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Pavlodar 04.05.2005
 A lecture, devoted to a great Jewish scientist, a philosopher and doctor Rambam (rabbi Moshe ben Maimon) was held in Pavlodar Hesed in the framework of series of lectures "Jewish history and Tradition". 870 years from the day of his Birth was marked this year on Nisan 14. A meeting, devoted to this event was held by Hana Lobtchenko and Vladimir Handin. Hana Meerovna told about Rambam’s biography.
He was born in Kordov (Spain) in a family of a Jewish judge, taking his origin from David Tzar. Moshe and his brother David were anxious for knowledge despite all difficulties. Rambam spoke Hebrew fluently and was good at Bible, Talmud, mathematics, astronomy, learnt Arabic literature and philosophy of Ancient Greece. And, of course, he knew medicine in a very good way; he successfully practiced in medicine, having got a wonderful education in Moroccan city Feza. His glory was so great that he became a personal doctor of Egyptian of caliph deputy, and further, a doctor of Sultan Saladin.
There Rambam delivered lectures in medicine and had pupils. Rich and poor, Jews and Muslims came to a great doctor Rambam. Rich people paid Rambam for his work, but poor people were treated free of charge. And he also found time for writing valuable medical and philosophical treatises.
This theme was evolved by Hesed "Rachel" religious program leader Vladimir Handin. He narrated the comers about "Mishna-Torah" ("revising Torah") written by Rambam - a brilliant philosophical encyclopedian work and the most important material for those who study and research Torah even in our days. His other work "A tutor of hesitating people" written in 1190, is nor less well-known. It is the most significant philosophical work of Rambam, it is a basis of the whole Jewish philosophy. The greatest contribution of Maimonid to the Jewish thinking is a skill to differ essential from inessential. He was ready to be guided by sense in all questions of inessential character on conditions that basis of the Tradition is firm. Though, in spite of his rationalism, he considered, and constantly emphasized on the fact that human mind, only by its being, is not perfective, so it can not be a destination in questions of truth. And Revelation should have a final word.
When 3 months before his 70th anniversary, on December 13 of 1204, Rambam died in Fostate (Old Kair), he was bemoaned by everybody who had ever known him - rich and poor, Jews and Muslims. According to his last will, ashes of a great Wiseman was taken to Eretz Israel and buried on the shore of Kineret lake, near Tveriya. And till our days his grave is a center of pilgrimage.
Irina Tveritneva
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