Maimonides: A Legacy in Script

This elegant volume records the first-ever “summit” of fourteen rare manuscripts by the great scholar Rabbi Moses ben Maimon (1138–1204), which were copied by members of communities from across the Jewish world. Organized in collaboration with the National Library of Israel and showcasing loans from libraries and collections worldwide – including the British Library, the Oxford Bodleian, and the National Library of France – the 2018 exhibition that brought these manuscripts together afforded yet another opportunity to spotlight the accomplishments of the Rambam (Maimonides’s Hebrew acronym) as a halakhic authority, philosopher, physician, and universally recognized Jewish leader. An enlightening essay by Prof. Sarit Shalev-Eyni explores the historical and cultural context of his works – including the groundbreaking Commentary on the Mishnah, Mishneh Torah, and Guide of the Perplexed – and a rich album of exquisitely illuminated pages from the various manuscripts is accompanied by brief curatorial texts.