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Rambam - Rabbi Moshe Ben Maimon - Maimonides

30th March 1135 - 13th December 1204

1. Introduction

This year, 5675, Israel and the Jewish world commemorate 800th Anniversary of the death of the Rambam, with events that began in late 2004 and will continue through 2005. Some of them will be dedicated to his major works of Halachic codex, while others will address his Responsa, or focus more on the theological, philosophical and ethical writings. One conference in Israel, in particular, will focus on the Rambam and Jewish Medical Ethics.

As the many online biographies trace the Rambam's life and works from Cordoba in Muslim Spain through Fez, Morocco, to Acre in Eretz Yisrael and Fostat (near Cairo) in Egypt, much can be learned about his greatness and tremendous capacity to absorb knowledge in a comprehensive range of highly contrasting fields, and deliver them as highly structured, clearly worded, interpretative text. Furthermore, the Rambam understood the era in which he lived and its challenges to Jewish literacy, taking the lead in creating a new field of Jewish literature and commentary, some of which was severely criticized by others who did not have this sense of perception. He also combined his Jewish knowledge with distinction in areas of contemporary scholarship - philosophy, sciences, and particularly, medicine - in the same way as he combined his spiritual vocation with a demanding professional position as Saladdin's court Physician in Egypt.

We should also not miss the figure of Maimonides on his personal journeys, from an elite and erudite Jewish family background, extensive education and self-education, living in relative privilege, through periods of persecution under a proselytizing Islam, and immense personal tragedy to relative political stability. Against this tremendous adversity, the Rambam had the strength and determination to dedicate himself to the illumination of Jewish communities in his and future generations, without compromise, and handing on the heritage of Judaism. He did so through the power of the word, from his brilliant mind and hand, in succinct summaries and meticulously detailed treatises - as he made his way in the Jewish world, healing spiritual ills -, and as a renowned doctor - in the Muslim world, healing physical ones.

More:

  1. Biographical References [H/E]
  2. Curricular Ideas
  3. Online Manuscripts & Books (a-h) [H/E]
  4. The Ibn Ezra (Ben Ezra) Synagogue at Fostat [English]

2. Biographical References

English

Hebrew

3. Curricular Ideas

3A. Online

  1. There are variations on the Melton curriculum about the Rambam's Eight Degrees / Rungs / Ladder of Tzedakah

2. For older grades, 8/9 upwards: deeper values studies are possible.

3. Some text study is important, at age appropriate levels.

4. Another idea

is to teach about the Rambam as part of biographical learning on the Sages and their contribution to Jewish sources and learning - which can be done around the page of Talmud [Sephardic or otherwise, there is the isfsp.org website]. As the Rambam's family goes back to Yehuda HaNasi, this is a challenging opportunity to map and address Rishonim, Acharonim; Spanish Jewry etc.

5. For younger ages, biographical studies make for a good Jewish Hall of Fame framework, which can be upgraded by placing them along a timeline

http://members.aol.com/LazerA/gedolim.htm .

6. Create a Powerpoint [text and visuals, with a loop] :

  • Biographical studies;
  • A page of Talmud;
  • The Ibn Ezra synagogue at Fostat
    Caution against students doing free searches: we encountered one or two undesirable websites [hence the links - with our standard disclaimer].

7. Jewish Heritage quiz, see

http://www.torahlearningcenter.com/jhq/question174.html

8. Create a webquest.

10. The Maimon family's histoical and modern saga, in Seattle 

http://www.ttec.com/maimon/hist.htm 
http://www.maimonfamily.com/transcript.htm 

See  also DataJEM review of  "Dear Maimonides" for an idea how you can do something ...

11. The Rambam as a doctor :

3B. Offline - For Sale

i]  Curricula

  1. Resource for primary schools, ages 8-11+  
    http://www.judaism.com/display.asp?etn=HEGAI 
  2. 2. All Rambam curriculum for purchase here
    http://www.jtsa.edu/shop/melton/hey.shtml  [reviewed on DataJEM]
  3. 3. Torah Aura workbook
    http://www.torahaura.com/Values_and_Ethics/Tzedakah_Workbook/tzedakah_workbook.html 
  4. 4. Searches from DataJEM on Rambam generate a list of 13 educational reviews, incl. software and readers
    http://www.datajem.com/visitor/SearchResults.asp?stype=typesearch&subAll=yes&subn=Rambam&tn=

ii] Reference and teacher resources:

  1. Telushkin reference (Jewish Literacy) for dipping in reference, and it cites Maimonides' "Guide to the Perplexed", too. 
    http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0688085067/ref=pd_sim_b_6/102-0047840-5326521?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance 
  2. The Sephardic Sages site links to this sales page**
    http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/external-search/102-0047840-5326521?tag=sephardicsage-20&keyword=maimonides&mode=blended
  3. ** "On Maimonides" for students and adult , but some relevant ideas 
     http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0534583830/qid=1110869290/sr=8-16/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i10_xgl14/102-0047840-5326521?v=glance&s=books&n=507846   
  4. The **"Maimonides Reader" is for senior high school students upwards, although the Index might be helpful to the teacher who seeks source text by topic in a good English translation, there is a prologue to each chapter.
    http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0874412064/103-4451358-2867812 

4. Manuscripts/Books - Full & Partial

4a. General

Rambam 800 Anniversary website:

4b. Hashmonah/Sefer HaMa'or/Commentary on the Mishnah

Hebrew

English

4c. Sefer Hamitzvot

4d. Mishneh Torah

Hebrew

English

4e. Focus Texts

13 Articles/Principles of Faith

4f. Moreh Nevuchim

English
http://www.teachittome.com/seforim2/seforim/the_guide_for_the_perplexed.pdf

Hebrew
http://www.teachittome.com/seforim2/seforim/moreh_nevuchim_1.pdf
http://www.teachittome.com/seforim2/seforim/moreh_nevuchim_2.pdf
http://www.seforimonline.org/seforim/moreh_nevuchim_3.pdf

4g. Medical

Oath of Maimonides
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/rambam-oath.html
Maimonides Conference on Medical Ethics, March 2005
http://www.ortra.com/maimonides/
Oath; online courses in Jewish Medicine
http://www.rambam.co.il/rambam.phtml

4h. Related

Codes of Jewish Law and their Commentaries: Historical Notes
http://www.lookstein.org/resources/jewish_law_codes.pdf

Guide to using the Shu"t database/CD, Hebrew only
http://www.tau.ac.il/humanities/bible/Pdf/shoot.htm

Biography, Tales of Maimonides
http://www.pantheon.org/areas/featured/maimonides/

5. The Ibn Ezra (Ben Ezra) Synagogue at Fostat

Before & after restoration, extensive information & photos
http://www.icomos.org/~fleblanc/projects/p_restoration_ben_ezra.html
Says it was originally a church, but the internal details are extensive, with one close-up of the top of the Aron Kodesh
http://www.ask-aladdin.com/benezra.html

Good architectural background, related photos, Maimonides mentioned, Schechter
http://www.skill-link.com/Docs/IZ/peep-benezra.htm
Side view, inside view, some details
http://www.touregypt.net/benezer.htm
Side view
http://www.princeton.edu/~batke/geniza/ts_search/benez.htm
The funding of the restoration http://uk.travel.yahoo.com/t/wc/egypt/cairo/synagogues/benezrasynagogue.html

The restoration of the Geniza documents,
http://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/Taylor-Schechter/Introduction.html
http://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/Taylor-Schechter/BenEzra.html [B&W]

By Gila Ansell-Brauner

  

 

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