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Maimonides (Rambam)

Rambam
Portrait of Maimonides

Profile

  • Name: Moshe ben Maimon (Moses son of Maimon)
  • Known as: Maimonides or Rambam (a Hebrew acronym for "Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon")
  • Born: c. 1138, Córdoba, Almoravid Empire
  • Died: December 12, 1204, Fustat, Ayyubid Sultanate
  • Fields: Philosophy, Jewish Law (Halakha), Medicine, Astronomy

Key Accomplishments

Maimonides was a true polymath whose works spanned Jewish law, philosophy, medicine, and astronomy.

  • Mishneh Torah: A comprehensive and systematic code of Jewish law, which is considered one of the greatest works of rabbinic literature.
  • The Guide for the Perplexed: A philosophical masterpiece that sought to reconcile Aristotelian philosophy with Jewish theology.
  • Medical Writings: He authored several influential medical texts, drawing on Greek and Arabic sources, and served as the personal physician to the Sultan Saladin.

Why He's in the Hall of Fame

Maimonides is revered for his intellectual rigor, his ability to synthesize diverse fields of knowledge, and his profound impact on both Jewish and Western thought. His systematic approach to law and philosophy continues to be studied and admired centuries later.