Maimonides Quotes

166 Sourced Quotes

Those who observe the nature of the Universe and the commandments of the Law, and know their purpose, see clearly God's mercy and truth in everything; they seek, therefore, that which the Creator intended to be the aim of man, viz., comprehension. Forced also by claims of the body, they seek that which is necessary for the preservation of the body, "bread to eat and garment to clothe," and this is very little; but they seek nothing superfluous; with very slight exertion man can obtain it, so long as he is contented with that which is indispensable.

Maimonides
The more we desire for that which is superfluous, the more we meet with difficulties; our strength and possessions are spent in unnecessary things, and are wanting when required for that which is necessary.

Maimonides
Every man whose character traits all lie in the mean is called a wise man.

Maimonides
Transient bodies are only subject to destruction through their substance and not through their form, nor can the essence of their form be destroyed; in this respect they are permanent.

Maimonides
My opinion is this: the cause of the error of all these schools is their belief that God's knowledge is like ours; each school points to something withheld from our knowledge, and either assumes that the same must be the case in God's knowledge, or at least finds some difficulty how to explain it.... they likewise demonstrated... that our intellect and our knowledge are insufficient to comprehend the true idea of His essence.... they came to the absurd conclusion that that which is required for our knowledge is also required for God's knowledge.

Maimonides
First Theory.—There is no Providence at all for anything in the Universe; all parts of the Universe, the heavens and what they contain, owe their origin to accident and chance; there exists no being that rules and governs them or provides for them. This is the theory of Epicurus...

Maimonides
He, however, who begins with Metaphysics, will not only become confused in matters of religion, but will fall into complete infidelity.

Maimonides
The error of the ignorant goes so far as to say that God's power is insufficient, because he has given to this Universe the properties which they imagine cause these great evils, and which do not help all evil-disposed persons to obtain the evil which they seek, and to bring their evil souls to the aim of their desires, though these, as we have shown, are really without limit.

Maimonides
He will punish all the evil deeds of men, although they have not been prohibited by a prophet, if common sense warns against them, as e. g., injustice and violence.... it is distinctly added that he who does a good thing without being commanded, receives nevertheless his reward. The same principle is expressed in all the sayings of our Sages.

Maimonides
The foundation of our faith is the belief that God created the Universe from nothing; that time did not exist previously, but was created.

Maimonides
The physician should not treat the disease but the patient who is suffering from it

Maimonides
Man's shortcomings and sins are all due to the substance of the body and not to its form; while all his merits are exclusively due to his form.

Maimonides
It is no wrong or injustice that one has many bags of the finest myrrh and garments embroidered with gold, while another has not those things, which are not necessary for our maintenance; he who has them has not thereby obtained control over anything that could be an essential addition to his nature, but has only obtained something illusory or deceptive.... This is the rule at all times and in all places; no notice should be taken of exceptional cases, as we have explained.

Maimonides
For that which is without a beginning, a final cause need not be sought.

Maimonides
Man knows only these poor mathematical theories about the heavens, and only God knows the real motions of the heavens and their causes.

Maimonides
An artisan busies himself with his work for three hours each day and spends nine hours in study.

Maimonides
Abraham... was sunk in Ur of the Chaldees among foolish idolaters. His father and mother and all the people worshipped the stars.... He knew that all were mistaken and that what caused them to err was worship of the images which drove the Truth out of their minds.... It was proper to destroy and smash the idols so that the people should not err by them like those who think there is no god save images.

Maimonides
Management [Providence], knowledge, and intention are not the same when ascribed to us and when ascribed to God.

Maimonides
According to the theory of those weak minded persons, man is more perfect than his Creator. For what man says or does has a certain object, whilst the actions of God are different; He commands us to do what is of no use to us, and forbids us to do what is harmless. Far be this! On the contrary, the sole object of the Law is to benefit us.

Maimonides
It is thus necessary to examine all things according to their essence, to infer from every species such true and well established propositions as may assist us in the solution of metaphysical problems.

Maimonides
In the realm of Nature there is nothing purposeless, trivial, or unnecessary.

Maimonides
The third class of evils comprise those which everyone causes to himself by his own action. This is the largest class, and is far more numerous than the second class. It is especially of these evils that all men complain,—only few men are found that do not sin against themselves by this kind of evil.... This class of evil originates in man's vices, such as excessive desire for eating, drinking, and love; indulgence in these things in undue measure, or in improper manner, or partaking of bad food. This course brings diseases and afflictions upon the body and soul alike.

Maimonides
Abraham was the first to teach the Unity of God, to establish the faith, to cause it to remain among coming generations, and to win his fellow-men to his doctrine; as Scripture says of him: "I know him, that he will command," &c. (Gen. xviii. 19)

Maimonides
Astrology is a disease, not a science. All sorts of superstitions thrive under its shadow. Only fools and charlatans lend value to it.
Variant translation: Astrology is a sickness, not a science...It is a tree under the shade of which all sorts of superstitions thrive.

Maimonides
Those who believe that... detailed rules originate in a certain cause, are as far from the truth as those who assume that the whole law is useless.

Maimonides