The רמב"ם Flashcards
Did his works arouse opposition? Are they accepted today?
His works aroused a storm of opposition, the Mishneh Torah for it’s radically different approach, it’s potential for replacing the לימוד of גמרא, and his leaving out the sources for his rulings; and the Moreh Nevuchim for causing Jews to abandon אמונה פשוטה start questioning the Torah.
Who was the רמב”ם’s father? What do you know about his youth? (nothing may be the technically correct answer, but just a tip: it won’t get you any marks…)
His father was Rabbi Maimon ben Yosef, a dayan in Cordova. The רמב”ם was born on ערב פסח. He received an excellent תורה education from his father (who was a תלמיד of the Ri Migash)
How was the splendor and beauty of Cordova destroyed?
It was destroyed in 4908 (when the רמב”ם was 13) by an invasion of a vicious Muslim sect, the Almohades. Many Jews were killed or forcefully converted, and the רמב”ם and his family had to escape.
Explain about he Maimon family’s struggle for survival.
They took refuge in Catholic Spain. They had lost all their belongings (including their ספרים, but they were all remembered fully by the רמב”ם). in around 4920, they moved to Fez, Morocco, but were forced to leave by the Almohades. They traveled to ארץ ישראל, but had to leave for unknown reasons. From there they settled in Fostat, Egypt.
Explain about the unique relationship between the רמב”ם and his brother David.
They had a יששכר\זבולון partnership, with the רמב”ם learning and David supporting both families. Sadly, this did not last. On a business trip to India, David, along with all the family’s money in the form of precious stones, disappeared, never to be heard from again.
After the death of his brother, how did the רמב”ם support the 2 families.
He practiced medicine, which he had studied in Spain. Within a short time, he was famous worldwide as an excellent physician, and was appointed Royal Physician of the Sultan Saladin.
