It is a positive commandment of the Torah to relate the miracles and wonders wrought for our ancestors in Egypt on the night of the 15th of Nissan, as it is written (Exodus 13:3): "Remember this day when you left Egypt," similar to the obligation (Exodus 20:8): "Remember the Sabbath day."

How do we know this is on the night of the 15th? This is taught by the words (Exodus 13:8): "And you shall tell your child on that day, saying: 'It is because of this..." which indicate it is to be done at the time when matzah and marror are placed before you.

This mitzvah applies even when one does not have a child to tell. Even wise sages who know it well are obligated to tell about the Exodus from Egypt. Whoever elaborates upon the events which transpired is worthy of praise.

(Mishneh Torah, Chametz and Matzah 7:1)
#Maimonides #MishnehTorah #Passover #Pesach #Exodus #Seder #Haggadah

It is a postiive commandment of the Torah to eat matzah on the night of the fifteenth of Nissan, as it is written (Exodus 12:18): "In the evening, you shall eat matzot." This applies in every place and time. ...
The early sages would starve themselves on the day before Passover in order to eat the matzah with an appetite and make the mitzvot precious.
(Mishneh Torah, Chametz and Matzah 6:1-12)
#Maimonides #MishnehTorah #Passover #Pesach #Matzah

Although memories of the suffering endured by our people will one day be nullified, as Isaiah (65:16) prophesied: "For the former suffering will be forgotten and for they will be hidden from My eye," the celebration of Purim will never be nullified, as it is written (Esther 9:28): "And these days of Purim will not pass from among the Jews, nor will their remembrance cease from their descendants."
(Mishneh Torah, Megillah and Chanukah 2:17)
#Maimonides #MishnehTorah #Purim

It is better to increase in gifts to the poor than to increase the size of the Purim feast or food portions sent to friends. For there is no greater and more splendid joy than to gladden the hearts of the poor, the orphans, the widows, and the converts. One who gladdens the hearts of the downtrodden resembles the Divine Presence, which Isaiah (57:15) describes as always there "to revive the spirit of the lowly and the broken hearted."
(Mishneh Torah, Megillah and Chanukah 2:17)
#Maimonides #MishnehTorah #Purim #charity

The entire Jewish people and all those who ally with them are as brothers, as it is written, (Deuteronomy 14:1) "You are all children of God your Lord." And if brother will not show mercy to brother, who will show mercy to them?
(Mishneh Torah, Charity 10:2)

@doug Indeed, it was written in Judeo-Arabic, and on the third line it may be instructing that the drink be taken "for vomiting" rather than "to vomit" (lilqay' could mean either in Arabic). This would suggest it was a cure for nausea rather than an emetic, as lemon is known to help relieve nausea and the water and sugar may have been added to prevent the citric acid from acting as an irritant. Lemon balm, mint, apple cider vinegar, and honey are also known to relieve indigestion.
https://api.repository.cam.ac.uk/server/api/core/bitstreams/24e42d50-8002-4325-bd66-84c0d6669816/content

A prescription for lemonade.
#Maimonides #lemonade

How many candles do we light on Chanukah? The mitzvah is that each household light one candle, regardless of whether it contains many people or only one. One who wishes to beautify the mitzvah lights a candle for every member of the household, both men and women.
One who wishes to beautify further and do the mitzvah in the finest manner lights one candle for each individual on the first night, and adds an additional candle on each of the subsequent nights.
(Mishneh Torah, Megillah and Chanukah 4:1)
#Maimonides #Chanukah #Menorah

If a teacher does not follow a proper path, even if they are very wise and the entire nation depends upon them, do not study from them until they improve, as it states (Malachi 2:7): "For a priest's lips perpetuate knowledge; seek Torah from his mouth, because he is a messenger of the Lord of Hosts." The sages explained: If a teacher resembles "a messenger of the Lord of Hosts," seek Torah from his mouth; if not, do not seek Torah from his mouth.
(Mishneh Torah, Torah Study 4:1)
#Maimonides #MishnehTorah #Torah

When the Jewish people defeated their enemies, it was the 25th of Kislev. They entered the sanctuary of the Temple, but could only find one jar of pure olive oil there, and it only had enough to light for one day. They lit the lamps of the Menorah from it for eight days, until they had crushed olives and produced more pure oil. Therefore, the sages of that generation established that the eight days beginning on the 25th of Kislev be days of celebration and praise. We light lamps in the evening at the entrance of the house on each of the eight nights to publicize the miracle. These days are called Chanukah.
(Mishneh Torah, Megillah and Chanukah 3:3)
#Maimonides #MishnehTorah #Chanukah

One must not hesitate to desecrate the Shabbat for one dangerously ill, as it is written: "A person will perform them and live by them" (Leviticus 18:5), but he must not die by them. You have hereby learned that the laws of the Torah are not to wreak vengeance upon the world, but to bestow mercy, kindness, and peace on the world.
(Mishneh Torah, Shabbat 2:3)
#Shabbat #Torah #mercy #kindness #peace

@maimonides

We should not cut down fruit trees outside a city nor prevent an irrigation ditch from bringing water to them so that they dry up, as Deuteronomy 20:19 states: 'Do not destroy its trees.' Anyone who cuts down such a tree should be lashed.

This does not apply only in a siege, but in all situations. Anyone who cuts down a fruit tree with a destructive intent, should be lashed.

When laying siege to a city, it must not be surrounded on all four sides; only on three. A place must be left for the inhabitants to flee, and for all those who desire to escape with their lives, as it is written (Numbers 31:7), "And they besieged Midian as God commanded Moses." According to tradition, He commanded them to array the siege as described.
(Mishneh Torah, Kings and Warfare 6:7)

One must always see himself as equally balanced between merit and sin, and the world as equally balanced between merit and sin. With one sin, he can tip his balance and that of the entire world to the side of guilt and bring destruction upon himself. With one mitzvah, he can tip his balance and that of the entire world to the side of merit and bring deliverance and redemption to everyone. So it is written: (Proverbs 10:25) "A righteous person is the foundation of the world," i.e., he who acted righteously tipped the balance of the entire world to merit and saved the world.
(Mishneh Torah, Repentance 3:4)

One who decides to purify themselves is pure as soon as they immerse in the water. It is the same when one decides to cleanse their soul from impurities of the spirit, which are thoughts of wrongdoing and negative dispositions. As soon as one resolves in their heart to distance themselves from such counsel and immerse the soul in the waters of knowledge, they are cleansed.(Mishneh Torah, Trespass 8:8)

One who serves God out of love occupies himself in the Torah and mitzvot and walks in the paths of wisdom, not from fear of punishment or desire for reward, but solely because it is true, and good will ultimately come of it. This is a very high level, which not every wise person may merit. It is the level of our ancestor, Avraham, whom God described as “he who loved Me,” for his service was only motivated by love.
(Mishneh Torah, Repentance 10:2)

The sounding of the shofar on Rosh Hashanah is a divine decree, but there is also a message in it. It is telling us: Sleepers, arise from your slumber, and those who are dozing, awake from your lethargy. Review your actions, repent your misdeeds, and remember your Creator! Those who forget the truth with the passing of time and waste their years pursuing shallowness and folly that is unfulfilling and useless - look into your souls and improve your ways and your deeds. Let all abandon their misguided ways and unhelpful ideas.
(Mishneh Torah, Repentance 3:4)

When one person wrongs another, the latter must not resent him in silence as is written (II Samuel 13:22) concerning the wicked: "And Avshalom did not speak to Amnon, neither good nor bad, for Avshalom hated Amnon."
Rather, one is obligated to inform him and ask him: "Why did you do this to me?", "Why did you wrong me in that matter?" as it says (Leviticus 19:17) : "You shall surely admonish your colleague."
(Mishneh Torah, Human Dispositions 6:6)
#Torah #MishnehTorah

The proper path is the middle point between the two extremes of human disposition. The ancient sages instructed that a person must constantly evaluate their attitudes and steer them along the middle path to be healthy. Do not be quick to anger, nor like an unfeeling corpse. Express anger only over important matters to prevent them from recurring. Do not seek more than the body needs. Do not engage in business more than necessary to provide your needs. Do not be stingy nor wasteful; just give how much you can afford. Do not be raucous or mournful, but happy every day with a calm smile. This is the path of the wise. Anyone whose attitudes are moderate is called wise.

(Mishneh Torah, Attitudes 1:4)

You are no doubt aware that the Almighty, desiring to lead us to enlightenment and to improve our society, has revealed to us laws to regulate our actions. These laws, however, presuppose an advanced state of intellectual development. We must first form a conception of the existence of the Creator according to our capabilities; that is, we must have a knowledge of metaphysics.
(Guide for the Perplexed, Introduction)