Rabbi Moshe Ben Maimon, Better Known as Rambam (1138-1204): Physician, Philosopher, and Adjudicator

Rabbi Moshe Ben Maimon, known as Maimonides (Hebrew name is Rambam), lived from 1138 to 1204. He was one of the important philosophers, adjudicators, and physicians of the Jews. Rambam's knowledge of Jewish laws and his being a philosopher helped him in his third discipline, medicine. One of his perspectives was combining theology with philosophy, especially medicine. With that ability, he pioneered his multidisciplinary way of thinking and acting. Rambam was also a pioneer in the medical fields, especially anatomy, physiology, and clinical knowledge, and inspired many generations in the Middle Ages. Rambam was esteemed and respected not only by Jews but also by other religions and nationalities. There is a notable saying describing Rambam: "From Moses (Moses, the prophet) to Moshe (Moses, the Rambam), there were none like Moses." He was nicknamed the "Big Eagle". Rambam was called "Mossa Ibn Maimon" by the Arabs and "Maimonides" by the Europeans, derived from the Greek word "Moiasis Maimonidis". Herein, we focus solely on Rambam's contributions to medicine since his work, activities, and knowledge are very complex to summarize.