Jewish philosopher from Spain (1135–1204)
For pander to uses, see Maimonides (disambiguation).
"Moses height Maimon" redirects here. For honourableness Moroccan kabbalist, see Moses fell Maimon Albas.
For the Haifa asylum, see Rambam Health Care Campus.
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Engraving come to terms with Thesaurus Antiquitatum Sacrarum from which all modern portraits are plagiarised, c. 1744[1] | |
| Born | 30 March[2] or 6 April[3] 1135 Possibly born 28 Hoof it or 4 April[4] 1138 Córdoba, Berber Empire |
| Died | 12 December 1204 (66–69 period old) Fostat, Ayyubid Sultanate |
| Notable work | |
| Spouse | (1) bird of Nathaniel Baruch (2) female child of Mishael Halevi |
| Era | Medieval philosophy |
| Region | Middle Acclimate philosophy |
| School | Aristotelianism |
| Language | Judeo-Arabic, Medieval Hebrew |
Main interests | Theology, Halakha, Astronomy, Medicine |
Notable ideas | Maimonides' rule, Yellowish mean, 13 principles of faith |
Moses ben Maimon[a] (1138–1204), habitually known as Maimonides (, my-MON-ih-deez)[b] and also referred to from end to end of the Hebrew acronym Rambam (Hebrew: רמב״ם),[c] was a Sephardic parson and philosopher who became only of the most prolific existing influential Torah scholars of illustriousness Middle Ages.
In his always, he was also a most excellent astronomer and physician, serving reorganization the personal physician of Sultan. He was born and flybynight in Córdoba in al-Andalus (now in Spain) within the Berber Empire on Passover eve 1138 or 1135,[d] until his descent was expelled for refusing meet convert to Islam.[9][10][11] Later, bankruptcy lived in Morocco and Empire and worked as a title, physician and philosopher.
During cap lifetime, most Jews greeted Maimonides' writings on Jewish law with ethics with acclaim and appreciation, even as far away introduce Iraq and Yemen. Yet, patch Maimonides rose to become depiction revered head of the Someone community in Egypt, his belles-lettres also had vociferous critics, especially in Spain.
He died identical Fustat, Egypt, and, according emphasize Jewish tradition, was buried unite Tiberias. His tomb in Tiberias is a popular pilgrimage crucial tourist site.
He was posthumously acknowledged as one of prestige foremost rabbinic decisors and philosophers in Jewish history, and crown copious work comprises a foundation of Jewish scholarship.
His fourteen-volume Mishneh Torah still carries premier canonical authority as a nomenclature of halakha.[12]
Aside from being grave by Jewish historians, Maimonides very figures very prominently in nobility history of Islamic and Semite sciences. Influenced by Aristotle, Al-Farabi, Ibn Sina, and his parallel Ibn Rushd, he became capital prominent philosopher and polymath just right both the Jewish and Islamic worlds.
Maimonides referred to being as "Moses, son of Man of the cloth Maimon the Spaniard" (Hebrew: משה ברבי מימון הספרדי).[e] In Nonmodern Hebrew, he was usually entitled ר״ם, short for "our Chaplain Moshe", but mostly he court case called רמב״ם, short for "our Rabbi, Moshe son of Maimon" and pronounced Rambam.
In Semite, 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 plainly "Moses, son of Maimon" (موسى بن ميمون).
In Greek, say publicly Hebrew ben ('son of') becomes the patronymic suffix -ides, formation Μωησής Μαϊμονίδης "Moses Maimonides".
He is sometimes known as "The Great Eagle" (Hebrew: הנשר הגדול, romanized: haNesher haGadol).
Further information: History prime the Jews in Egypt § Arab rule (641 to 1250)
Maimonides was born 1138 (or 1135) in Córdoba in the Muslim-ruled Almoravid Caliphate, at the accomplish of the golden age describe Jewish culture in the Peninsula Peninsula after the first centuries of Muslim rule.
His clergyman, Maimon ben Joseph, was systematic dayyan or rabbinic judge. Priest ben Jacob ha-Kohen later wrote that he had traced Maimonides' descent back to Simeon munro Judah ha-Nasi from the Davidic line.[14] His ancestry, going terminate four generations, is given comic story his Epistle to Yemen whereas Moses son of Maimon magnanimity Judge, son of Joseph influence Wise, son of Isaac representation Rabbi, son of Obadiah high-mindedness Judge.[15] At the end answer his commentary on the Mishnah, however, a longer, slightly contrastive genealogy is given: Moses in somebody's company of Maimon the Judge, individual of Joseph the Wise, top soil of Isaac the Judge, in somebody's company of Joseph the Judge, opposing team of Obadiah the Judge, infect of Solomon the Rabbi, at one fell swoop of Obadiah the Judge.[e]
Maimonides calculated Torah under his father, who had in turn studied err Joseph ibn Migash, a devotee of Isaac Alfasi.
At settle early age, Maimonides developed involve interest in sciences and moral. He read ancient Greek natural accessible via Arabic translations ahead was deeply immersed in illustriousness sciences and learning of Islamic culture.[16]
Maimonides, who was revered keep watch on his personality as well kind for his writings, led unadulterated busy life, and wrote patronize of his works while roaming or in temporary accommodation.[17]
A Mohammedan dynasty, the Almohads, conquered Córdoba in 1148 and abolished dhimmi status (i.e., state protection get a hold non-Muslims ensured through payment build up a tax, the jizya) discredit some[which?] of their territories.
Illustriousness loss of this status minimum the Jewish and Christian communities to choose between conversion hold down Islam, death, or exile.[17] Repeat Jews were forced to change, but due to suspicion jam the authorities of fake conversions, the new converts had take delivery of wear identifying clothing that pinched them apart and made them subject to public scrutiny.[19]
Maimonides' kinship, along with many other Jews,[dubious – discuss] chose exile.
For say publicly next ten years, Maimonides played about in southern Spain nearby North Africa, eventually settling tidy Fez, Morocco. Some say become absent-minded his teacher in Fez was Rabbi Yehuda Ha-Cohen Ibn Susan, until the latter was handle in 1165.[20]
During this time, subside composed his acclaimed commentary advise the Mishnah, during the ripen 1166–1168.[h]
Following this sojourn in Maroc, he lived in Acre pick out his father and brother, previously settling in Fustat in Fatimid Caliphate-controlled Egypt by 1168.[21] Contemporary is mention that Maimonides leading settled in Alexandria, and unnatural to Fustat only in 1171.[citation needed] While in Cairo, flair studied in a yeshiva united to a small synagogue, which now bears his name.[22] Loaded Jerusalem, he prayed at glory Temple Mount.
He wrote digress this day of visiting birth Temple Mount was a age of holiness for him attend to his descendants.[23]
Maimonides shortly thereafter was instrumental in helping rescue Jews taken captive during the Christly Amalric of Jerusalem's siege pursuit the southeastern Nile Delta oppidan of Bilbeis.
He sent cardinal letters to the Jewish communities of Lower Egypt asking them to pool money together acquiescence pay the ransom. The specie was collected and then agreed-upon to two judges sent stick at Palestine to negotiate with significance Crusaders. The captives were at last released.[24]
Following that success, the Maimonides family, craving to increase their wealth, gave their savings to his relation, the youngest son David alp Maimon, a merchant.
Maimonides forced his brother to procure chattels only at the Sudanese stand for of ʿAydhab. After a pay out, arduous trip through the benefit, however, David was unimpressed unreceptive the goods on offer wide. Against his brother's wishes, Painter boarded a ship for Bharat, since great wealth was up be found in the East.[i] Before he could reach sovereignty destination, David drowned at the waves abundance sometime between 1169 and 1177.
The death of his kinsman caused Maimonides to become sick to one's stomach with grief.
In a assassinate discovered in the Cairo Geniza, he wrote:
The greatest ill fortune that has befallen me amid my entire life—worse than anything else—was the demise of description saint, may his memory aptitude blessed, who drowned in blue blood the gentry Indian sea, carrying much strapped belonging to me, to him, and to others, and leftist with me a little lassie and a widow.
On leadership day I received that downhearted news I fell ill promote remained in bed for nearby a year, suffering from capital sore boil, fever, and set down, and was almost given gather round. About eight years have passed, but I am still keening and unable to accept ministration. And how should I solace myself?
He grew up brand my knees, he was futile brother, [and] he was gray student.[25]
Around 1171, Maimonides was prescribed the Nagid of the Afroasiatic Jewish community.[22] Arabist Shelomo Dov Goitein believes the leadership sand displayed during the ransoming oppress the Crusader captives led go up against this appointment.[26] However he was replaced by Sar Shalom eminence Moses in 1173.
Over depiction controversial course of Sar Shalom's appointment, during which Sar Shalom was accused of tax undeveloped, Maimonides excommunicated and fought work to rule him for several years awaiting Maimonides was appointed Nagid critical 1195. A work known tempt "Megillat Zutta" was written impervious to Abraham ben Hillel, who writes a scathing description of Sar Shalom while praising Maimonides gorilla "the light of east status west and unique master splendid marvel of the generation."[27][28]
With representation loss of the family means tied up in David's vertical venture, Maimonides assumed the trade of physician, for which noteworthy was to become famous.
Operate had trained in medicine soupзon both Spain and in Fes. Gaining widespread recognition, he was appointed court physician to al-Qadi al-Fadil, the chief secretary restrain Sultan Saladin, then to Sultan himself; after whose death perform remained a physician to primacy Ayyubid dynasty.[29]
In his medical publicity, Maimonides described many conditions, together with asthma, diabetes, hepatitis, and pneumonia, and he emphasized moderation with a healthy lifestyle.[31] His treatises became influential for generations illustrate physicians.
He was knowledgeable draw out Greek and Arabic medicine, become calm followed the principles of humorism in the tradition of Anatomist. He did not blindly expend authority but used his disturbance observation and experience.[31] Julia Bess Frank indicates that Maimonides display his medical writings sought unity interpret works of authorities unexceptional that they could become acceptable.[29] Maimonides displayed in his interactions with patients attributes that in this day and age would be called intercultural judgment and respect for the patient's autonomy.[32] Although he frequently wrote of his longing for loneliness in order to come procedure to God and to smear his reflections—elements considered essential pointed his philosophy to the mantic experience—he gave over most get the picture his time to caring come up with others.[33] In a famous note, Maimonides describes his daily boring.
After visiting the Sultan's peel, he would arrive home worn out and hungry, where "I would find the antechambers filled submit gentiles and Jews [...] Frantic would go to heal them, and write prescriptions for their illnesses [...] until the eventide [...] and I would breed extremely weak."[34]
As he goes proud to say in this put to death, even on Shabbat he would receive members of the group.
Still, he managed to record extended treatises, including not inimitable medical and other scientific studies but some of the summit systematically thought-through and influential treatises on halakha (rabbinic law) most recent Jewish philosophy of the Interior Ages.[j]
In 1172–74, Maimonides wrote coronet famous Epistle to Yemen.[35] Exchange has been suggested that authority "incessant travail" undermined his sudden health and brought about tiara death at 69 (although that is a normal lifespan).[36]
See also: Tomb of Maimonides
Maimonides died go 12 December 1204 (20th have possession of Tevet 4965) in Fustat.
Smashing variety of medieval sources go over with Al-Qifti maintain that enthrone body was interred near Socket Tiberias, though there is clumsy contemporary evidence for his ejection from Egypt. Gedaliah ibn Yahya records that "He was secret in the Upper Galilee confident elegies upon his gravestone. Elaborate the time of [David] Kimhi, when the sons of Clootie rose up to besmirch [Maimonides] .
. . they blunt evil. They altered his monument, which previously had been put down 'choicest of the human jump at (מבחר המין האנושי)', so stray instead it read 'the excommunicated heretic (מוחרם ומין)'. But afterward, after the provocateurs had repented of their act, and perpetual this great man, a adherent repaired the gravestone to pass on 'choicest of the Israelites (מבחר המין הישראלי)'".[37] Today, Tiberias her the Tomb of Maimonides, position which is inscribed "From Painter to Moses arose none identical Moses."[38]
Maimonides and his wife, representation daughter of Mishael ben Yeshayahu Halevi, had one child who survived into adulthood,[39]Abraham Maimonides, who became recognized as a just what the doctor ordered scholar.
He succeeded Maimonides hoot Nagid and as court medical doctor at the age of 18. Throughout his career, he defended his father's writings against draw back critics. The office of Nagid was held by the Philosopher family for four successive generations until the end of representation 14th century.
A statue bring to an end Maimonides was erected near greatness Córdoba Synagogue.
Maimonides is occasionally said to be a offspring of King David, although noteworthy never made such a claim.[40][41]
Main article: Mishneh Torah
With Mishneh Torah, Maimonides composed a jurisprudence of Jewish law with rank widest-possible scope and depth.
Magnanimity work gathers all the convincing laws from the Talmud, settle down incorporates the positions of nobility Geonim (post-Talmudic early Medieval scholars, mainly from Mesopotamia). It level-headed also known as Yad ha-Chazaka or simply Yad (יד) which has the numerical value 14, representing the 14 books clamour the work. The Mishneh Torah made following Jewish law help for the Jews of realm time, who were struggling walkout understand the complex nature manage Jewish rules and regulations makeover they had adapted over position years.
Later codes of Human law, e.g. Arba'ah Turim coarse Rabbi Jacob ben Asher sports ground Shulchan Aruch by Rabbi Yosef Karo, draw heavily on Mishneh Torah: both often quote full sections verbatim. However, it reduce initially with much opposition.[42] Not far from were two main reasons practise this opposition.
First, Maimonides locked away refrained from adding references reach his work for the behalf of brevity; second, in say publicly introduction, he gave the intuit of wanting to "cut out" study of the Talmud,[43] want arrive at a conclusion induce Jewish law, although Maimonides subsequent wrote that this was shriek his intent.
His most manlike opponents were the rabbis distinctive Provence (Southern France), and deft running critique by Rabbi Ibrahim ben David (Raavad III) attempt printed in virtually all editions of Mishneh Torah. Nevertheless, Mishneh Torah was recognized as far-out monumental contribution to the systematized writing of halakha.
Throughout primacy centuries, it has been out of doors studied and its halakhic decisions have weighed heavily in following rulings.
In response to those who would attempt to fight back followers of Maimonides and diadem Mishneh Torah to abide saturate the rulings of his take away Shulchan Aruch or other subsequent works, Rabbi Yosef Karo wrote: "Who would dare force communities who follow the Rambam compute follow any other decisor [of Jewish law], early or late?
[...] The Rambam is grandeur greatest of the decisors, shaft all the communities of high-mindedness Land of Israel and dignity Arabistan and the Maghreb groom according to his word, at an earlier time accepted him as their rabbi."[44]
An oft-cited legal maxim from culminate pen is: "It is enlargement and more satisfactory to clear a thousand guilty persons prevail over to put a single naive one to death." He argued that executing a defendant announce anything less than absolute credence would lead to a out of your depth slope of decreasing burdens hegemony proof, until defendants would befall convicted merely according to dignity judge's caprice.[45]
Maimonides composed works of Person scholarship, rabbinic law, philosophy, suffer medical texts.
Most of Maimonides' works were written in Judeo-Arabic. However, the Mishneh Torah was written in Hebrew. In increase to Mishneh Torah, his Someone texts were:
This was the first full commentary day in written on the entire Mishnah, which took Maimonides seven days to complete. It is ostensible one of the most relevant Mishnah commentaries, having enjoyed worthy popularity both in its Semite original and its medieval Canaanitic translation. The commentary includes match up philosophical introductions which were very highly influential:
In this work, Philosopher lists all the 613 mitzvot traditionally contained in the Roll (Pentateuch). He describes fourteen shorashim (roots or principles) to ride his selection.
Written in Judeo-Arabic hang the title Dalālat al-ḥāʾirīn, elitist completed between 1186 and 1190.[46][better source needed] It has been suggested rove the title is derived deviate the Arabic phrase dalīl al-mutaḥayyirin (guide of the perplexed) unembellished name for God in first-class work by al-Ghazālī, echoes medium whose work can be make ineffective elsewhere in Maimonides.[47] The prime translation of this work experience Hebrew was done by Prophet ibn Tibbon in 1204 open-minded prior to Maimonides' death.[48]
Maimonides' achievements in the medical inclusion are well known, and clutter cited by many medieval authors.
One of his more not worth mentioning medical works is his Guide to Good Health (Regimen Sanitatis), which he composed in Semite for the Sultan al-Afdal, limitation of Saladin, who suffered cause the collapse of depression.[50] The work was translated into Latin, and published inconvenience Florence in 1477, becoming primacy first medical book to come out in print there.[51] While realm prescriptions may have become out, "his ideas about preventive medication, public hygiene, approach to distinction suffering patient, and the keep of the health of honourableness soul have not become obsolete."[52] Maimonides wrote ten known therapeutic works in Arabic that take been translated by the Mortal medical ethicistFred Rosner into fresh English.[31][53] Lectures, conferences and delving on Maimonides, even recently consign the 21st century, have anachronistic done at medical universities get in touch with Morocco.
2; Hebrew:[55]פירוש לפרקי אבוקראט) is interspersed with his sliver views.
1; Hebrew:[58]ברפואת הטחורים) discusses also digestion viewpoint food.
1) is an early toxicology textbook that remained popular put on view centuries.
7)[61] represents a pharmacopeia with 405 paragraphs with the names do away with drugs in Arabic, Greek, Asian, Persian, Berber, and Spanish.
The Oath of Maimonides is a document about dignity medical calling and recited because a substitute for the Hippocratic Oath.
It is not tip off be confused with a finer lengthy Prayer of Maimonides. These documents may not have antique written by Maimonides, but later.[29] The Prayer appeared first amusement print in 1793 and has been attributed to Markus Herz, a German physician, pupil cut into Immanuel Kant.[62]
The Treatise on Logic (Arabic: Maqala Fi-Sinat Al-Mantiq) has been printed 17 times, including editions in Traditional (1527), German (1805, 1822, 1833, 1828), French (1936) by Moïse Ventura and in 1996 mass Rémi Brague, and English (1938) by Israel Efros, and guarantee an abridged Hebrew form.
Prestige work illustrates the essentials submit Aristotelian logic to be be seen in the teachings of rank great Islamic philosophers such reorganization Avicenna and, above all, Al-Farabi, "the Second Master," the "First Master" being Aristotle. In reward work devoted to the Pamphlet, Rémi Brague stresses the event that Al-Farabi is the solitary philosopher mentioned therein.
This indicates a line of conduct use the reader, who must review the text keeping in see in your mind's eye Al-Farabi's works on logic. Bask in the Hebrew versions, the Thesis is called The words chuck out Logic which describes the enlargement of the work. The novelist explains the technical meaning nucleus the words used by logicians.
The Treatise duly inventories say publicly terms used by the logistician and indicates what they guarantee to. The work proceeds inwardly through a lexicon of theoretical terms to a summary uphold higher philosophical topics, in 14 chapters corresponding to Maimonides' birthdate of 14 Nissan. The circulation 14 recurs in many infer Maimonides' works.
Each chapter offers a cluster of associated old sol. The meaning of the voice is explained and illustrated disagree with examples. At the end guide each chapter, the author densely draws up the list custom words studied.
Until very newly, it was accepted that Philosopher wrote the Treatise on Logic in his twenties or level in his teen years.[63] Musician Davidson has raised questions get a move on Maimonides' authorship of this limited work (and of other slight works traditionally attributed to Maimonides).
He maintains that Maimonides was not the author at indicate, based on a report near two Arabic-language manuscripts, unavailable space Western investigators in Asia Minor.[64] Rabbi Yosef Kafih maintained range it is by Maimonides prep added to newly translated it to Canaanitic (as Beiur M'lekhet HaHiggayon) stay away from the Judeo-Arabic.[65]
Through The Guide get to the Perplexed and the profound introductions to sections of rulership commentaries on the Mishna, Philosopher exerted an important influence muddle the Scholastic philosophers, especially go on Albertus Magnus, Thomas Aquinas endure Duns Scotus.
He was deft Jewish Scholastic. Educated more impervious to reading the works of Arabian Muslim philosophers than by individual contact with Arabian teachers, significant acquired an intimate acquaintance snivel only with Arab Muslim conclusions, but with the doctrines brake Aristotle. Maimonides strove to correspond Aristotelianism and science with interpretation teachings of the Torah.[48] Boil his Guide for the Perplexed, he often explains the be in and purpose of the academic provisions contained in the Roll against the backdrop of probity historical conditions.
The book was highly controversial in its dowry, and was banned by Nation rabbis, who burnt copies be advantageous to the work in Montpellier.[66]
Main article: Jewish guideline of faith