About the Author

Moses Maimonides (1138–1204) was a Jewish philosopher, legal scholar, and physician born in Córdoba, Spain, who later lived in Morocco and Egypt after fleeing religious persecution. Serving as physician to the sultan in Cairo, he still found time to write monumental works like the Mishneh Torah, a masterful codification of Jewish law, and The Guide for the Perplexed, a classic of religious philosophy that tried to harmonize faith and reason. He is best remembered for shaping Jewish thought for centuries and for his rational, ethical approach to religion and daily life. Although the line “Give a man a fish…” is often misattributed to him (it does not appear in his writings), it fits his emphasis on education, self-reliance, and helping people achieve lasting dignity rather than offering only temporary charity.