black
grey
blue
red
brown
white

One should see the world, and see himself as a scale with an equal balance of good and evil. When he does one good deed the scale is tipped to the good – he and the world is saved. When he does one evil deed the scale is tipped to the bad – he and the world is destroyed.

Maimonides

Do not consider it proof just because it is written in books, for a liar who will deceive with his tongue will not hesitate to do the same with his pen.
MAIMONIDES

Book Evidence Lie Writing
If men possessed wisdom, which stands in the same relation to the form of man as the sight to the eye, they would not cause any injury to themselves or to others, for the knowledge of the truth removes hatred and quarrels, and prevents mutual injuries.
MAIMONIDES

Fight Hate Injury Knowledge Man Relationship Truth Wisdom
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.
MAIMONIDES

Book Evil Greatness Grief Man Old Sick Thinking True Writing
God who preceded all existence is a refuge.
MAIMONIDES

Existence God Home
Actions are divided as regards their object into four classes; they are either purposeless, unimportant, or vain, or good.
MAIMONIDES

Action Goodness Important Purpose
In the realm of Nature there is nothing purposeless, trivial, or unnecessary.
MAIMONIDES

Nature Necessary Purpose
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.
MAIMONIDES

Body Man Philosophy Sin
In the beginning we must simplify the subject, thus unavoidably falsifying it, and later we must sophisticate away the falsely simple beginning.
MAIMONIDES

Avoid Beginning Philosophy Simplicity Talk
Your purpose, should always be to know, the whole that was intended to be known.
MAIMONIDES

Philosophy Purpose Yourself
Every man whose character traits all lie in the mean is called a wise man.
MAIMONIDES

Character Lie Man Wisdom
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.
MAIMONIDES

Gift Hands Inspirational Practice Understand
The key to the understanding and to the full comprehension of all that the Prophets have said is found in the knowledge of the figures, their general ideas, and the meaning of each word they contain.
MAIMONIDES

Knowledge Understand Word
It is man’s duty to love and to fear God, even without hope of reward or fear of punishment.
MAIMONIDES

Fear God Hope Love Man Punishment Reward
God is identical with His attributes, so that it may be said that He is the knowledge, the knower, and the known.
MAIMONIDES

God Himself Knowledge Philosophy Religious
In so far as the soul is a force residing in the body; it has therefore been said that the properties of the soul depend of the condition of the body.
MAIMONIDES

Body Far Force Soul Spiritual
For it is said, You shall strengthen the stranger and the dweller in your midst and live with him, that is to say, strengthen him until he needs no longer fall upon the mercy of the community or be in need.
MAIMONIDES

Community Fall Live Need Strength Yourself

One should see the world, and see himself as a scale with an equal balance of good and evil. When he does one good deed the scale is tipped to the good – he and the world is saved. When he does one evil deed the scale is tipped to the bad – he and the world is destroyed.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

One should see the world, and see himself as a scale with an equal balance of good and evil. When he does one good deed the scale is tipped to the good – he and the world is saved. When he does one evil deed the scale is tipped to the bad – he and the world is destroyed.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Maimonides Quotes