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Rambam: Difference between revisions

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== General ==
== General ==
# The Maharashdam believes that since the Rambam saw the other opinions on each issue and still decided the way we did, we should follow his rulings (analogous to the [[Radbaz]] and the [[Rif]]).<ref>Yad Malachi (Klalei HaRambam 27)</ref> On the other hand, a number of Ashkenazi authorities feel that the Rambam is a minority in the face of the [[Baalei HaTosafot]].<ref>Yad Malachi (Klalei HaRambam 28)</ref>  
# The Maharashdam believes that since the Rambam saw the other opinions on each issue and still decided the way we did, we should follow his rulings (analogous to the [[Radbaz]] and the [[Rif]]).<ref>Yad Malachi (Klalei HaRambam 27)</ref> On the other hand, a number of Ashkenazi authorities feel that the Rambam is a minority in the face of the [[Baalei HaTosafot]].<ref>Yad Malachi (Klalei HaRambam 28)</ref>
# The Rambam was a descendant of David HaMelech and Rabbi Yehudah HaNassi.<ref>As testified by himself at the end of the Perush HaMishnayot printed in the Shas and by the Abarbanel. Shem HaGedolim (Gedolim, Mem 150)</ref>
# One cannot pose questions from [[Tosafot]]'s logic against the Rambam. Gavra aGavra KaRamit?!<ref>Yad Malachi (Klalei HaRambam 8)</ref>
# One cannot pose questions from [[Tosafot]]'s logic against the Rambam. Gavra aGavra KaRamit?!<ref>Yad Malachi (Klalei HaRambam 8)</ref>
# The [[Rivash]] and [[Rosh]] warn that one who attempts to rule on practical matters solely from Mishneh Torah without understanding its Talmudic context will likely mistake Assur for Muttar and Muttar for Assur, thinking he understands the material. At the same time, the Rambam's explicit intention was to write the Halacha so clearly that one need not be bogged down by the confusing Sugya and need only Mishneh Torah to know how to act, so some Acharonim, such as the Ohr HaChaim and Baal HaTanya are less concerned. While that is true, the Rambam himself explains in a letter that he did so for people for whom understanding the Gemara was beyond their reach.<ref>Shu"t HaRivash (Siman 144), Shu"t HaRosh (Klal 31 Siman 9), Rishon LeTzion (Berachot 60a, Sukkah 12b), Yad Malachi (Klalei HaRambam 20), Shulchan Aruch HaRav (Kuntress Acharon Hilchot Talmud Torah Perek 2), Iggerot HaRambam (Shilat Edition, page 439)</ref>
# The [[Rivash]] and [[Rosh]] warn that one who attempts to rule on practical matters solely from Mishneh Torah without understanding its Talmudic context will likely mistake Assur for Muttar and Muttar for Assur, thinking he understands the material. At the same time, the Rambam's explicit intention was to write the Halacha so clearly that one need not be bogged down by the confusing Sugya and need only Mishneh Torah to know how to act, so some Acharonim, such as the Ohr HaChaim and Baal HaTanya are less concerned. While that is true, the Rambam himself explains in a letter that he did so for people for whom understanding the Gemara was beyond their reach.<ref>Shu"t HaRivash (Siman 144), Shu"t HaRosh (Klal 31 Siman 9), Rishon LeTzion (Berachot 60a, Sukkah 12b), Yad Malachi (Klalei HaRambam 20), Shulchan Aruch HaRav (Kuntress Acharon Hilchot Talmud Torah Perek 2), Iggerot HaRambam (Shilat Edition, page 439)</ref>
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# When a contradiction is found between the Perush HaMishnayot and the Mishneh Torah, the Halacha follows Mishneh Torah, which was written later and as a set of rulings, not a set of elucidations of the Mishnah.<ref>Yad Malachi (Klalei HaRambam 1)</ref>
# When a contradiction is found between the Perush HaMishnayot and the Mishneh Torah, the Halacha follows Mishneh Torah, which was written later and as a set of rulings, not a set of elucidations of the Mishnah.<ref>Yad Malachi (Klalei HaRambam 1)</ref>


===Misc.===
# The entire Mishneh Torah took ten years of non-stop effort to produce.<ref>Shem HaGedolim (Gedolim, Mem 150)</ref>
# The Roshei Tevot of the first four words of Mishneh Torah, "יסוד היסודות ועמוד החכמה" spells the Shem Havaya.<ref>Shem HaGedolim (Gedolim, Mem 150)</ref>
== Sefer HaMitzvot ==
== Sefer HaMitzvot ==
# The focus of Sefer HaMitzvot is not to determine which Mitzvot are part of the 613, not to present a comprehensive of accurate representation of their Halachot and details. Therefore, when studying Sefer HaMitzvot, questioning the count of Mitzvot is wholly acceptable, but questioning the details of the Mitzvot is not. The Mishneh Torah was written to address those details, and, even if there are distinct differences, it's always possible that he changed his mind over time.<ref>Yad Malachi (Klalei HaRambam 23)</ref>
# The focus of Sefer HaMitzvot is not to determine which Mitzvot are part of the 613, not to present a comprehensive of accurate representation of their Halachot and details. Therefore, when studying Sefer HaMitzvot, questioning the count of Mitzvot is wholly acceptable, but questioning the details of the Mitzvot is not. The Mishneh Torah was written to address those details, and, even if there are distinct differences, it's always possible that he changed his mind over time.<ref>Yad Malachi (Klalei HaRambam 23)</ref>
# There's a debate regarding if specific Rishonim such as the [[Samag]], [[Maggid Mishneh]], and [[Migdal Oz]] saw the Sefer HaMitzvot, as it wasn't translated from Arabic to Hebrew for some time. Later Acharonim culled lists of instances in which each of them cites the Sefer HaMitzvot to dispel those claims.<ref>Yad Malachi (Klalei HaRambam Ra'avad veSamag 51) and footnotes there, Shem HaGedolim (Gedolim, Mem 150)</ref>
# There's a debate regarding if specific Rishonim such as the [[Samag]], [[Maggid Mishneh]], and [[Migdal Oz]] saw the Sefer HaMitzvot, as it wasn't translated from Arabic to Hebrew for some time. Later Acharonim culled lists of instances in which each of them cites the Sefer HaMitzvot to dispel those claims.<ref>Yad Malachi (Klalei HaRambam Ra'avad veSamag 51) and footnotes there, Shem HaGedolim (Gedolim, Mem 150). The [http://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=14155&st=&pgnum=56 Sdei Chemed (Maarechet Chattan veKallah 29)] thinks it's questionable to assume the Chinuch did not. See also Menachem Tzion (Sefarim, Mem 123).</ref>


== Perush HaMishnah ==
== Perush HaMishnah ==
# The goal of the Rambam's commentary is clearly to decide Halacha, as he decides Halacha in each Mishnah.<ref>Shem HaGedolim (Sefarim, Peh 39)</ref>
#  In Perush HaMishnayot, wherever there is an opinion that misleadingly seems to be the minority one but is, in fact, the one the Halacha follows, the Rambam will buttress that opinion by writing of its truth or singularity or the like to indicate that the Halacha does indeed follow it.<ref>Yad Malachi (Klalei HaRambam 36)</ref>
#  In Perush HaMishnayot, wherever there is an opinion that misleadingly seems to be the minority one but is, in fact, the one the Halacha follows, the Rambam will buttress that opinion by writing of its truth or singularity or the like to indicate that the Halacha does indeed follow it.<ref>Yad Malachi (Klalei HaRambam 36)</ref>
# The Perush HaMishnah (also known as "Maor" or "Hisraj") was originally written in Arabic and then translated into Hebrew by various people.<ref>Shem HaGedolim (Gedolim, Mem 150) and Hagah Menachem Tzion 102</ref>
# The [[Ramban]] did not have the Introduction to Perush HaMishnayot available to him, as Hebrew translations of the Arabic work were not yet available in Spain, according to the Yad Malachi, who posits that had they been available, the [[Ramban]] would not have been as quick to argue.<ref>Yad Malachi (Klalei HaRambam 21)</ref> The [[Rashba]] and [[Terumat HaDeshen]] did not have the Perush HaMishnah available at all either.<ref>Yad Malachi (Klalei HaRashba 8), Shem HaGedolim (Gedolim, Mem 150)</ref>
# Sometimes our translation of Perush HaMishnayot will refer to a din as being MiDeRabbanan, but it's probably just a mistaken translation of "MiDivrei Sofrim."<ref>Yad Malachi (Klalei HaRambam 22)</ref>
# Sometimes our translation of Perush HaMishnayot will refer to a din as being MiDeRabbanan, but it's probably just a mistaken translation of "MiDivrei Sofrim."<ref>Yad Malachi (Klalei HaRambam 22)</ref>
# The Perush HaMishnah (also known as "Maor" or "Hisraj") was originally written in Arabic and then translated into Hebrew by various people.<ref>Shem HaGedolim (Gedolim, Mem 150) and Hagah Menachem Tzion 102</ref> The [[Ramban]] did not have the Introduction to Perush HaMishnayot available to him, as Hebrew translations of the Arabic work were not yet available in Spain, according to the Yad Malachi, who posits that had they been available, the [[Ramban]] would not have been as quick to argue.<ref>Yad Malachi (Klalei HaRambam 21)</ref> The [[Rashba]] and [[Terumat HaDeshen]] did not have the Perush HaMishnah available at all either.<ref>Yad Malachi (Klalei HaRashba 8), Shem HaGedolim (Gedolim, Mem 150)</ref>
 
== Acceptance ==
== Acceptance ==
# By well into the fifteenth century, many Sepharadic communities around the world accepted the Rambam as their Halachic leader.<ref>See Matnat Yado Klalei Shear HaMechabrim fn. 66 for numerous citations of the Radbaz testifying that the custom in Mitzrayim and other countries is to follow the Rambam.</ref>
# By well into the fifteenth century, many Sephardic communities around the world accepted the Rambam as their Halachic leader.<ref>See Matnat Yado Klalei Shear HaMechabrim fn. 66 for numerous citations of the Radbaz testifying that the custom in Mitzrayim and other countries is to follow the Rambam. The Chida (Shem HaGedolim (Gedolim, Mem 150)) cites Shu"t Rav Yaakov Faragi Siman 65 who testifies to this, as well.</ref>


==Other Works==
==Other Works==
# Shu"t Pe'er HaDor is a compilation of his Teshuvot translated into Hebrew from the Arabic original.<ref>Shem HaGedolim (Gedolim, Mem 150). The Machon Yerushalayim edition bears the footnotes of HaRav David Yosef.</ref>
# Shu"t Pe'er HaDor is a compilation of his Teshuvot translated into Hebrew from the Arabic original.<ref>Shem HaGedolim (Gedolim, Mem 150; Sefarim, Peh 1). The Machon Yerushalayim edition bears the footnotes of HaRav David Yosef.</ref>
# He also compiled a Sefer on [[Klalei Talmud]], but it is no longer extant.<ref>Shem HaGedolim (Gedolim, Mem 150)</ref>
# He also compiled a Sefer on [[Klalei HaTalmud]], but it is no longer extant.<ref>Shem HaGedolim (Gedolim, Mem 150)</ref>
# Moreh HaNevuchim was translated from Arabit to Hebrew and the source of much controversy regarding the study of philosophy.<ref>Shem HaGedolim (Gedolim, Mem 150)</ref>
# Moreh HaNevuchim was translated from Arabic to Hebrew and the source of much controversy regarding the study of philosophy. This [[Chida]] suggests he wrote it so that people who were more interested in philosophy should give weight to what he has to say in Mishneh Torah, as well.<ref>Shem HaGedolim (Gedolim, Mem 150)</ref>
# The Rambam wrote a commentary on much of Shas, as indicated by his introduction to Perush HaMishnayot, but only fragments of it have survived, including a commentary on Rosh HaShanah<ref>See [http://shaalvim.co.il/torah/maayan-article.asp?id=349 עוד בדבר פירוש מסכת ראש השנה המיוחס לרמב"ם]</ref> and the beginning of Shabbat.<ref>[http://s.ybm.org.il/hebrew/Product.aspx?Product=37&Category=22 Available Here]</ref><ref>Shem HaGedolim (Gedolim, Mem 150)</ref>
# The Rambam wrote a commentary on much of Talmud Bavli, as indicated by his introduction to Perush HaMishnayot, but only fragments of it have survived, including a commentary on Rosh HaShanah<ref>See [http://shaalvim.co.il/torah/maayan-article.asp?id=349 עוד בדבר פירוש מסכת ראש השנה המיוחס לרמב"ם]</ref> and the beginning of Shabbat.<ref>[http://s.ybm.org.il/hebrew/Product.aspx?Product=37&Category=22 Available Here]</ref><ref>Shem HaGedolim (Gedolim, Mem 150)</ref>
# None of his commentary on the Talmud Yerushalmi is extant.<ref>Shem HaGedolim (Gedolim, Mem 150)</ref>
 
==Misc.==
# The [[Ramban]] spoke of the Rambam with great esteem.<ref>Shem HaGedolim (Gedolim, Mem 150)</ref>
# Some thought that the [[Ri Migash]] was the Rambam's teacher, but he was more likely Rabbeinu Maimon's teacher, whom the Rambam encountered as a child.<ref>Shem HaGedolim (Gedolim, Mem 150)</ref> Regardless, the Rambam does refer to the [[Rif]] and [[Ri Migash]] as "Rabbotai."<ref>Shem HaGedolim (Gedolim, Kuntress Acharon, Kuf 2)</ref>
# Some claim that the Rambam was forcibly converted to Islam, but such a thought is highly questionable.<ref>Hagah Menachem Tzion *112 to Shem HaGedolim (Gedolim, Mem 150). (Yerid HaSefarim, Yerushalayim 2009 edition, formerly published in She'erit Tzion vol. 1 Mem 79)</ref>


==Sources==
==Sources==
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{{Reflist|30em}}
[[Category:Klalim]]
[[Category:Klalei Haposkim]]
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