Various sources cite different birth dates for Moses Maimonides. Most scholars agree with recent research that states Maimonides was born in Cordoba, Spain in 1138, not the more frequently cited 1135, according to Stanford University's Encyclopedia of Philosophy.

According to various sources such as the Jewish Encyclopedia, Maimonides was educated by his father, Maimon, a Jewish judge. Maimonides studied at the University of Al Karaouine, where he composed his commentary on the Mishnah Torah, a comprehensive code of Jewish law. Eventually settling in Cairo, he became court physician to two Egyptian royal advisors and chief rabbi of the city's Jewish community.

Eight Levels of Charity According to Maimonides

Maimonides details his eight levels of charity in the Mishnah Torah, Laws of Charity, 10:7-14. Each level is greater than the next, with the greatest level involving an endowment that will allow a person to support himself, while the lowest level is to give unwillingly to charity. The levels, from greatest to least: