Notes

• Maimonides lived from 1135–1204.

  "Maimonides was born in Spain; his family fled persecution to Egypt, where he served as court physician to the sultan. He was the leader of the Jewish community of Cairo in the Middle Ages. His Guide of the Perplexed attempted to put many of the philosophies of Judaism in simple terms that the general populace could understand. His Mishneh Torah is a systematic code and compilation of Jewish law that he hoped would make it easier to observe halakhah, since Jews would not have to search the Talmud to find the reference point for each law. His Book of Commandments, a compilation of the Torah’s 613 commandments, is still one of the primary texts used by yeshivah students. His most noted work, the Thirteen Principles of Faith, contains the famous quote 'I believe with complete faith in the coming of the Messiah. Even though he may tarry I will wait for him on any day that he may come.' He is so renowned that a Jewish expression of the time compared him with the biblical hero: 'From Moses (of the Torah) to Moses (Maimonides), there is no one like Moses.'" (JPS)

  See also Maimonidean and Rambam.