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The Rambam - The Great Eagle
The Rambam was born in the year 1,138 (this seems to be the most plausible dating accoridng to his own testimony at the end of his interpretation of the Mishna. According to another tradition, he was born in the year 1,135) in the city of Cordoba in Spain, and passed away on the 20th of Tevet 1,206 in Postat in Egypt, and was buried, according to tradition, in Tiberias in Israel. The Rambam is the greatest arbitrator of Halacha of all times, one of the most important philosophers of the Middle Ages, a leader of the communities of Egypt and its environs, a man of science and a physician whose influence extends many generations.
| The Rambam was born to a family of Rabbis and Rabbinical Juristrs; his father was Rabbi Mimon, the Rabbinical Jursit. Rabbi Mimon was a student of the R.I. Migash (Rabbi Yosef Halevi Ibn Migash), himself a student of the RIF (Rabbi Ytskhak Elfassi). The Rambam was so deeply influenced by the Torah of these great sages that he called them "My Rabbis" even though he never studied with them personally. The Rambam began writing Talmudical Compositions at a quite early age, such as "An intepretation of the difficult Halachas in the entire Talmud", "The Halachot of the Jerusalemite Talmud", and "Comments on the RIF", which were never published, and the composition "Words of Logic" which contains terms of logic. According to accepted traditions, the Rambam wrote "Words of Logic" at about the age of 17 (!). In the course of his life, and mainly towards the end of his days, the Rambam composed medical writings.
| Following the religious persecutions of the Jews in Muslim Spain, the Rambam's family moved to Fez in Morrocco. At this time, the Rambam was not yet 22. It was there, at the age of 23, that the Rambam began his interpretation of the Mishnah. The interpretation of the Mishna has been erroneously called "the book of Maor", although there is no trace of such a name in the writing of the Rambam (see the introduction of Rabbi Kapakh to the Interpretation of the Mishnah, page. 20). It seems that during these years, the Rambam also wrote the letter or persecution, in which he rallied to the protection of all the Jews who had been forced to convert to Islam, and wherein he spoke well of them, and advised them to leave the borders of the country until the persecutions had passed. The increased Muslim fanaticism, and the desire of the King of Morrocco to put the Jews under his jurisdiction to death, forced the Rambam's family to resume their wanderings. At the age of 28, the Rambam reached the land of Israel through Acre, and from there, he continued at great risk (because of the Crusades) to Jerusalem, "to the great and sacred" house and to Hebron. The Jewish community in Israel was then exteremly small, poor and insecure. The difficulties involved in living in the land of israel and the danger that the Karaite heresy would spread in Egypt, where a large Jewish community was situated, motivated the Rambam to leave for Egypt and reach ancient Cairo (Postat). It was here in Postat that the famous Genizah (a place where worn manuscripts were deposited) of hundreds and thousands of manuscripts was discovered, among them the writings of the Rambam himself.
| Right from his first years in Egypt, the Rambam filled a central role in leading the public. Despite his many pursuits, the Rabmam also handled the affairs of the community and taught Torah in publich. The Rambam's Responsa contains questions that have been directed to him from all over the Jewish world, and his responses reflect his unique humane and comprehensive vision.
| To his chargin, the Rambam was nominated to the position of King Tsalakh A-Din's personal physician. This post robbed him of his precious time and wasted his powers; yet he always faithfully carried out his work. The Rambam interceded with the government for the benefit of the Jewish of Yemen and their plight, and his response to them, the "Letter of Yemen" was to have a critical influence on the spiritual development of Yemenite Jewery.
| The Rambam's son, Rabbi Avraham, was born when the Rambam was 48 years old, and at the age of 49, the Rambam worte his book of Jewish philosophy, "The Guide to the Perplexed" which was intended for his student. The Rambam wrote his "Letter on the Ressurection" in order to butress the faith of the Jewish people in the resurrection after aspersions were leveled against him that he did not believe in it.
| Many communities in the Jewish world called a day of fasting and conventions in commemoration of the Rambam's death. The deep sense of appreciation and respect that the Jewish people felt for the Rambam are aptly expressed in the famous saying: "From Moses to Moses, there has not been a Moses".
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The original signature
of Rabbi Moshe Barbi (=son of Rabbi) Mimon
of blessed memory |
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