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82-452: Today, rebbe is used in the following ways: An ordinary communal rabbi, or rebbe in Yiddish, is sometimes distinct from a rav ( / ˈ r æ v / , also pronounced rov / ˈ r ɒ v / by Jews of Eastern European or Russian origin), who is a more authoritative halakhic decider. A significant function of a rav is to answer questions of halakha (the corpus of Jewish law), but he

164-492: A kamatz , the term can refer to, among others: When Orthodox Jews say "The Rav said..." within a synagogue, it is fairly likely that they're referring to the rabbi of the synagogue. The title Rav HaTzair (or Rav HaTza'ir ) refers to an assistant rabbi. Tzair means young, in Hebrew, and the prefix Ha means "the"; therefore, the combination can be used to mean the younger of a pair: Rav HaTzair , in context, can refer to

246-607: A yeshiva attached to a small synagogue , which now bears his name. In Jerusalem , he prayed at the Temple Mount . He wrote that this day of visiting the Temple Mount was a day of holiness for him and his descendants. Maimonides shortly thereafter was instrumental in helping rescue Jews taken captive during the Christian Amalric of Jerusalem 's siege of the southeastern Nile Delta town of Bilbeis . He sent five letters to

328-462: A German physician, pupil of Immanuel Kant . The Treatise on Logic (Arabic: Maqala Fi-Sinat Al-Mantiq ) has been printed 17 times, including editions in Latin (1527), German (1805, 1822, 1833, 1828), French (1936) by Moïse Ventura and in 1996 by Rémi Brague, and English (1938) by Israel Efros, and in an abridged Hebrew form. The work illustrates the essentials of Aristotelian logic to be found in

410-462: A basis for the latter in the former. Maimonides' admiration for the Neoplatonic commentators led him to doctrines which the later Scholastics did not accept. For instance, Maimonides was an adherent of apophatic theology . In this theology, one attempts to describe God through negative attributes. For example, one should not say that God exists in the usual sense of the term; it can be said that God

492-419: A central role in the intellectual and social life of their communities, delivering sermons and dialogues and building educational and religious institutions. Zalman Schachter-Shalomi theorized that the historical Hasidic Rebbes may be viewed as occupying one or several of the following roles or functions about their support of their followers: Rav Rav (or Rab , Modern Hebrew : רב ‎)

574-404: A close family member, if not more so. However, the degree and nature of this belief vary depending on the movement. There are some functions that are exclusively the domain of Hasidic rebbes: A rebbe conducts a tish ( Yiddish : פֿירט טיש : feert tish , literally, "to run [a] table") or a farbrengen —a communal festive meal with highly mystical overtones—on Shabbat and other occasions. At

656-547: A cluster of associated notions. The meaning of the words is explained and illustrated with examples. At the end of each chapter, the author carefully draws up the list of words studied. Until very recently, it was accepted that Maimonides wrote the Treatise on Logic in his twenties or even in his teen years. Herbert Davidson has raised questions about Maimonides' authorship of this short work (and of other short works traditionally attributed to Maimonides). He maintains that Maimonides

738-536: A conduit between Jews and God. based on traditional Kabbalistic concepts and terminology, Hasidic philosophy bridged deveikut , a Jewish concept referring to closeness to God, to the Hasidic rebbe, embodying and channeling the Divine flow of blessing to the world, because Creation is dependent on the continuous flow of Divine lifeforce, without which it would revert to nothingness. Given a rebbe's physical awareness of God and

820-436: A cornerstone of Jewish scholarship. His fourteen-volume Mishneh Torah still carries significant canonical authority as a codification of halakha . Aside from being revered by Jewish historians, Maimonides also figures very prominently in the history of Islamic and Arab sciences. Influenced by Aristotle , Al-Farabi , Ibn Sina , and his contemporary Ibn Rushd , he became a prominent philosopher and polymath in both

902-520: A family connection, or a belief that a specific tzaddik or Nasi HaDor (although others might have greater spiritual stature) connects best with one's soul. For example, the Kosover Rebbe makes yearly pilgrimages to the Tosher Rebbe. Nonetheless, his followers remain very loyal to him. Unlike rabbis or non-Hasidic rebbes in other Jewish movements, Hasidic Judaism considers a "Hasidic rebbe" to be

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984-519: A great leader of a Hasidic dynasty , also referred to as "Grand Rabbi" in English or an ADMOR , a Hebrew acronym for Ad oneinu -Mo reinu-ve R abbeinu ("our lord/master, teacher, and rabbi"). Outside of Hasidic circles, the term "Grand Rabbi" has been used to refer to a rabbi with a higher spiritual status. The practice became widespread in America in the early 1900s when Hasidic rebbes began to emigrate to

1066-526: A letter discovered in the Cairo Geniza , he wrote: The greatest misfortune that has befallen me during my entire life—worse than anything else—was the demise of the saint, may his memory be blessed, who drowned in the Indian sea, carrying much money belonging to me, to him, and to others, and left with me a little daughter and a widow. On the day I received that terrible news I fell ill and remained in bed for about

1148-496: A rule, among hasidim, rebbe ( / ˈ r ɛ b ə / ) is referred to in Hebrew as admor (pl. admorim ), an abbreviation for Hebrew adoneinu moreinu v'rabeinu ( Hebrew : אדמו"ר acronym for אד וננו מ ורנו ור בנו), meaning 'our master, our teacher, and our rabbi', which is now the modern Hebrew word in Israel for rebbe . Hasidim use the term rebbe also in a more elevated manner, to denote someone that they perceive not only as

1230-471: A single innocent one to death ." He argued that executing a defendant on anything less than absolute certainty would lead to a slippery slope of decreasing burdens of proof, until defendants would be convicted merely according to the judge's caprice. Maimonides composed works of Jewish scholarship, rabbinic law , philosophy, and medical texts. Most of Maimonides' works were written in Judeo-Arabic . However,

1312-485: A tish, the rebbe distributes shirayim (lit. remnants) to the Hasidim seated at or gathered around the table. When a gathering similar to a tish is led by a rabbi who is not a rebbe (i.e. a Mashpia ), it can be referred to as a botte (esp. amongst groups from Romania) or sheves Achim . A rebbe has times when Hasidim (and other petitioners) may come for a private audience. A kvitel (Yiddish for "note", plural kvitlach )

1394-508: A year, suffering from a sore boil, fever, and depression , and was almost given up. About eight years have passed, but I am still mourning and unable to accept consolation. And how should I console myself? He grew up on my knees, he was my brother, [and] he was my student. Around 1171, Maimonides was appointed the Nagid of the Egyptian Jewish community. Arabist Shelomo Dov Goitein believes

1476-434: Is a note with the name of the petitioner and a short request for which the rebbe is asked to pray. The formula in which a person's name is written is one's own Hebrew name, the son/daughter of one's mother's Hebrew name, such as Shimon ben Rivkah (Simeon the son of Rebecca). Hasidim believes that rebbes read supernaturally "between the lines" of a kvitel , and in every Hasidic movement there are numerous anecdotes relating how

1558-429: Is frequently used by Orthodox Jews to refer to their own rabbi. In contemporary Judaism, as the term rabbi has become commonplace, the term rav has come to apply to rabbis with levels of knowledge, experience, and wisdom in excess of those found among the majority of rabbis who serve Jewish congregations as a career. In some cases, rav thus refers to full-time scholars of Torah who do not receive compensation. In

1640-519: Is in comparison to God. This is the basis of the Torah. The principle that inspired his philosophical activity was identical to a fundamental tenet of scholasticism : there can be no contradiction between the truths which God has revealed and the findings of the human mind in science and philosophy. Maimonides primarily relied upon the science of Aristotle and the teachings of the Talmud, commonly claiming to find

1722-503: Is not as authoritative as a posek . The short form reb is an honorific for Orthodox Jewish men, who are most likely to have profound knowledge of the Talmud and Torah, as opposed to Reconstructionist , Reform or Conservative Judaism . Originally, this title was added to the names of Jews at the time of the schism with the Karaite sect , as a sign of loyalty to the original rabbinic tradition , known today as Orthodox Judaism . As

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1804-550: Is not corporeal. This was central to his thinking about the sin of idolatry . Maimonides insisted that all of the anthropomorphic phrases pertaining to God in sacred texts are to be interpreted metaphorically . A related tenet of Maimonidean theology is the notion that the commandments , especially those pertaining to sacrifices , are intended to help wean the Israelites away from idolatry. Maimonides also argued that God embodied reason , intellect , science , and nature , and

1886-490: Is not non-existent. One should not say that "God is wise"; but it can be said that "God is not ignorant," i.e., in some way, God has some properties of knowledge. One should not say that "God is One," but it can be stated that "there is no multiplicity in God's being." In brief, the attempt is to gain and express knowledge of God by describing what God is not, rather than by describing what God "is." Maimonides argued adamantly that God

1968-453: Is often determined by factors outside of one's control, human beings have free will to choose to behave in ways that build character. He wrote, "One is obligated to conduct his affairs with others in a gentle and pleasing manner." Maimonides advised that those with antisocial character traits should identify those traits and then make a conscious effort to behave in the opposite way. For example, an arrogant person should practice humility. If

2050-659: Is sometimes known as "The Great Eagle" (Hebrew: הנשר הגדול , romanized:  haNesher haGadol ). Maimonides was born 1138 (or 1135) in Córdoba in the Muslim -ruled Almoravid Caliphate , at the end of the golden age of Jewish culture in the Iberian Peninsula after the first centuries of Muslim rule. His father, Maimon ben Joseph , was a dayyan or rabbinic judge. Aaron ben Jacob ha-Kohen later wrote that he had traced Maimonides' descent back to Simeon ben Judah ha-Nasi from

2132-481: Is the Hebrew generic term for a person who teaches Torah or is a Jewish spiritual guide or a rabbi . For example, Pirkei Avot (in the Talmud ) states (1:6) that: (..) Joshua ben Perachiah says, "Set up a teacher [ RaB ] for yourself. And get yourself a friend [HaBeR]. And give everybody the benefit of the doubt." The term rav is also Hebrew for rabbi . (For a more nuanced discussion, see semicha .) The term

2214-564: The Mishneh Torah was written in Hebrew. In addition to Mishneh Torah, his Jewish texts were: Maimonides' achievements in the medical field are well known, and are cited by many medieval authors. One of his more important medical works is his Guide to Good Health ( Regimen Sanitatis ), which he composed in Arabic for the Sultan al-Afdal , son of Saladin , who suffered from depression . The work

2296-539: The Cordoban " ( أَبُو عَمْرَان مُوسَى بْن مَيْمُون بْن عُبَيْد ٱللّٰه ٱلْقُرْطُبِيّ , Abū ʿImrān Mūsā bin Maimūn bin ʿUbaydallāh al-Qurṭubī ), or more often simply "Moses, son of Maimon" ( موسى بن ميمون ). In Greek, the Hebrew ben ('son of') becomes the patronymic suffix [[[wikt:-ίδης|-ides]]] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script ( help ) , forming Μωησής Μαϊμονίδης "Moses Maimonides". He

2378-648: The Davidic line . His ancestry, going back four generations, is given in his Epistle to Yemen as Moses son of Maimon the Judge, son of Joseph the Wise, son of Isaac the Rabbi, son of Obadiah the Judge. At the end of his commentary on the Mishnah , however, a longer, slightly different genealogy is given: Moses son of Maimon the Judge, son of Joseph the Wise, son of Isaac the Judge, son of Joseph

2460-504: The Geonim (post-Talmudic early Medieval scholars, mainly from Mesopotamia ). It is also known as Yad ha-Chazaka or simply Yad ( יד ) which has the numerical value 14, representing the 14 books of the work. The Mishneh Torah made following Jewish law easier for the Jews of his time, who were struggling to understand the complex nature of Jewish rules and regulations as they had adapted over

2542-534: The God of Abraham to what philosophers refer to as the Necessary Being . God is unique in the universe, and the Torah commands that one love and fear God ( Deut 10:12) on account of that uniqueness. To Maimonides, this meant that one ought to contemplate God's works and to marvel at the order and wisdom that went into their creation. When one does this, one inevitably comes to love God and to sense how insignificant one

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2624-669: The Jewish and Christian communities to choose between conversion to Islam , death , or exile . Many Jews were forced to convert, but due to suspicion by the authorities of fake conversions, the new converts had to wear identifying clothing that set them apart and made them subject to public scrutiny. Maimonides' family, along with many other Jews , chose exile. For the next ten years, Maimonides moved about in southern Spain and North Africa, eventually settling in Fez, Morocco . Some say that his teacher in Fez

2706-668: The Jewish medical ethicist Fred Rosner into contemporary English. Lectures, conferences and research on Maimonides, even recently in the 21st century, have been done at medical universities in Morocco . The Oath of Maimonides is a document about the medical calling and recited as a substitute for the Hippocratic Oath . It is not to be confused with a more lengthy Prayer of Maimonides . These documents may not have been written by Maimonides, but later. The Prayer appeared first in print in 1793 and has been attributed to Markus Herz ,

2788-580: The Rebbe is also referred to as a Rav. In other circles, the Rav is distinct from the Rebbe but the highest Dayan— a rabbinical court justice — of the group. Nachmanides will sometimes refer to Maimonides as HaRav , "The Rav". From the 16th century and onwards, Rav' or the Rav generally referred to Rabbi Obadiah ben Abraham , a.k.a. haRav miBartenura (the Rav from Bartenura). Rabbi Obadiah miBartenura becomes

2870-468: The Scholastic philosophers, especially on Albertus Magnus , Thomas Aquinas and Duns Scotus . He was a Jewish Scholastic. Educated more by reading the works of Arab Muslim philosophers than by personal contact with Arabian teachers, he acquired an intimate acquaintance not only with Arab Muslim philosophy, but with the doctrines of Aristotle. Maimonides strove to reconcile Aristotelianism and science with

2952-515: The Sudanese port of ʿAydhab . After a long, arduous trip through the desert, however, David was unimpressed by the goods on offer there. Against his brother's wishes, David boarded a ship for India, since great wealth was to be found in the East. Before he could reach his destination, David drowned at sea sometime between 1169 and 1177. The death of his brother caused Maimonides to become sick with grief. In

3034-589: The Talmud , the title Rav generally precedes the names of Babylonian Amoraim ; Rabbi generally precedes the names of ordained scholars in the Land of Israel whether Tannaim or Amoraim. In the Talmud, Rav or Rab (used alone) is a common name for the first Amora, Abba Arika , who established the Sura Academy and, using the Mishnah as text, laid the foundation for the Talmud's compilation. In some Hasidic groups,

3116-547: The "Ludmirer Moyd", was the only female rebbe in the history of the Hasidic movement; she lived in the 19th century in Ukraine and Israel. According to Maimonides , a tzadik is "one whose merit surpasses [his/her] iniquity", and every person can reach the level of a Tzadik. According to the Tanya , a tzadik has no evil inclination, and only a select few predestined to attain this level can attain it. According to Kabbalah (and particularly

3198-558: The Hasidic understanding of Kabbalah), the world is sustained on the "shoulders" of Tzadikim Nistarim , divinely predestined exceptionally righteous people in a generation. Nobody knows who was such a tzaddik, even one of these exceptionally righteous people would not know that they are such a tzadik. These people are understood to have perfected their service of God to such an extent that they become literally and physically aware of God. These righteous people's perception (of both spiritual and physical, not to mention temporal matters) transcends

3280-472: The Hebrew acronym R abbi `O badiah of B artenura (רע"ב), but the ע is often removed from the spelling because רעב is the Hebrew word for famine. As such Rabbi Obadiah is often cited as "the רב." More recently, as a sign of great respect, some rabbis are simply called the Rav even outside of their personal followings. Note that when the word is pronounced using a patakh , the meaning is almost universally rabbi Obadiah ben Abraham of Bartenura. When using

3362-576: The Hebrew versions, the Treatise is called The words of Logic which describes the bulk of the work. The author explains the technical meaning of the words used by logicians. The Treatise duly inventories the terms used by the logician and indicates what they refer to. The work proceeds rationally through a lexicon of philosophical terms to a summary of higher philosophical topics, in 14 chapters corresponding to Maimonides' birthdate of 14 Nissan. The number 14 recurs in many of Maimonides' works. Each chapter offers

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3444-521: The Jewish and Islamic worlds . Maimonides referred to himself as "Moses, son of Rabbi Maimon the Spaniard " ( Hebrew : משה ברבי מימון הספרדי ). In Medieval Hebrew, he was usually called ר״ם , short for "our Rabbi Moshe", but mostly he is called רמב״ם , short for "our Rabbi, Moshe son of Maimon" and pronounced Rambam . In Arabic, he is sometimes called "Moses ' son of Amram ' son of Maimon, of Obadiah,

3526-565: The Jewish communities of Lower Egypt asking them to pool money together to pay the ransom . The money was collected and then given to two judges sent to Palestine to negotiate with the Crusaders. The captives were eventually released. Following this success, the Maimonides family, hoping to increase their wealth, gave their savings to his brother, the youngest son David ben Maimon, a merchant. Maimonides directed his brother to procure goods only at

3608-458: The Judge, son of Obadiah the Judge, son of Solomon the Rabbi, son of Obadiah the Judge. Maimonides studied Torah under his father, who had in turn studied under Joseph ibn Migash , a student of Isaac Alfasi . At an early age, Maimonides developed an interest in sciences and philosophy. He read ancient Greek philosophy accessible via Arabic translations and was deeply immersed in the sciences and learning of Islamic culture . Maimonides, who

3690-553: The Rambam to follow any other decisor [of Jewish law], early or late? [...] The Rambam is the greatest of the decisors, and all the communities of the Land of Israel and the Arabistan and the Maghreb practice according to his word, and accepted him as their rabbi." An oft-cited legal maxim from his pen is: " It is better and more satisfactory to acquit a thousand guilty persons than to put

3772-630: The Skverer Rebbe in New Square ) wear their peyos identical to those of the Skverer Rebbe. While Hasidim do not always follow the specific practices of their rebbe, the rebbe can create practices that may be specific and unique to his Hasidim. For example, Rabbi Aaron Roth ( Reb Areleh , as he was called) the first rebbe of Shomer Emunim , told his Hasidim to pause frequently while eating their meals to keep them from overindulging. A Hasid will usually display love and admiration for their rebbe as they would

3854-578: The United States and was derived from the German Grossrabbiner . Rabbi Yisroel Baal Shem Tov , the founder of Hasidism, is regarded by Hasidim as the first Hasidic rebbe. During his lifetime he was referred to mainly as "The holy" rather than as "Rebbe", and his disciples were " magidim " or "preachers", such as the Magid of Chernobyl or the Magid of Mezritch . The first "rebbe" to be known as such

3936-399: The antechambers filled with gentiles and Jews [...] I would go to heal them, and write prescriptions for their illnesses [...] until the evening [...] and I would be extremely weak." As he goes on to say in this letter, even on Shabbat he would receive members of the community. Still, he managed to write extended treatises, including not only medical and other scientific studies but some of

4018-499: The apparent boundaries of existence. However, a Hasidic rebbe is generally said to be a righteous person, called a " tzaddik ". Furthermore, a rebbe is said to be able to affect divine providence, and a rebbe is said to be able to "see the future", or at least have strong insight into the life and trials of another. As a result, Hasidim in some Hasidic circles seek their rebbe's advice for a variety of concerns: spiritual, physical, and even business concerns. Furthermore, many people seek

4100-692: The blessing ( bracha ) of a rebbe (and a Hasid will specifically seek the blessing of his rebbe) for anything, from minor (and all the more so major) physical troubles, to grand spiritual concerns. In some movements the Hasidim believe that their rebbe is the " tzadik hador " ( tzaddik of the generation ) and would regard any thought that detracts from his perfection and holiness as heresy. Other sects lessen this idealization to some degree or another. Since many rebbes are sons-in-law or students of other rebbes, it makes sense that they would view themselves as subordinate to those other rebbes. Nonetheless, their Hasidim remain loyal to them because of their special loyalty,

4182-600: The blessing is given, and a redemption for the soul of the petitioner. ("A gift makes its receiver glad" is given as an explanation: a blessing only comes from a joyous heart.) It is also customary to tip the gabbai, although this too is not obligatory. Other tasks are not exclusive to Hasidic rebbes but are important roles they play in their community similar to other rabbis . These include the leading of prayer on Shabbat and Holy Days , performing mitzvot with their Hasidim, and participating in or officiating at weddings, brit milahs , and other events. Hasidic rebbes also play

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4264-622: The cardinal principles of faith for Orthodox Jews . Two poetic restatements of these principles ( Ani Ma'amin and Yigdal ) eventually became canonized in many editions of the Siddur (Jewish prayer book). The omission of a list of these principles as such within his later works, the Mishneh Torah and The Guide for the Perplexed , has led some to suggest that either he retracted his earlier position, or that these principles are descriptive rather than prescriptive. Maimonides equated

4346-531: The circumstances of one's environment are such that it is impossible to behave ethically, one must move to a new location. Maimonides agreed with "the Philosopher" (Aristotle) that the use of logic is the "right" way of thinking. He claimed that in order to understand how to know God, every human being must, by study, and meditation attain the degree of perfection required to reach the prophetic state. Despite his rationalistic approach, he does not explicitly reject

4428-506: The concept of a (non-Hasidic) rebbe in the simple sense of rabbi , as the Yiddish-German equivalent to the Hebrew word רַבִּי ‎ rabi [ˈʁäbi] . For example: "I will ask my rebbe ( / ˈ r ɛ b ə / ), Rabbi ( / ˈ r æ b aɪ / ) Ploni (so-and-so), for advice about this personal matter." A Hasidic rebbe ( / ˈ r ɛ b ɛ / ) is generally taken to mean

4510-405: The daughter of Mishael ben Yeshayahu Halevi, had one child who survived into adulthood, Abraham Maimonides , who became recognized as a great scholar. He succeeded Maimonides as Nagid and as court physician at the age of eighteen. Throughout his career, he defended his father's writings against all critics. The office of Nagid was held by the Maimonides family for four successive generations until

4592-465: The end of the 14th century. A statue of Maimonides was erected near the Córdoba Synagogue . Maimonides is sometimes said to be a descendant of King David , although he never made such a claim. With Mishneh Torah , Maimonides composed a code of Jewish law with the widest-possible scope and depth. The work gathers all the binding laws from the Talmud , and incorporates the positions of

4674-476: The human race (מבחר המין האנושי)', so that instead it read 'the excommunicated heretic (מוחרם ומין)'. But later, after the provocateurs had repented of their act, and praised this great man, a student repaired the gravestone to read 'choicest of the Israelites (מבחר המין הישראלי)'". Today, Tiberias hosts the Tomb of Maimonides , on which is inscribed "From Moses to Moses arose none like Moses." Maimonides and his wife,

4756-419: The introduction, he gave the impression of wanting to "cut out" study of the Talmud, to arrive at a conclusion in Jewish law, although Maimonides later wrote that this was not his intent. His most forceful opponents were the rabbis of Provence (Southern France), and a running critique by Rabbi Abraham ben David (Raavad III) is printed in virtually all editions of Mishneh Torah . Nevertheless, Mishneh Torah

4838-465: The leadership he displayed during the ransoming of the Crusader captives led to this appointment. However he was replaced by Sar Shalom ben Moses in 1173. Over the controversial course of Sar Shalom's appointment, during which Sar Shalom was accused of tax farming , Maimonides excommunicated and fought with him for several years until Maimonides was appointed Nagid in 1195. A work known as "Megillat Zutta"

4920-605: The most systematically thought-through and influential treatises on halakha (rabbinic law) and Jewish philosophy of the Middle Ages. In 1172–74, Maimonides wrote his famous Epistle to Yemen . It has been suggested that his "incessant travail" undermined his own health and brought about his death at 69 (although this is a normal lifespan). Maimonides died on 12 December 1204 (20th of Tevet 4965) in Fustat. A variety of medieval sources beginning with Al-Qifti maintain that his body

5002-432: The patient's autonomy . Although he frequently wrote of his longing for solitude in order to come closer to God and to extend his reflections—elements considered essential in his philosophy to the prophetic experience—he gave over most of his time to caring for others. In a famous letter, Maimonides describes his daily routine. After visiting the Sultan's palace, he would arrive home exhausted and hungry, where "I would find

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5084-407: The rebbe saw things that were not written in the kvitel . In most Hasidic groups, the kvitel is written by the rebbe's gabbai (secretary), however, sometimes the petitioner writes it on his own. Usually, but with some exceptions, a pidyon (redemption) of cash is customarily handed to the rebbe under the kvitel , but this is not obligatory. This is considered to be the conduit through which

5166-490: The rebbe's transcendent perception of Godliness, many Hasidim take special care to observe their rebbe's specific and sometimes minute practices. Even things that seem mundane may nonetheless be seen by Hasidim as incredibly significant. For example, Lubavitcher Hasidim frequently shape their fedoras to match the way that the Lubavitcher Rebbe shaped his hat-which was more flat than many others. Many Skverer Hasidim (of

5248-443: The religious leader or nasi of their congregation, but as their spiritual adviser and mentor. The Rebbe or my Rebbe in this sense is a rav or rabbi whose views and advice are accepted not only on issues of religious law and practice, but in all arenas of life, including political and social issues. Sometimes a Hasid has a rebbe as his spiritual guide and an additional rav for rulings on issues of halakha . Hasidim use

5330-402: The required beliefs of Judaism: Maimonides is said to have compiled the principles from various Talmudic sources. These principles were controversial when first proposed, evoking criticism by Rabbis Hasdai Crescas and Joseph Albo , and were effectively ignored by much of the Jewish community for the next few centuries. However, these principles have become widely held and are considered to be

5412-664: The revered head of the Jewish community in Egypt , his writings also had vociferous critics, particularly in Spain. He died in Fustat , Egypt, and, according to Jewish tradition, was buried in Tiberias . His tomb in Tiberias is a popular pilgrimage and tourist site. He was posthumously acknowledged as one of the foremost rabbinic decisors and philosophers in Jewish history , and his copious work comprises

5494-616: The teachings of the Torah . In his Guide for the Perplexed , he often explains the function and purpose of the statutory provisions contained in the Torah against the backdrop of the historical conditions. The book was highly controversial in its day, and was banned by French rabbis, who burnt copies of the work in Montpellier . In his commentary on the Mishnah ( Tractate Sanhedrin , chapter 10), Maimonides formulates his "13 principles of faith"; and that these principles summarized what he viewed as

5576-458: The teachings of the great Islamic philosophers such as Avicenna and, above all, Al-Farabi , "the Second Master," the "First Master" being Aristotle . In his work devoted to the Treatise, Rémi Brague stresses the fact that Al-Farabi is the only philosopher mentioned therein. This indicates a line of conduct for the reader, who must read the text keeping in mind Al-Farabi's works on logic. In

5658-410: The years. Later codes of Jewish law, e.g. Arba'ah Turim by Rabbi Jacob ben Asher and Shulchan Aruch by Rabbi Yosef Karo , draw heavily on Mishneh Torah : both often quote whole sections verbatim. However, it met initially with much opposition. There were two main reasons for this opposition. First, Maimonides had refrained from adding references to his work for the sake of brevity; second, in

5740-486: The younger of a pair of rabbis, or Junior Rav. Maimonides Moses ben Maimon (1138–1204), commonly known as Maimonides ( / m aɪ ˈ m ɒ n ɪ d iː z / , my- MON -ih-deez ) and also referred to by the Hebrew acronym Rambam ( Hebrew : רמב״ם ), was a Sephardic rabbi and philosopher who became one of the most prolific and influential Torah scholars of the Middle Ages . In his time, he

5822-443: Was omnipotent and indescribable. He said that science, the growth of scientific fields, and discovery of the unknown by comprehension of nature was a way to appreciate God. Maimonides taught about the developing of one's moral character . Although his life predated the modern concept of a personality , Maimonides believed that each person has an innate disposition along an ethical and emotional spectrum. Although one's disposition

5904-727: Was Rabbi Yehuda Ha-Cohen Ibn Susan , until the latter was killed in 1165. During this time, he composed his acclaimed commentary on the Mishnah , during the years 1166–1168. Following this sojourn in Morocco, he lived in Acre with his father and brother, before settling in Fustat in Fatimid Caliphate -controlled Egypt by 1168. There is mention that Maimonides first settled in Alexandria, and moved to Fustat only in 1171. While in Cairo , he studied in

5986-729: Was also a preeminent astronomer and physician , serving as the personal physician of Saladin . He was born and lived in Córdoba in al-Andalus (now in Spain) within the Almoravid Empire on Passover eve 1138 or 1135, until his family was expelled for refusing to convert to Islam. Later, he lived in Morocco and Egypt and worked as a rabbi, physician and philosopher. During his lifetime, most Jews greeted Maimonides' writings on Jewish law and ethics with acclaim and gratitude, even as far away as Iraq and Yemen. Yet, while Maimonides rose to become

6068-485: Was appointed court physician to al-Qadi al-Fadil , the chief secretary to Sultan Saladin , then to Saladin himself; after whose death he remained a physician to the Ayyubid dynasty . In his medical writings, Maimonides described many conditions, including asthma , diabetes , hepatitis , and pneumonia , and he emphasized moderation and a healthy lifestyle. His treatises became influential for generations of physicians. He

6150-454: Was interred near Lake Tiberias , though there is no contemporary evidence for his removal from Egypt. Gedaliah ibn Yahya records that "He was buried in the Upper Galilee with elegies upon his gravestone. In the time of [David] Kimhi , when the sons of Belial rose up to besmirch [Maimonides] . . . they did evil. They altered his gravestone, which previously had been inscribed 'choicest of

6232-485: Was knowledgeable about Greek and Arabic medicine, and followed the principles of humorism in the tradition of Galen . He did not blindly accept authority but used his own observation and experience. Julia Bess Frank indicates that Maimonides in his medical writings sought to interpret works of authorities so that they could become acceptable. Maimonides displayed in his interactions with patients attributes that today would be called intercultural awareness and respect for

6314-610: Was not the author at all, based on a report of two Arabic-language manuscripts, unavailable to Western investigators in Asia Minor. Rabbi Yosef Kafih maintained that it is by Maimonides and newly translated it to Hebrew (as Beiur M'lekhet HaHiggayon ) from the Judeo-Arabic. Through The Guide for the Perplexed and the philosophical introductions to sections of his commentaries on the Mishna, Maimonides exerted an important influence on

6396-448: Was recognized as a monumental contribution to the systemized writing of halakha . Throughout the centuries, it has been widely studied and its halakhic decisions have weighed heavily in later rulings. In response to those who would attempt to force followers of Maimonides and his Mishneh Torah to abide by the rulings of his own Shulchan Aruch or other later works, Rabbi Yosef Karo wrote: "Who would dare force communities who follow

6478-456: Was revered for his personality as well as for his writings, led a busy life, and wrote many of his works while travelling or in temporary accommodation. A Berber dynasty, the Almohads , conquered Córdoba in 1148 and abolished dhimmi status (i.e., state protection of non-Muslims ensured through payment of a tax, the jizya ) in some of their territories. The loss of this status forced

6560-517: Was the Baal Shem Tov's grandson, Rabbi Boruch of Mezhibozh , who was referred to as "The Rebbe" during his lifetime. After him, those who rose to positions of leadership and their successors began to be called rebbe . The title gradually came to suggest a higher spiritual status. Each Hasidic group refers to its leader as "the rebbe". Hannah Rachel Verbermacher , also known as the Maiden of Ludmir or

6642-515: Was translated into Latin, and published in Florence in 1477, becoming the first medical book to appear in print there. While his prescriptions may have become obsolete, "his ideas about preventive medicine, public hygiene, approach to the suffering patient, and the preservation of the health of the soul have not become obsolete." Maimonides wrote ten known medical works in Arabic that have been translated by

6724-482: Was written by Abraham ben Hillel , who writes a scathing description of Sar Shalom while praising Maimonides as "the light of east and west and unique master and marvel of the generation." With the loss of the family funds tied up in David's business venture, Maimonides assumed the vocation of physician, for which he was to become famous. He had trained in medicine in both Spain and in Fez. Gaining widespread recognition, he

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