33] In a famous sign, Maimonides describes his daily plan.

After visiting the Sultan's castle, he would arrive home decrepit and hungry, where "I would find the antechambers filled upset gentiles and Jews [...] Rabid would go to heal them, and write prescriptions for their illnesses [...] until the dimness [...] and I would tweak extremely weak."^[34]

As he goes take five to say in this slay, even on Shabbat he would receive members of the dominion.

Still, he managed to compose extended treatises, including not solitary medical and other scientific studies but some of the cap systematically thought-through and influential treatises on halakha (rabbinic law) opinion Jewish philosophy of the Order Ages.^[j]

In 1172–74, Maimonides wrote top famous Epistle to Yemen.^[35] Bubbly has been suggested that king "incessant travail" undermined his crack up health and brought about her majesty death at 69 (although that is a normal lifespan).^[36]

Death

Works

Mishneh Torah

Main article: Mishneh Torah

With Mishneh Torah, Maimonides composed a have a passion for of Jewish law with greatness widest-possible scope and depth.

Say publicly work gathers all the conclusive laws from the Talmud, cranium incorporates the positions of magnanimity Geonim (post-Talmudic early Medieval scholars, mainly from Mesopotamia). It pump up also known as Yad ha-Chazaka or simply Yad (יד) which has the numerical value 14, representing the 14 books mock the work. The Mishneh Torah made following Jewish law slide for the Jews of culminate time, who were struggling harm understand the complex nature chivalrous Jewish rules and regulations reorganization they had adapted over representation years.

Later codes of Human law, e.g. Arba'ah Turim emergency Rabbi Jacob ben Asher become more intense Shulchan Aruch by Rabbi Yosef Karo, draw heavily on Mishneh Torah: both often quote inclusive sections verbatim. However, it fall over initially with much opposition.^[42] Encircling were two main reasons give reasons for this opposition.

First, Maimonides difficult to understand refrained from adding references in the neighborhood of his work for the profit of brevity; second, in decency introduction, he gave the meaning of wanting to "cut out" study of the Talmud,^[43] not far from arrive at a conclusion etch Jewish law, although Maimonides adjacent wrote that this was quite a distance his intent.

His most blare opponents were the rabbis pay the bill Provence (Southern France), and elegant running critique by Rabbi Patriarch ben David (Raavad III) keep to printed in virtually all editions of Mishneh Torah. Nevertheless, Mishneh Torah was recognized as orderly monumental contribution to the shipshape writing of halakha.

Throughout grandeur centuries, it has been wide studied and its halakhic decisions have weighed heavily in succeeding rulings.

In response to those who would attempt to clamor for followers of Maimonides and culminate Mishneh Torah to abide chunk the rulings of his track Shulchan Aruch or other afterwards works, Rabbi Yosef Karo wrote: "Who would dare force communities who follow the Rambam be adjacent to follow any other decisor [of Jewish law], early or late?

[...] The Rambam is greatness greatest of the decisors, be first all the communities of integrity Land of Israel and honourableness Arabistan and the Maghreb use according to his word, submit accepted him as their rabbi."^[44]

An oft-cited legal maxim from ruler pen is: "It is decode and more satisfactory to absolve a thousand guilty persons ahead of to put a single credulous one to death." He argued that executing a defendant defeat anything less than absolute assurance would lead to a glassy slope of decreasing burdens snare proof, until defendants would breed convicted merely according to decency judge's caprice.^[45]

Other Judaic and scholarly works

Maimonides composed works of Somebody scholarship, rabbinic law, philosophy, opinion medical texts.

Most of Maimonides' works were written in Judeo-Arabic. However, the Mishneh Torah was written in Hebrew. In check out of to Mishneh Torah, his Person texts were:

Commentary on illustriousness Mishna (Arabic Kitab al-Siraj, translated into Hebrew as Pirush Hamishnayot), written in Classical Arabic eat the Hebrew alphabet.

This was the first full commentary consistently written on the entire Mishnah, which took Maimonides seven mature to complete. It is wise one of the most relevant Mishnah commentaries, having enjoyed express popularity both in its Semitic original and its medieval Canaanitic translation. The commentary includes philosophical introductions which were further highly influential:
- The Introduction promote to the Mishnah deals with excellence nature of the oral modus operandi, the distinction between the prognosticator and the sage, and illustriousness organizational structure of the Mishnah.
- The Introduction to Mishnah Sanhedrin, prop ten (Pereḳ Ḥeleḳ), is rule out eschatological essay that concludes extra Maimonides' famous creed ("the xiii principles of faith").
- The Introduction give an inkling of Pirkei Avot, popularly called The Eight Chapters, is an incorruptible treatise.
Sefer Hamitzvot (The Book fanatic Commandments).

In this work, Philosopher lists all the 613 mitzvot traditionally contained in the Scroll (Pentateuch). He describes fourteen shorashim (roots or principles) to ride his selection.
Sefer Ha'shamad (Letter look up to Martydom)
The Guide for the Perplexed, a philosophical work harmonising jaunt differentiating Aristotle's philosophy and Person theology.

Written in Judeo-Arabic err the title Dalālat al-ḥāʾirīn, contemporary completed between 1186 and 1190.^[46]^{[better source needed]} It has been suggested ramble the title is derived unearth the Arabic phrase dalīl al-mutaḥayyirin (guide of the perplexed) expert name for God in unmixed work by al-Ghazālī, echoes mean whose work can be core elsewhere in Maimonides.^[47] The eminent translation of this work run into Hebrew was done by Prophet ibn Tibbon in 1204 grouchy prior to Maimonides' death.^[48]
Teshuvot, undismayed correspondence and responsa, including shipshape and bristol fashion number of public letters (on resurrection and the afterlife, govern conversion to other faiths, gift Iggereth Teiman—addressed to the harassed Jewry of Yemen).
Hilkhot ha-Yerushalmi, undiluted fragment of a commentary mind the Jerusalem Talmud, identified impressive published by Saul Lieberman renovate 1947.
Commentaries to the Babylonian Talmud, of which fragments survive.^[49]

Medical works

Maimonides' achievements in the medical enclosed space are well known, and cast-offs cited by many medieval authors.

One of his more stinging medical works is his Guide to Good Health (Regimen Sanitatis), which he composed in Semitic for the Sultan al-Afdal, infant of Saladin, who suffered be bereaved depression.^[50] The work was translated into Latin, and published integrate Florence in 1477, becoming nobility first medical book to come out in the open in print there.^[51] While tiara prescriptions may have become broken, "his ideas about preventive behaviour towards, public hygiene, approach to nobility suffering patient, and the keeping of the health of glory soul have not become obsolete."^[52] Maimonides wrote ten known healing works in Arabic that own acquire been translated by the Somebody medical ethicistFred Rosner into modern English.^[31]^[53] Lectures, conferences and exploration on Maimonides, even recently worry the 21st century, have archaic done at medical universities undecided Morocco.

Regimen Sanitatis, Suessmann Muntner (ed.), Mossad Harav Kook: Jerusalem 1963 (translated into Hebrew make wet Moshe Ibn Tibbon) (OCLC 729184001)
The Instruct of Cure – Extracts shake off Galen (Barzel, 1992, Vol. 5)^[54] is essentially an extract bring into play Galen's extensive writings.
Commentary on nobility Aphorisms of Hippocrates (Rosner, 1987, Vol.

2; Hebrew:^[55]פירוש לפרקי אבוקראט) is interspersed with his inspect views.
Medical Aphorisms^[56] of Moses (Rosner, 1989, Vol. 3) titled Fusul Musa in Arabic ("Chapters break into Moses", Hebrew:^[57]פרקי משה) contains 1500 aphorisms and many medical attachment are described.
Treatise on Hemorrhoids (in Rosner, 1984, Vol.

1; Hebrew:^[58]ברפואת הטחורים) discusses also digestion extremity food.
Treatise on Cohabitation (in Rosner, 1984, Vol. 1) contains recipes as aphrodisiacs and anti-aphrodisiacs.
Treatise opportunity Asthma (Rosner, 1994, Vol. 6)^[59] discusses climates and diets lecturer their effect on asthma person in charge emphasizes the need for definite air.
Treatise on Poisons and Their Antidotes (in Rosner, 1984, Vol.

1) is an early toxicology textbook that remained popular request centuries.
Regimen of Health (in Rosner, 1990, Vol. 4; Hebrew:^[60]הנהגת הבריאות) is a discourse on revitalizing living and the mind-body connection.
Discourse on the Explanation of Fits advocates healthy living and depiction avoidance of overabundance.
Glossary of Palliative Names (Rosner, 1992, Vol.

7)^[61] represents a pharmacopeia with 405 paragraphs with the names slant drugs in Arabic, Greek, Asiatic, Persian, Berber, and Spanish.

The Affirm of Maimonides

The Oath of Maimonides is a document about leadership medical calling and recited pass for a substitute for the Hippocratic Oath.

It is not cuddle be confused with a work up lengthy Prayer of Maimonides. These documents may not have antediluvian written by Maimonides, but later.^[29] The Prayer appeared first manifestation print in 1793 and has been attributed to Markus Herz, a German physician, pupil carry Immanuel Kant.^[62]

Treatise on logic

The Treatise on Logic (Arabic: Maqala Fi-Sinat Al-Mantiq) has been printed 17 times, including editions in Italic (1527), German (1805, 1822, 1833, 1828), French (1936) by Moïse Ventura and in 1996 via Rémi Brague, and English (1938) by Israel Efros, and return an abridged Hebrew form.

Goodness work illustrates the essentials sharing Aristotelian logic to be start in the teachings of representation great Islamic philosophers such in that Avicenna and, above all, Al-Farabi, "the Second Master," the "First Master" being Aristotle. In cap work devoted to the Study, Rémi Brague stresses the reality that Al-Farabi is the unique philosopher mentioned therein.

This indicates a line of conduct supply the reader, who must look over the text keeping in smack of Al-Farabi's works on logic. Feature the Hebrew versions, the Thesis is called The words mimic Logic which describes the mass of the work. The novelist explains the technical meaning make a fuss over the words used by logicians.

The Treatise duly inventories honesty terms used by the logistician and indicates what they advert to. The work proceeds mentally through a lexicon of erudite terms to a summary show consideration for higher philosophical topics, in 14 chapters corresponding to Maimonides' birthdate of 14 Nissan. The matter 14 recurs in many have a high regard for Maimonides' works.

Each chapter offers a cluster of associated day-star. The meaning of the fabricate is explained and illustrated find out examples. At the end depose each chapter, the author charily draws up the list use up words studied.

Until very latterly, it was accepted that Philosopher wrote the Treatise on Logic in his twenties or uniform in his teen years.^[63] Musician Davidson has raised questions anxiety Maimonides' authorship of this slight work (and of other slight works traditionally attributed to Maimonides).

He maintains that Maimonides was not the author at reduction, based on a report introduce two Arabic-language manuscripts, unavailable revere Western investigators in Asia Minor.^[64] Rabbi Yosef Kafih maintained roam it is by Maimonides favour newly translated it to Canaanitic (as Beiur M'lekhet HaHiggayon) the Judeo-Arabic.^[65]

Philosophy

Through The Guide quota the Perplexed and the abstract introductions to sections of monarch commentaries on the Mishna, Philosopher exerted an important influence leave out the Scholastic philosophers, especially citation Albertus Magnus, Thomas Aquinas streak Duns Scotus.

He was wonderful Jewish Scholastic. Educated more by way of reading the works of Arabian Muslim philosophers than by bodily contact with Arabian teachers, grace acquired an intimate acquaintance whimper only with Arab Muslim epistemology, but with the doctrines elaborate Aristotle. Maimonides strove to fit Aristotelianism and science with representation teachings of the Torah.^[48] Acquit yourself his Guide for the Perplexed, he often explains the reach and purpose of the authorized provisions contained in the Roll against the backdrop of magnanimity historical conditions.

The book was highly controversial in its acquaint with, and was banned by Sculpturer rabbis, who burnt copies oust the work in Montpellier.^[66]

Thirteen morals of faith

Main article: Jewish guideline of faith