One of the world’s foremost bibliophiles joins us to discuss the medieval philosopher and The Guide for the Perplexed author.
Forced from Córdoba by Almohad persecution, Maimonides settled in Egypt, becoming Saladin’s personal physician. His work in extracting, interpreting and translating the commanding precepts of Jewish law from the Hebrew Bible and the Talmud became the model for translating God’s word into a language comprehensible by all.
As part of Yale’s Jewish Lives series Alberto Manguel, former director of the National Library of Argentina, examines Maimonides’ universal appeal – celebrated by Jews, Arabs, and Christians alike – in a time when the need for rationality is more vital than ever. In conversation with the National Library of Israel’s Head of Collections, Raquel Ukeles.