Abraham Maimonides facts for kids
Abraham Maimonides (born June 13, 1186 – died December 7, 1237) was a very important Jewish leader. He was the son of the famous scholar Maimonides. After his father, Abraham became the head of the Jewish community in Egypt. This important role was called the nagid.
Biography
- Further information: History of the Jews in Egypt
Abraham was born in Fustat, a city near Cairo in Egypt. His father, Maimonides, was 51 years old when Abraham was born. People described Abraham as a kind and humble person. He was also very smart and became a great scholar even when he was young.
When his father passed away in 1204, Abraham was only 19 years old. He was recognized as the most knowledgeable person in his community. So, at just 18, he took over his father's roles. He became the nagid, or leader, of the Egyptian Jews. He also became the court physician, a doctor for the rulers. The Maimonides family held the nagid position for four generations.
Abraham deeply respected his father's memory. He strongly defended his father's writings against anyone who criticized them. Because of Abraham's influence, many people from the Karaite Jewish community in Egypt joined Rabbinical Judaism. Jewish people from Yemen also kept in touch with Abraham. They sent him many questions about halakha (Jewish law), and he answered them clearly.
Works
Abraham's most famous book is called Milhamoth ha-Shem, which means "The Book of the Wars for God." In this book, he responded to people who disagreed with his father's ideas. These ideas were found in his father's famous book, The Guide for the Perplexed.
Abraham first tried to stay out of arguments about his father's writings. But when he heard that his father's books might have been burned in Montpellier in 1235, he wrote Milhamot HaShem. He sent this book to the Jewish scholars in Provence.
His most important work is "A Comprehensive Guide for the Servants of God." This book was written in Judeo-Arabic. Experts believe it was three times longer than his father's Guide for the Perplexed. In this book, Abraham showed a strong interest in sufism. Sufism is a type of Islamic mysticism. His followers continued to practice a Jewish-Sufi way of life for about a century. Abraham is seen as the founder of this spiritual movement.
Abraham also wrote other books. He wrote an exegesis (an explanation) of the Torah. Only his comments on the books of Genesis and Exodus still exist today. He also wrote explanations for parts of his father's Mishneh Torah. He commented on different parts of the Talmud as well.
He wrote a book about Halakha (Jewish law), which also included philosophy and ethics. This book was also in Judeo-Arabic. It was organized like his father's Mishneh Torah. He also wrote a book of "Questions & Responsa," known as Sefer Birkat Avraham. His "Discourse on the Sayings of the Rabbis," which talks about aggadah (Jewish stories and teachings), is often quoted.
Abraham also wrote several medical books.
See also
In Spanish: Abraham ben Moisés ben Maimón para niños
