Book of Knowledge According to Bodleian (Oxford Codex With Intro Biblical and Talmudical Ref)

From the dust This work is the Introduction and first volume of the monumental, crowning achievement of Maimonides (Rambam), Mishneh Torah. With matchless clarity and authority he describes the transmission of the Oral Law (torah she-b' al peh) through the generations, and the resultant development of Mishnah, Talmud, etc. down to his own day. He then gives his reason for writing Mishneh Torah, "in plain languge, terse style and systematic form, so that thus the entire Oral Law might become known to all." A complete listing of the 613 mitzvoth (precepts, Divine commandments) of the Torah follows. Titled Sefer ha-Mada (Book of Knowledge), the first volume of Mishneh Torah begins with hilchoth yesodei ha-torah, the fundamental principles of the Torah, with a thorough exposition of the primary tenet of our the existence and unity of God. This is followed by hilchoth deyoth, on moral dispositions and ethical hilchoth talmud torah, on the Torah study; avodah zarah vechukoth ha-goyim, idolatry, and hilchoth teshuvah, on repentance. The Hebrew text comes line by line from a unique manuscript in the Bodleian Library, Oxford, that bears a note in Maimonides' own hand attesting that it was corrected by comparison with his personal copy of the Mishneh Torah. The Hebrew and English (a faithful translation by the late Rabbi Dt. Hyamson, accompanied by scholarly notes and references) are printed on facing pages - presenting a notable part of the basic "great book" of Jewish learning.