the most important tasks of the age to simplify, by
methodical treatment, the study of the mass of written and traditional
religious laws, accumulated in the course of centuries. It is this work
that contains the attempt, praised by some, condemned by others, to
establish articles of the Jewish faith, the Bible being used in
authentication. Thirteen articles of faith were thus established. The
first five naturally define the God-idea: Article 1 declares the
existence of God, 2, His unity, 3, His immateriality, 4, His eternity,
5, that unto Him alone, to whom all created life owes its being, human
adoration is due; the next four treat of revelation: 6, of revelations
made through prophets in general, 7, of the revelation made through
Moses, 8, of the divine origin of the Law, 9, of the perfection of the
Law, and its eternally binding force; and the rest dwell upon the
divine government of the world: 10, Divine Providence, 11, reward and
punishment, here and hereafter, 12, Messianic promises and hopes, and
13, resurrection.

Maimonides' high reputation among his own people is attested by his
letters and responses, containing detailed answers to vexed religious
questions. An especially valuable letter is the one upon "Enforced
Apostasy," _Iggereth ha-Sh'mad_. He advises an inquirer what to do when
menaced by religious persecutions. Is one to save life by accepting, or
to court death by refusing to embrace, the Mohammedan faith? Maimonides'
opinion is summed up in the words: "The solution which I always
recommend to my friends and those consulting me is, to leave such
regions, and to turn to a place in which religion can be practiced
without fear of persecution. No considerations of danger, of property,
or of family should prevent one from carrying out this purpose. The
divine Law stands in higher esteem with the wise than the haphazard
gifts of fortune. These pass away, the former remains." His responses as
well as his most important works bear the impress of a sane,
well-ordered mind, of a lofty intellect, dwelling only upon what is
truly great.

Also his second famous work, the above-mentioned Hebrew Codex, _Mishneh
Torah_, "Recapitulation of the Law," was written in the interest of his
brethren in faith. Its fourteen divisions treat of knowledge, love, the
festivals, marriage laws, sanctifications, vows, seeds, Temple-service,
sacrifices, purifications, damages, purchase and sale, courts, and
judges. "My work is such,