quest of learning,^125 and it does not matter if this person understands
only one verse, or only one commandment.”^126 The warmth that tran-
spires in these two correspondences may well refl ect a trait of character;
this was, at least, Maimonides’ self- perception, and it was a trait of char-
acter that he tried to cultivate. We thus fi nd him describing himself to his
student, saying: “You know well how humbly I behave towards every-
one, and that I put myself on a par with everyone, no matter how small
he may be.”^127 At the same time, the gentle, encouraging approach also
stems from Maimonides’ understanding of his role as an educator and a
leader, who must prod and encourage his followers, but should never as-
sign for them an unattainable goal. A particularly telling example of
Maimonides’ pragmatic approach can be seen in the following question,
which was addressed to him regarding a Jew who uses Torah codices
(masahif) to cast lots (ala sabil al- qura). A similar practice, known as
istikhara, is prevalent in the Muslim world, then as today: the Quran is
opened at random, and the verses in the open page are taken to indicate
divine advice or even instructions regarding pending decisions.^128 It is no
wonder that Jews used to do the same with the Torah. The interesting
angle to this case is the fact that the person discussed in the question, a
functionary of the synagogue (shliah tsibbur; that is, the one who leads
the congregation in prayer) was also asked to cast lots for non- Jewish
neighbors. This, too, is a known phenomenon, that the “other” is consid-
ered to possess some magical powers.^129 The petitioners who present the
question were clearly uneasy regarding the practice in general, to the
point of contemplating the possibility of removing the person from offi ce.
On the other hand, they were also aware of the fact that his ser vices to
non-Jews could prove profi table to the community. From their opaque
reference to this profi t it does not seem to suggest a monetary gain but
rather some help in the contacts with the non- Jewish environment.
Before we examine Maimonides’ answers, it is worth recalling his gen-
eral view regarding divinations. Maimonides presents the science of as-
tronomy as the hallmark of a civilized nation. It is in the context of his
discussion of astronomy in the Guide that he recalls that “our nation is a
nation that is full of knowledge and is perfect (millaalima kamila), as
He, may He be exalted, has made it clear through the intermediary of the
(^125) Or “quest for learning the Talmud.”
(^126) Epistles, 404, 408; see also chap. 1, note 73, above, and chap. 6, note 94, below.
(^127) Epistles, 296. This side of Maimonides’ personality is also refl ected in the warm hospi-
tality he extended to an envoy of one of the communities, who came to him accompanied
by his small son; see Fenton, “A Meeting with Maimonides.”
(^128) See T. Fahd, “Istikhara”,EI, 4: 259– 60.
(^129) See, for example, Shaul Tchernichovsky’s “Baer’le is Ill,” Poems (Tel Aviv, 1959), 233– 45
[Hebrew].