• It is forbidden to dwell in the vicinity of any of those with an evil tongue, and all the more to sit with them and listen to their words.
  • Chapter 7, Section 6, pp. 51-52

as translated by Eliyahu Touger Full text online

Silence is a fence around wisdom

• There is one [disease] which is widespread, and from which men rarely escape. This disease varies in degree in different men … I refer to this: that every person thinks his mind … more clever and more learned than it is â€¦ I have found that this disease has attacked many an intelligent person … They … express themselves [not only] upon the science with which they are familiar, but upon other sciences about which they know nothing … If met with applause … so does the disease itself become aggravated.
  • Aphorisms. Quoted in Bulletin of the History of Medicine, Vol. 3 (1935), p. 555
  • Chambers Dictionary of Quotations(1997), p. 640

It is better and more satisfactory to acquit a thousand guilty persons than to put a single innocent one to death.

Maimonides, also known as Rabbi Moses ben Maimon, was a preeminent medieval Jewish philosopher, astronomer, and one of the most prolific and influential Torah scholars of the Middle Ages. His works in Jewish law, ethics, and philosophy have left a lasting impact. Here are some notable quotes attributed to Maimonides:

1. On Wisdom and Understanding: “Teach thy tongue to say, ‘I do not know,’ and thou shalt progress.”
2. On Compassion: “The risk of a wrong decision is preferable to the terror of indecision.”
3. On Health and Well-being: “No disease that can be treated by diet should be treated with any other means.”
4. On Giving: “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”
5. On Character: “The test of good manners is to be patient with the bad ones.”
6. On Knowledge: “Do not consider it proof just because it is written in books, for a liar who will deceive with his tongue will not hesitate to do the same with his pen.”
7. On Ethics and Morality: “You must accept the truth from whatever source it comes.”
8. On Humility: “The wise man’s eyes are in his head; but the fool walks in darkness.”

These quotes reflect Maimonides’ broad intellectual pursuits, from ethics and law to medicine and philosophy. His work continues to influence not only Jewish thought but also the fields of ethics, philosophy, and medicine globally.