Maimonides: A True Renaissance Man

The expression 'Renaissance Man' is familiar and sometimes even clichéd, not always living up to its full meaning for the person it describes. However, there was one individual for whom this term was absolutely accurate, if not understated. That was Maimonides. He was a master of countless disciplines: medicine, grammar, poetry, astrology, mathematics, and logic—all while being an unparalleled scholar in both the revealed and hidden aspects of the Torah. Little wonder people said after his death, 'From Moses to Moses, there arose none like Moses.'

Rabbi Moses ben Maimon - The Rambam

Born into a distinguished and prominent family, his father Rabbi Maimon was descended from a long line of judges and exceptional Torah scholars. Following a divine dream instructing him to marry the daughter of a butcher, Rabbi Maimon did so, and thus was born Rabbi Moses. Unfortunately, his mother passed away during childbirth, and shortly afterward, Rabbi Maimon remarried, with his new wife raising the child as her own.

As a young boy, Moses did not show great aptitude for learning. He struggled to understand the material, and his father's explanations fell flat. One day, when his attention once again drifted from his studies, his father scolded him severely. Ashamed, the boy left.

He wandered the streets the entire day and, by evening, entered a synagogue to pour out his sorrows before the open Ark. Tearfully, he prayed for his mind and heart to open to the wisdom of the Torah. The next morning, during prayers, he felt a change—a deep desire consuming him to delve into his studies. Determined to excel, he attended the prestigious yeshiva in Alisena, where he received the personal blessing of the head of the yeshiva, Rabbi Joseph ibn Migash. From that moment, he felt as if the wells of wisdom had opened before him.

He studied with fervor and diligence, quickly catching up on what he'd missed in his early years and then some. He rose ever higher, although Rabbi Joseph didn't live long enough to see his full potential. After his teacher's passing, Moses returned home to continue learning from his father, well-versed in all the hidden treasures of the Torah.

His older brother David studied with him as well. But their peaceful learning didn't last. The Almohads, extremely zealous in their religion, conquered southern Spain and ceaselessly harassed the Jews. Left without choice, many Jews, including the Maimon family, fled for their lives. They reached northern Spain, but incidents there ignited a storm of hatred against the Jews once more.

Setting out again for Morocco

Despite the exhausting journey, their mouths never ceased reciting Torah. Rabbi Maimon generously shared his spiritual wealth with his sons, who continuously grew in stature. During these early years, Moses wrote his philosophical work 'Logical Terms,' followed by his vast and impressive commentary on the Mishnah at just 23 years old!

Upon reaching Morocco, they hoped to study in peace, yet various public matters disturbed their serenity.

Among these was the proper stance towards those who were forced to convert. These were Jews who, under prolonged pressure from authorities, had publicly converted but secretly wished to return to Judaism. There was an urgent need for a decisive ruling. Some rabbis felt these converts should be rejected, but Maimonides issued a letter stating his firm belief that they should be welcomed back, cautioning against rejecting them.

Maimonides' letter followed his father's ruling advocating for their acceptance. His 'Letter of Comfort' alongside Maimonides' 'Letter of Apostasy,' which outlined how to treat such converts for generations, earned Maimonides worldwide renown. Yet, conditions for Jews in Morocco worsened. After Maimonides made a remark perceived as an affront to Islam, the king sought to kill him. Maimonides and his family hid for six months before escaping the country under the cloak of night.

They then went to Israel, but did not reside there long. The death of his father Rabbi Maimon, the sudden wariness of acquaintances who had changed their demeanor towards them, and the volatile security situation led them to emigrate once more, this time to Egypt. In Egypt, Maimonides found both respect and hostility, along with various trials. In a relatively short time, the Egyptian king recognized his value, appointing him as his personal physician and frequently consulting him on political matters. People from far and wide sought his medical advice, keeping him so occupied that he barely had time for a quick meal each day!

It was then he composed the 'Physician’s Prayer,' asking for the strength to serve the well-being of all patients, friend or foe alike. The incredible range and diversity of roles he pursued in his lifetime leave a person in awe: He was a royal and general physician, poet, statesman, author, legal decisor, leader, and philosopher. His extraordinary mastery across such diverse fields is even more astonishing given the many enemies and jealous individuals who attempted repeatedly to assassinate him—and nearly succeeded.

Yet always, at the critical moment, through Divine Providence and his immense wisdom, he escaped death. His fellow Egyptian physicians, filled with hatred and jealousy, tried earnestly to tarnish his reputation with the king. Once, they proposed a competition to the king: each side would prepare a lethal concoction, and on a designated day and time, they would gather at the king's palace, and if one brought an antidote, he would be the competition's victor.

Maimonides agreed, and once he left the king's presence, they added a clause that he must drink their concoction first. Their intent to kill him was transparent. Maimonides returned home and informed his loyal students of the plot. They were terrified, but he assured them he had already devised a plan with Hashem's help: he instructed them to prepare two concoctions according to his detailed lists. He would drink one before leaving for the palace and take the second upon his return, which would completely negate the poison and strengthen him. News of the plot quickly spread through the Jewish community.

Synagogues filled with prayers for the beloved rabbi's safety. On the appointed day, Maimonides appeared before the palace, and despite numerous hostile eyes watching, drank the poisoned cup... A violent dizziness overcame him. He hurried home, where his loyal students administered the second concoction per his orders. It completely counteracted the poison, and he soon recovered. Maimonides then returned to the palace, requesting that his opponents fulfill the second part of their agreement: to drink the poison he had prepared. They sought every excuse to avoid it, but the king forced them to honor their commitment. They drank what he made, and instantly met their end.

Maimonides’ reputation soared once more in the eyes of the king

His great wisdom, nobility, and extensive knowledge in every field endeared him to the king, while simultaneously provoking the anger and envy of other palace physicians. Unable to tolerate the fact that a Jew surpassed them by leaps and bounds, a heated debate erupted between them and Maimonides over whether a congenital blind person could be cured. Maimonides argued it was impossible. When the king heard of the debate, he commanded them to find someone born blind, treat them, and present the cured individual.

The physicians attempted to do so, but failed repeatedly. Eventually, they found a poor man willing to cooperate for a hefty fee. They brought him to the palace and began treating him with various substances and ointments. At the treatment's end, he opened his eyes and declared he could see perfectly!

Maimonides then took out a red handkerchief, showed it to the man, and asked, 'Can you see clearly now?' 'Absolutely!' the man replied. 'What color is the handkerchief I'm holding?' Maimonides continued. 'It is red!' the man answered without hesitation.

Maimonides smiled and addressed the king: 'There is no doubt that this is a fraud. If he indeed was blind from birth, how could he immediately identify the color as red once his sight was restored?' Once again, Maimonides' wisdom was proven to all, though it only further fueled his colleagues' jealousy. This incident wasn't isolated. Again and again, the other doctors conspired, yet with Hashem's help, Maimonides consistently demonstrated his innocence and evaded death. At one point, after narrowly escaping assassination, he retreated to a hidden cave, where he devoted himself to Torah study day and night. His students discreetly brought him food. Free from work and royal duties, he resumed writing his monumental work, 'Mishneh Torah.' However, even there, they depended on his enlightening rulings.

It was a time of great trouble for Yemeni Jewry

The rulers offered Jews the choice: conversion or death. Additionally, a messianic fervor spread among the people. A dreaming Jew claimed to be heralding the Messiah's arrival, and many followed him thoughtlessly. It was essential to provide Yemeni Jews with a clear and solid path. One of Maimonides’ students, living in Yemen at the time, sent a letter detailing the concerning questions to his teacher.

Maimonides responded comprehensively, in Arabic so all Yemenite Jews could understand. He pointed out that the Gentile's hatred of Israel stems from jealousy of the holy Torah, and that this is merely a trial to test the strength of their connection to the Torah. Furthermore, he firmly stated not to heed the apostate encouraging conversion or the false prophet's nonsensical words. He advised temporarily imprisoning the latter to silence his claims.

The letter reached Yemen, making a profound impact, so much so that in Kaddish, they added the words, “In your lifetime, in your days, and in the life of our master Rabbi Moses ben Maimon!” This inclusion in Kaddish was unprecedented in the Jewish diaspora After years of staying in the cave, the regime in Egypt changed again, allowing him to emerge from hiding. Quickly, he regained his standing in the new ruler's court, and once more, individuals sought medical consultation from near and far. In the king's court, he encountered a Jewish scribe from a venerable family, to whom he married his daughter.

This union gave him his beloved son, Rabbi Abraham, along with other children, some of whom sadly passed away young. Despite his commitments as a royal and communal physician, he continued to lead spiritually. He reinstated the yeshiva in Cairo, offering numerous Torah lessons, providing room and board, and financial support for scholars. Upon noticing the Karaites' attempts to spread their influence, he enacted firm ordinances against them. He also made improvements in issues that required reform, such as matrimonial laws.

His decisions on all legal issues were accepted as definitive law. Over time, he acquired significant knowledge of Kabbalah. A Jewish sage, deeply knowledgeable in Kabbalah, was directed in a dream to come to Egypt and teach Maimonides everything he knew. This sage, Rabbi Jacob, arrived in Egypt and indeed taught him, thereby greatly expanding Maimonides' knowledge in this area.

He continued to write his marvelous contributions, including 'Eight Chapters'—an introduction to Pirkei Avot, a commentary on the Mishnah, 'Guide for the Perplexed' on the principles of faith, as well as medical works like 'Aphorisms of Hippocrates' and 'Medical Aphorisms of Moses.' After 90 years of study and activity, his days drew to a close. He composed a famous will known as 'Father's Reproof,' requesting his son to bury him temporarily in Egypt until they could transport him to Israel. (A severe epidemic in Egypt delayed this). On the second day of the week, the 20th of Tevet in the year 1204, his pure soul ascended to the heavenly abode.

All the Jews of Egypt mourned bitterly, and even those in Israel eulogized him. He was temporarily interred in the synagogue's courtyard, and once the epidemic subsided, they moved him to Israel. His coffin was loaded onto a camel, accompanied by four of his disciples. To their surprise, representatives from various Israeli cities arrived, each asking to bury him there. As they deliberated... armed robbers appeared on the horizon.

In panic, they fled, abandoning the coffin. The robbers attempted to open it, searching for treasures, only to find a body! They tried to detach the coffin and take the camel, but the coffin wouldn't budge.... Realizing it was the resting place of a holy man, they sought forgiveness and withdrew. Once gone, Maimonides' companions returned and decided to let the camel lead the way. The journey ended at the gates of Tiberias, where the camel lowered itself. They dug a grave near the ancient Sages and Amoraim. On his tombstone was inscribed: 'Here lies Rabbi Moses ben Maimon—Chief of Humankind.'