123Chapter 8
Concepts of Scripture in Maimonides
James A. Diamond
Th ere is virtually no facet of present-day Judaism that does not bear the
imprint of the formidable intellectual legacy of Moses ben Maimon (1138 –
1204), whether it be in Jewish law (halakha), rabbinics, theology, philoso-
phy, or biblical interpretation. Even the mystical tradition’s (kabbala) in-
ventive re-readings of Scripture can be seen as a negative reaction to his
overpowering rationalist approach. He was a fi rst in many respects. No fun-
damental tenets of Judaism to which Jews must subscribe existed prior to
his introduction of thirteen articles of faith, what have since been generally
assented to as the Jewish creed. He pioneered the fi rst code of Jewish law
(Mishneh Torah), organizing and systematizing what had previously been
a vast rabbinic morass that only the most skilled Talmudist could possibly
navigate. Aft er assimilating much of the philosophical/scientifi c tradition
of his day, as transmitted through Islamic sources, he authored the single
most important and infl uential reconciliation between the Torah, Judaism’s
foundational document, and reasoned demonstrated truths with which it
apparently confl icted. Th at treatise, titled the Guide of the Perplexed, con-
tinues to vex, challenge, inspire, provoke, and stimulate any serious dis-
cussion or thought since, addressing apparent dichotomies between reli-
gious texts, faith, and science. All of this he accomplished while leading
his Jewish community in old Cairo and practicing medicine, acquiring an
outstanding reputation as a physician in no less than Saladin’s court.
Th e intellectual enterprise of reconciling reason and faith, or what has
been referred to as Athens and Jerusalem, was not unique to Maimonides,
who had his counterparts in Christianity and Islam as well. Th e names he
was known by alternatively to the three traditions — Maimonides, Ram-
bam, Musa ibn Maymun — attest also to the infl uence he had on all them,