Dictionary.net

A famous Jewish philosopher and scholar; born at Cordova, Spain, March 30, 1135; died at Cairo, Egypt, Dec. 13, 1204. He harmonized Judaism and philosophy. Driven with his family from Spain. he resided in Fez; then traveled by way of Palestine to Cairo, becoming there chief rabbi and the caliph's physician. His chief work, written in Hebrew, is "Mishneh Torah" (Repetition of the Law: 1170-80), a masterly exposition of the whole of the Jewish law as contained in the Pentateuch and the voluminous Talmudic literature. His principal philosophical work, written in Arabic, was "Dalalt al Hairin" (Guide of the Perplexed: 1190). The estimation in which he is held by the Jews can be seen in their saying, "From Moses[the lawgiver] to Moses[Maimonides] there is none like unto Moses".