Moses Maimonides Paragraphs

Moses essay plans

• commentary on the Mishneh

• Book of commandments

• Mishnah Torah

• Guide for the Perplexed

Commentary on the Mishneh

• Jewish tradition under threat from religious persecution under Muslim rule - lack of Rabbinic tradition

  • Made worse by the cryptic, intellectual content of the Mishnah

• Written in Arabic and condensed content to provide clear understanding on how to apply Halakhah

• 13 Principles of Faith

  • What RamBam considered the fundamental truths of Judaism - used as basis for principal beliefs

  • Yigdal prayer recited after Orthodox synagogue - contemporary

Book of Commandments

• Jews instructed on actions thousands of times in Torah, and told there are 613 mitzvot, 365 bad (days) and 248 good, never given a list or categorisation

• Led to need for Mitzvah counters - RamBam’s list most widely accepted

• Gives 14 principles (purpose + process) in intro - quote comes from 3rd

Mishnah Torah

• RamBam was first to codify Talmud topically into 14 volumes to be used by Rabbis and judges

• Legal application = written in hebrew, remains basis of Jewish legal code (contemporary)

• Important = name translates to ‘Second law”

• Volumes include dietary laws, civil laws, and holy days

• Includes 8 levels of charity - ensures appropriate charity according to their means

Guide for the Perplexed

• Followed rediscovery of Aristotelian philosophy and scientific development which answered life’s big questions

• Jews were questioning Judaism as it contradicted their rational understanding of the world

• Concerned anthropomorphic depiction of God would confuse adherents and lead them to doubt

• RamBam argued that these stories were allegorical, representing divine message in human terms - parables designed to be understood, not taken literally

• Controversial at time but hugely influential, still important today as scepticism

hebrew word for charity

Tzedakah