Maimonides

Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon (Hebrew: ??? ??? ?? ??????; Arabic: Mussa bin Maimun ibn Abdallah al-Kurtubi al-Israili; March 30, 1135—December 13, 1204), commonly known by his Greek name (Moses) Maimonides, was a Jewish rabbi, physician, and philosopher. Many Jewish works refer to him by the acronym of his title and name, RaMBaM (????"? in Hebrew). As such, he is frequently referred to as "the Rambam". His Greek appellation means "Son of Maimon," and is a literal rendition of "ben Maimon."

Biography

Maimonides was born in 1135 in Córdoba, Spain, then under Muslim rule, and studied Torah under his father Maimon and Rabbi Joseph ibn Migash. The Almohades conquered Córdoba in 1148, and offered the Jewish community the choice of conversion to Islam, death, or expulsion. Maimonides's family (along with most other Jews) chose exile. For the next 10 years they moved about in southern Spain, avoiding the conquering Almohades, but eventually settled in Fes in Morocco, where Maimonides acquired most of his secular knowledge, studying at the University of Fes. During this time, he composed his acclaimed commentary on the Mishna.

Related Topics:
Córdoba, Spain - Studied Torah - Rabbi - Almohades - Islam - Fes - Morocco - Mishna

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Following this sojourn in Morocco, he briefly lived in the Holy Land, spending time in Jerusalem where he prayed in a synagogue on the Temple Mount, and finally settled in Fostat, Egypt, where he was doctor of the Grand Vizier Alfadhil and/or the Sultan Saladin of Egypt. In Egypt he composed most of his oeuvre, including the Mishneh Torah. He died in Fostat, and was buried in Tiberias, (today in Israel).

Related Topics:
Jerusalem - Temple Mount - Fostat - Egypt - Grand Vizier - Sultan - Saladin - Mishneh Torah - Tiberias

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