Today I’m blogging from my sick bed, where I’m holed up with a RAGING sinus infection. I’ll spare you the details, but rest assured it’s not pretty. Especially since I cannot, as a pregnant woman, take anything to knock me out or make me feel better. Sigh.
But my pathetic state got me thinking about Jewish doctors (one Jewish doctor in particular who reprimanded me yesterday, and gave me a lecture on the dangers of abusing antibiotics) and about medicine in general.
Which got me thinking about Maimonides.
Until last year, Maimonides was always one of those Jewish historical figures I pretended to know something about, but really I knew nothing. Until last year I couldn’t have told you what century he lived in, or what country either. I didn’t know that he was the same person as the Rambam. He fell into the vague category of “important Jewish dudes”. I
Little did I know that he was doctor to Saladin, and a totally radical guy (however we’ve canonized him since). Little did I know about his incredible Guide for the Perplexed.
But then I did an amazing and inspiring podcast (to me) with Sherwin Nuland, and read his (easy reading and) short book on Maimonides. I was deeply touched and educated by both experiences, and so today I’m suggesting you give the man a listen or a read yourself.
A doctor himself, and a pretty deep thinker, Nuland is the author (and National Book Award Winner) of How We Die. I haven’t read that one yet… have you?