Rambams

Rambam is the acronym of Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon, commonly known in English as Maimonides. The name is used as a honorific for one person, a preeminent medieval Jewish philosopher, legal codifier, and physician who lived from 1135 to 1204. Born in Córdoba and raised in North Africa before settling in Egypt, he wrote extensively on Jewish law, philosophy, and medicine. His most influential works are the Mishneh Torah, a comprehensive code of Jewish law completed around 1170; Sefer Hamitzvot, a systematic list of commandments with brief explanations; and Moreh Nevuchim, the Guide for the Perplexed, a philosophical treatise in Judeo-Arabic addressing rational inquiry and faith. His aims included making Jewish law accessible through a logical framework and reconciling philosophical reason with traditional belief.

Rambam's method combined rigorous legal analysis with rationalist philosophy, drawing on Aristotle and Islamic thought while maintaining adherence to Jewish doctrine. His writings shaped later Jewish law codes, Talmudic study, and philosophical discourse, and they influenced Christian and Muslim scholars as well. The term Rambam is widely used as a title for the author; the plural form Rambams is uncommon and typically appears only in bibliographic or informal contexts, often referring to the author’s corpus rather than to multiple individuals.

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