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Unlock This CourseRabbi Moses ben Maimon was born in Cordoba, in Spain, in 1138. Jews call him the Rambam, a name made from the first letters of his title and name. Many history books call him Maimonides. He later lived in Egypt, where he worked as a physician and became a leader of the Jewish community. He died in 1204.
Jews remember him as a great scholar who was also a doctor, a teacher and a community leader. There is a well-known saying about him: "From Moses to Moses there was none like Moses." It compares Maimonides with Moses, the lawgiver you met in the lesson Moses, the Exodus and the Covenant at Sinai.
Key terms:
Jewish law was spread across many books and long arguments. Maimonides wrote a code that set it all out in a clear order, topic by topic. A Jew could now find what the law says without searching through the Talmud. Because it is so well organised, it is still studied today.
This book was written for Jews who felt torn between their faith and the learning of their time, such as philosophy and science. Maimonides argued that faith and reason can work together. He believed that a person should use their mind to understand the Almighty and the world.
Together these books helped to shape Judaism. One made Jewish law easier to know. The other showed that a Jew could think hard and still be faithful.
Maimonides also wrote a short summary of what Jews believe. He listed thirteen basic beliefs, called the Thirteen Principles. They explain Jewish teaching in a form that is easy to learn. You can remember them in three groups.
The Thirteen Principles are not written in the Torah. Maimonides wrote them in the twelfth century, and over time they became very well known. The hymn Yigdal puts them into verses, and in many synagogues it is sung at the end of a service. Jews who have never read Maimonides often know the principles from this hymn.
Accept all thirteen principles as the true teaching of Judaism. They believe that the Torah really was given by the Almighty to Moses and cannot change, so the principles fit their faith closely.
Respect Maimonides but question some principles. Many Progressive (Reform and Liberal) Jews doubt that the Torah is the unchanging word of the Almighty in every detail, and some are unsure about a personal Messiah or the raising of the dead. They may focus more on how a Jew lives than on a list of beliefs.
Notice that both groups still treat Maimonides as a major figure. The disagreement is about how far his list of beliefs should be followed, not about his importance.
You have now met three people who help Jews understand their faith today.
One began the faith, one gave its law and one explained and ordered it. A Jew who knows about all three understands where Judaism came from, what it teaches and how it has been passed on. They are also role models: Abraham for trust, Moses for leadership and Maimonides for learning.
Do not say that Maimonides wrote the Torah or that the Thirteen Principles are in the Torah. He lived many centuries after Moses and wrote the principles as a summary. Do not mix up the two books: the Mishneh Torah is a law code, and the Guide for the Perplexed is about faith and reason. Do not say that all Jews accept all thirteen principles in the same way. Finally, do not just list the principles in an answer. Explain why they matter.
(a) Outline two reasons why Maimonides is important in Judaism. [4 marks]
(b) Explain why the Thirteen Principles are important for Jews. [6 marks]
(c) "Maimonides is more important than Moses for Jews today." Discuss this statement, considering the arguments for and against. In your answer you should include reference to teachings, other points of view and your own opinion. [10 marks]
(a) One reason is that he wrote the Mishneh Torah (1), a clear and ordered code of all Jewish law that makes the law easier to find and follow (1). Another reason is that he wrote the Guide for the Perplexed (1), which shows that faith and reason can work together and helps Jews who struggle with questions (1).
(b) The Thirteen Principles are important because they sum up the main beliefs of Judaism in a short, clear list (1). They cover the Almighty, revelation and reward, so they explain what Jews believe about the Almighty, the Torah and the way people will be judged (1). They are used in worship, because the hymn Yigdal is based on them and is sung in many synagogues (1). This means that many Jews learn them without having read Maimonides (1). Orthodox Jews accept all thirteen as the true teaching of Judaism, so for them they are a guide to what a Jew should believe (1). Progressive Jews question some of them, so the principles also start discussion about what Jews today should believe (1).
(c) Plan. For: Maimonides explained Jewish teaching in a way that is still used, with the Mishneh Torah for law and the Thirteen Principles for belief. His ideas shape how many Jews learn and think. Against: Moses received the Torah at Sinai, and everything Maimonides wrote depends on it. Orthodox Jews believe the Torah is the Almighty's own word, which no later teacher can match. Other views: Orthodox Jews accept all thirteen principles, while Progressive Jews question some, so Maimonides may be less authoritative for them. Possible conclusion: Moses is more important because Maimonides' work rests on the Torah, but Maimonides is the person who helps many Jews to understand it.
In the 6-mark question, do not just name the principles. Choose two or three, say what they teach and explain why that matters to Jews, using "because" and "this means that".