Maimonides

Moses Maimonides

Year 12 SOR 1 and 2

Judaism Religious Tradition
Depth Study

Personality/School of Thought

Monday, 28 June 2010

Syllabus Point


Syllabus Point

explain the contribution to the
development and expression of Judaism
of ONE significant person OR school of
thought, other than Abraham or Moses


Syllabus Point

explain the contribution to the
development and expression of Judaism
of ONE significant person OR school of
thought, other than Abraham or Moses

analyse the impact of this person OR
school of thought on Judaism


Moses Ben Maimon (1135–1204 CE) was
one of the greatest Jewish thinkers of all
time, who has influenced present-day
Judaism as well as his own era.

Moses Maimonides is known as ‘the
second Moses’ as he has achieved a
status similar to the Moses, a status few
have achieved in Judaism.


Rambam???

Rabbi Moshe ben
Maimon=
Rambam!


background

• Born in Spain the son of a famous
scholar.
• Educated by many well known Arabic
teachers and masters.
• At 13, family forced to flee from home
due to a hostile Muslim invader
➡ Moved to Egypt


background
• Studied medicine after the death of his
brother -> became the personal
physician to the ruler of Egypt.
• His skills recognised by the Jewish
community and he became the leader
of the Egyptian Jews (Nagid)
• As Nagid, he was the Jewish
representative to Muslim authorities in
Egypt. (highly respected)


What did he do?
• Between 1158 and 1190, he wrote
many books including:
★Commentary on the Mishnah
(collection of Oral Torah) aka The
Code Mishnah
★Book on philosophy (Moreh
Nubukim)
★Books on medicine, hygiene and
good eating habits (!!)

What did he do?

• Became a writer of some note and
influence. (i.e quite famous!)
• Influenced by Greek and Muslim
scholars and philosophers.


important point
He supported the views of Aristotle
that, while there are limitations to
knowing God’s attributes directly, His
people have a duty, through reason, to
comprehend the divine mind.
• God is rational and so can be
understood rationally.


major works
•Best known for his
comprehensive
writing including
the Mishnah Torah,
which was
published in 1180.


major works

•In the Mishnah Torah, Maimonides
codified the oral law into fourteen
volumes
•Arranged topically
• For use by Jewish judges.


major works

•Distillation of the Talmud into a
simple code so that all Jews could
understand the requirements of the
law without lengthy study.
•It drew on ancient law as well as
contemporary issues.


important point-RECAP
He supported the views of Aristotle
that, while there are limitations to
knowing God’s attributes directly, His
people have a duty, through reason, to
comprehend the divine mind.
• God is rational and so can be
understood rationally.


Therefore, this
condification of the
Oral Law attempted
to make the
‘irrational’ ‘rational’
and ‘user friendly’

major works

• 1190, Maimonides published the Guide
for the Perplexed, a great theological
and philosophical work that discussed
the nature of God.
• It was deliberately written in difficult
language so that only scholars could
understand it.


major works
• The Guide was controversial, dividing
Judaism at the time, but it has had a
profound influence on the medieval
world and on Judaism since.

Fun Fact!
Many rabbi’s wouldn’t let Jews read it
for fear they would misunderstand
what Maimonides was saying and
inadvertently commit heretical acts!

major works

• He compiled the 613 commandments of
Judaism in his Book of Commandments.


major works

• He is probably best know for his 13
Precepts which are considered to be the
definite statement of Orthodox belief.


major works
1. God has created the world and rules it.
2. God is one and the only one.
3. God is spirit (incorporeal) and cannot be represented.
4. God was the first and will be the last.
5. Prayers should only be addressed to God.
6. The words of the prophets are true.
7. Moses was the greatest of all prophets.
8. The Torah was revealed to Moses and is true.
9. The Torah cannot be changed.
10. God knows all human actions and thoughts.
11. God rewards those who keep the commandments
and punishes those who do not.
12. The messiah will come.
13. The dead will be raised.

Influence on Judaism


“Cities of Light:The Rise and Fall of Islamic Spain

nb.. The
discussion
about
influences
towards the
end
of the clip

~8 minutes


Maimonides’ impact on Judaism

Maimonides’ Jewish writings are
available today and his philosophical
Treatise on logic has been published in
many languages. He also wrote many
medical texts that are still available.
(such as his works on poisons,
haemorrhoids, asthma and
temperaments (!!) )


• Maimonides’ writing was so
influential in the years that followed
that Jewish scholarship for centuries
was divided into supporters and
opponents of his ideas. Many largely
accepted his ideas but remained
suspicious where they seemed to
contradict religious tradition.


• His work was also used by Christian
scholars, notably by Thomas Aquinas
who often referred in his writings to
Rabbi Moses. He was uniquely able to
draw together the ideas of the Graeco-
Roman world, the Muslim and Arab
world, and the Jewish and Western
world.


• It is said of him that: “From Moses
[of the Jewish Bible] to Moses
[Maimonides], there is none like
Moses”.
• Maimonides’ work is still regarded by
many as the greatest Jewish writing,
aside from the Torah, ever written.


• end


Maimonides

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