A Short Biography of Rambam / Maimonides

Rambam (1135 /1138 - 1204) was a sage and a genius. Any attempt to summarize who and what he was and is, in a few lines, is futile. Rambam was almost “superhuman.” Volumes have been written on his life and works, and his

greatness is beyond our comprehension. All I offer you is a very brief bird’s

eye view of this truly great man, with a special emphasis on his medical

contribution to society.

Rambam lived in dangerous times and through many persecutions and

personal tragedies. Nonetheless, he became a world-renowned expert

in the subjects of theology, law, medicine, philosophy, psychology,

mathematics, languages and astronomy.

Rambam was a prolific author and wrote many comprehensive sets of

books which include every area of thought. Each one of his works was

brilliant enough to have assured him a prominent place in the pages of

history. To this day, his style of precision, depth, clarity and “simplicity” is

unparalleled.

While most of Rambam’s works on law, philosophy and ethics are wellknown

and studied to this day, his many medical writings are not as

well-known and are more difficult to access.

Rambam placed great emphasis on the subject of medicine. One of the

many examples is found in his Shemoneh Perakim:

Medical knowledge is an extremely important prerequisite for intellectual and personal development, the knowledge of God and the attainment of true success. Its study and practice should be considered among the great duties, and it should not be considered simply as one of the working trades. Medical knowledge directs our conduct and leads to genuine personal development.

Rambam was held in high regard by Saladin and his son al-Malik al-Afdal.

Rambam became court physician to Saladin’s son after the latter ascended

to the throne. It is said that at around the same time, he was invited to

be the personal physician to the famous Richard the Lionheart. In his later

years he was considered to be the greatest physician of his time. As the

world-renowned physician Sir William Osler so aptly said, “Maimonides

was the Prince of Physicians.”

There was a time in history when Rambam’s medical works enjoyed

extreme popularity throughout the world. In the twelfth century his

medical writings were studied to understand hygiene. During the Middle

Ages, his Regimen of Health was used as a textbook in academies and

universities. In 1477, only a few years after the invention of printing, a Latin

edition was published in Florence; it was the first medical book to appear

in print there. Many other editions followed.

Ibn Abi Ozeibia (1203–1270), the most famous Arab physician and historian

of Cairo, concludes his bibliography of Rambam with a famous poem

describing Rambam as a healer of the body and the mind, as apposed

to Galen who was only a physician of the body. Abd al-Latif, a famous

physician at that time, specifically traveled to Cairo to see Rambam with

his own eyes.

Waldmer Schweiseheimer, a mid-twentieth century historian, said

of Rambam’s medical writings, “Rambam’s medical teachings are not

antiquated at all. His writings, in fact, are in some respects astonishingly

modern in tone and contents.”

To me, Rambam represents the pursuit of absolute truth. He was not afraid

to disagree with the greatest minds or agree with his biggest opponents.

This approach was extremely controversial and even dangerous in his time,

when very little intellectual or religious tolerance existed.

Rambam is often referred to as the “Great Eagle,” for he carried his people

upon his wings. In his time, the Karaites, as well as the intense belief in

secular philosophy and forcible conversion by the sword, threatened to

uproot the foundations of our belief. Rambam taught his people how to

overcome and channel these trials as a growing experience through his

uncompromising Torah perspective. Dealing with the issues of his time,

many of which are still very relevant today, Rambam continues to serve as

a beacon of light and a “great eagle.” To this day, Rambam’s name stands for

the highest intellectual and spiritual accomplishments. The famous adage,

which is engraved on his tombstone, sums up the greatness of the man

perfectly:

From Moshe to Moshe there never arose a man like Moshe.

After his death Rambam was mourned throughout the world by all sects

of religion. In fact, there was a general three-day mourning period in Egypt.

 

 

 

Sources:

1. Chapter 5.

2. Rambam, Hanhagot HaBriut, trans. S. Munter (Jerusalem: Mosad Harav Kook, 1957),

Introduction.

3. Encyclopedia Britannica, “Moses Rambam.”

4. A sect which denied Rabbinical tradition. In Rambam’s time they comprised about 30

percent of the Jewish world population. In Egypt, they were a majority.