Quotes from Maimonides

The numerous evils to which individual persons are exposed are due to the defects existing in the persons themselves. We complain and seek relief from our own faults; we suffer from the evils which we, by our own free will, inflict on ourselves and ascribe them to God, who is far from being connected with them!

The same is the case with those opinions of man to which he has been accustomed from his youth; he likes them, defends them, and shuns the opposite views.

All this is applicable to the intellectual faculties of man. There is a considerable difference between one person and another as regards these faculties, as is well known to philosophers.

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.

The first kind of evil is that which is caused to man by the circumstance that he is subject to genesis and destruction, or that he possesses a body.

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

The philosophers likewise assume that in Nature there is nothing in vain, so that everything that is not the product of human industry serves a certain purpose, which may be known or unknown to us.

Teach thy tongue to say 'I do not know,' and thou shalt progress.

We are obligated to be more scrupulous in fulfilling the commandment of charity than any other positive commandment because charity is the sign of a righteous man.

God who preceded all existence is a refuge.

God cannot be compared to anything. Note this.

I believe with perfect faith that the Creator, blessed be his name, is not a body, and that he is free from all accidents of matter, and that he has not any form whatsoever.

We suffer from the evils which we, by our own free will, inflict on ourselves and ascribe them to God, who is far from being connected with them!

For every force charged by God, may He be exalted, with some business is an angel put in charge.

God is identical with His attributes, so that it may be said that He is the knowledge, the knower, and the known.

All attributes ascribed to God are attributes of His acts, and do not imply that God has any qualities.

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

Let nothing which can be treated by diet be treated by other means.

No disease that can be treated by diet should be treated with any other means.

A small amount of wine such as three or four glasses is of benefit for the preservation of the health of human beings and an excellent remedy for most illnesses.

The soul is subject to health and disease, just as is the body. The health and disease of both . . . undoubtedly depend upon beliefs and customs, which are peculiar to mankind.

Hold firmly to your word.

Giving is most blessed and most acceptable when the donor remains completely anonymous.

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.