Rabbi Moshe Ben Maimon, A Jewish Scholar, Astrologer And...

Rabbi Moshe Ben Maimon, commonly known as Maimonides or by the acronym RaMBaM, was a Jewish scholar, astrologer and physician of the twelfth century considered to be one of Judaism’s greatest sages. His revolutionary publications were essential in the development of the Shulchan Aruch, the practiced Code of Jewish Law and maintaining Jewish continuity throughout the ages. Maimonides was born in 1135 in Cordoba, Spain to his mother and father, Rabbi Maimon, and would go on to study medicine and philosophy in unison with his religious studies. From a young age, Maimonides’ father mentored him in the teachings of the Talmud, Torah, Jewish philosophy and secular sciences. His education in these areas would eventually fuel his writings. In 1148, when Maimonides was just 13, a Sunni Muslim Caliphate movement called the Almohades invaded Southern Spain, and he and his family were forced to flee their hometown. The Almohades invasion marked the end of the ‘Golden Age’ of Jewish culture in Spain, where although Jews were not fist class citizens, they lived free of persecution and were able to conduct businesses and lead relatively peaceful lives. The Almohades invasion put great pressure on its Jewish inhabitants, posing a serious threat to Jewish continuity. Many religious institutions dissolved, including synagogues and yeshivas, and Sharia Law now dictated everyday life for Christians and Jews of Spain. Non-Muslims were given the choice to convert to Islam or die - or else go