Maimonides Sparknotes

In order to begin to analyze any text on Maimonides one need to have an understanding of pertinent information historically and biographically. Maimonides also know as Moses Ben Maimon or RaMBaM was born is Cordova Spain in 1135. At 13 he and his family fled because his town was captured by the Almohad Muslim sect. He wrote most of his major works in Egypt where he also practiced as a physician. He wrote a grammar book at the young age of seventeen which is still studied to this day by the many students of Hebrew grammar. He undertook a project of writing a comprehensive book of halacha, codifying it topic by topic a novel and contreversal approach at this time(Schloss 81). This great work is known as the Mishneh Torah or the Yad Hachazakah.

He had an expansive knowledge of science, math and philosophy as well as Talmud and Tanach.(Seeskin xv). He wrote the Guide to the Perplexed in Arabic and it was published in 1190. Soon after is was translated into Hebrew by Ibn Tibon(Seeskin xvi). Rambam himself admits this book is difficult to learn and one must have a grasp of Torah and be familiar with classic Greek philosophy(Seeskin xvi). .Maimonides wants the student to struggle and reflect upon the perplexites of the Torah (Seeskin 6) The Guide to the Perplexed was criticized because Rambam uses philosophy as a tool to explain Torah's esoteric nature. (Bliss 46.) Today is a work translated into many languages and studied by many cultures. Rambam openly criticized Kalam philosophy because he feared that were interpreting knowledge about God in a literal and not methphorical way and Karitic teachings because they went against The Thirteen Articles of Faith that he authored in an earlier work

In Fagenblatt's article "....." he struggles to reconcile Maimonides' negative theology with the listing moral and ethical symbolic descriptions found in the Divine attributes in Shmot 33. In Shmot 33:13, Moshe requests to see Hashem's ways. What are these ways? Hashem shows him the knowledge to understand the creation of the universe and the inter-relationships of all of it therein. He divulged the nature and connections of creation to Moshe because one can understand the actions of creation and describe them in human language. Moshe was able to grasp and understand the information that Hashem revealed to him because of the unique character of their relationship. Moshe is very pious and humble and admits that he can only see the ways of Hashem if "I find grace in Thy sight" (Shmot 33:13). Hashem responds that "I will do this thing ......for you have found grace in my sight"(Shmot 33:17).Fagenblatt explains that humility in a fundamental trait required in order to open oneself to the knowledge of