My Guide, Maimonides – ?

Also known as RaMBaM  –  standing for Rabbi Moses Ben Maimon (Kraemer 2005)

Born into a distinguished family in Cordoba, Spain in the late 1130’s  – an area that was under Umayyad Muslim rule at the time – and died in 1204. He did lots, wrote lots, was in Egypt by 1166 and completed the Guide of my title in 1190.

The Guide for the Perplexed,  or the Guide of the Perplexed contains much of Maimonides’ philosophic discussions, and is written in Judeo-Arabic. It can be seen as a commentary on biblical terminology, a critique of the Kalam (Islamic studies, or discussions) and covers subjects such as cosmology, creation, ethics, metaphysics, theology, prophecy, providence,  and a theory of jurisprudence.

According to Maimonides, Jewish Law aims to improve both the body and the soul and that a too literal an interpretation of the Bible brings about a material conception of God. This material ‘vision’ he describes as Idolatry, and is therefore not in keeping with the Trust and Love we owe to God.

One of the main reasons for writing this guide was to help those that had become confused between their religious faith and the understanding of scientific and philosophical truth. He argues that divine providence is arrived at from the persuit of knowledge about all things natural.