Moses Maimonides

Moses ben Maimon (1138–1204), commonly known as Maimonides (/maɪˈmɒnɪdiːz/, my-MON-ih-deez) and also referred to by the Hebrew acronym Rambam (Hebrew: רמב״ם), was a Sephardic rabbi and philosopher who became one of the most prolific and influential Torah scholars of the Middle Ages. In his time, he was also a preeminent astronomer and physician, serving as the personal physician of Saladin. He was born on Passover eve 1138 or 1135, and lived in Córdoba in al-Andalus (now in Spain) within the Almoravid Empire until his family was expelled for refusing forced conversion to Islam. Later, he lived in Morocco and Egypt and worked as a rabbi, physician and philosopher. During his lifetime, most Jews greeted Maimonides' writings on Jewish law and ethics with acclaim and gratitude, even as far away as Iraq and Yemen. Yet, while Maimonides rose to become the revered head of the Jewish community in Egypt, his writings also had vociferous critics, particularly in Spain. He died in Fustat, and, according to Jewish tradition, was buried in Tiberias. The Tomb of Maimonides is a popular pilgrimage and tourist site.