We should promote the study of Rambam, beginning with the daily study cycles. Ideally, we should “combine” Rambam’s birthday with the Tzemach Tzedek’s yahrtzeit by studying the Tzemach Tzedek’s explanations of Rambam’s works, as well as the Chassidic explanations of the topics written in the beginning of Rambam’s Mishneh Torah:
“To know that there is a Primordial Being… and that all existence… exists only within the truth of His existence.”
Note that the Rebbe’s birthday (the 11th of Nissan) is also in close proximity to the Rambam’s birthday, and the Rebbe likewise has many explanations of Rambam in general, and especially on the beginning of Mishneh Torah.
First Study Laws, Then Discover Secrets
We should also study those topics to which the Rambam merely hinted, in keeping with the verse, “Give a hint to the wise and he will become even wiser.” The way to study Rambam, as is known, is to first study the plain meaning of the laws, which he set down – to quote his own description of his work – “using clear terminology” but “in a concise manner.” Following this, we should scrutinize Rambam’s brief statements, written “in a concise manner,” to discover the great breadth that these statements contain.
We can also derive matters that Rambam himself never even consciously had in mind when composing his work. Such matters were certainly present, but were concealed and merely alluded to, even within the Rambam’s own mind… These were later brought to light and innovated by future veteran scholars.
It is worth adding that the ability for a veteran scholar to introduce such innovations is actually within the grasp of each and every Jew.
