Moses ben Maimon, known as Maimonides, was a twelfth-century Jewish philosopher who was heavily influenced by the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle. In his most famous work, The Guide of the Perplexed, Maimonides attempted to explain various difficult aspects of the Jewish tradition of rabbinic and biblical literature by means of philosophic method derived from Aristotle. Maimonides was convinced that there was truth in both the Jewish tradition and the rationalism of Aristotle and his work was, in part, a reconciliation of these two kinds of truth. An examination of one of the main topics in the Guide, the nature of prophecy, demonstrates how Maimonides went about applying the rational Aristotelian approach to questions of Jewish theology.
Maimonides (1135-1204) was born in the Spanish city of Cordova but, in order to avoid the wars in the region, migrated to Morocco and then to Old Cairo, or Fostat, in Egypt. His family were traders in precious stones and Maimonides followed this profession until his brother died on a trading trip. After this Maimonides abandoned the business and began to practice medicine. Maimonides first became famous as physician to Saladin's grand vizier, or chief minister. Such a high position within the Islamic government led to his appointment as nagid, or head, of the Jewish community in Egypt. In this capacity Maimonides "gained his reputation as one of the great masters of Jewish law (halakhah)."
As nagid Maimonides wrote his important Commentary on the Mishnah and corresponded on difficult questions that perplexed his friend Rabbi Joseph ibn Aknin. This correspondence became The Guide of the Perplexed. When rabbis had questions about the Law they raised the problem with a leading rabbi "and the legal master sent an answer or responsum" which subsequently acquired "the standing of a major legal judgment for all the Jewish community." Knowing that his responsum would be regarded in ...