Quotes from Maimonides

When man possesses a good, sound body that does not overpower him nor disturb the equilibrium in him, he possesses a divine gift. In short, a good constitution facilitates the rule of the soul over the body, but it is not impossible to conquer a bad constitution by training.

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.

Hear the truth from whomever says it

It is necessary to bear in mind that Scripture only teaches the chief points of those true principles which lead to the true perfection of man, and only demands in general terms faith in them.

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

Silence is the maturation of wisdom.

The goal of good health is to enable a person to acquire wisdom.

In accordance with the divine wisdom, genesis can only take place through destruction.

Now, we occupy a lowly position, both in space and rank in comparison with the heavenly sphere, and the Almighty is Most High not in space, but with respect to absolute existence, greatness and power.

Medical practice is not knitting and weaving and the labor of the hands, but it must be inspired with soul and be filled with understanding and equipped with the gift of keen observation . . .

There are eight levels of charity.... The highest is when you strengthen a man's hand until he need no longer be dependent upon others.

There are eight rungs in charity. The highest is when you help a man to help himself.

Man's obsession to add to his wealth and honor is the chief source of his misery.

It is man's duty to love and to fear God, even without hope of reward or fear of punishment.

The knowledge of God, the formation of ideas, the mastery of desire and passion, the distinction between that which is to be chosen and that which is to be rejected, all these man owes to his form.

It is hard for a woman with whom an uncircumcised man has had sexual intercourse to separate from him. In my opinion this is the strongest of the reasons for circumcision.

A wise man is a greater asset to a nation than a king.

Further, there are things of which the mind understands one part, but remains ignorant of the other; and when man is able to comprehend certain things, it does not follow that he must be able to comprehend everything.

It is of great advantage that man should know his station, and not imagine that the whole universe exists only for him.

The great sickness and the grievous evil consist in this: that all the things that man finds written in books, he presumes to think of as true-and all the more so if the books are old.

Be convinced that, if man were able to reach the end without preparatory studies, such studies would not be preparatory but tiresome and utterly superfluous.

How individuals of the same species surpass each other in these sensations and in other bodily faculties is universally known, but there is a limit to them, and their power cannot extend to every distance or to every degree.

The true work of God is all good, since it is existence.

You will certainly not doubt the necessity of studying astronomy and physics, if you are desirous of comprehending the relation between the world and Providence as it is in reality, and not according to imagination.