Maimonides' Principles

The Fundamentals of Faith

From the book Maimonides' Principles: the Fundamentals of Jewish Faith
by Aryeh Kaplan
Copyright © 1984, 1975 Aryeh Kaplan

Reprinted by permission of the National Conference of Synagogue Youth (NCSY).

Introduction

One of the clearest statements of Jewish belief is that contained in Maimonides' Thirteen Principles of Faith.  These were first enunciated in his commentary on the Mishnah and, in an abbreviated form, are found in most prayer books.  They also form the basis of the well known synagogue hymn, Yigdal.

In formulating these principles, Maimonides went through the entire length and breadth of Jewish literature, determining which principles are always taken for granted and are unique to Judaism.  In clear concise language, he then set these down in the well known Thirteen Principles.  These principles have been discussed for the past eight hundred years, and are still accepted by all Jews as the one clear, unambiguous creed of Judaism.

For the Jew, however, it was never enough merely to accept a creed. One can believe, but if one does not act on the basis of his belief, then his statement of faith is just so many empty words. . . .

The Mishnah, the earliest portion of the Talmud, had been compiled almost a thousand years earlier [before Maimonides] by Rabbi Judah the Prince, and details of its development are outlined in detail in the Eighth Principle [in his commentary on the Mishnah]. . . .

It is most interesting to note that this commentary was written in Arabic, the spoken language of most Mediterranean Jews, rather than in the more scholarly Hebrew.  Maimonides was writing for his contemporaries, and was aware of the need to communicate in a language with which they were familiar. . . .

In presenting Maimonides' writings in English, we are merely following his own example of expressing the truths of Judaism in a language readily accessible to the average person. . . .

It is most important that we recognize the central core of principles which the rest of the Torah serves to express.  It was for this reason that the Thirteen Principles were originally set forth. In our generation, more than any time in the past, this is needed.  We live in an age where we are constantly exposed to principles diametrically opposed to the Torah, and it is vital that we clarify for ourselves, and especially for those whose ignorance makes them vulnerable to confusion, the essential uniqueness of Torah thought.

May it be G-d's will that this volume make a small contribution in this direction.

The Principles with the Words of Yigdal

I believe with perfect faith that G-d is the Creator and Ruler of all things.  He alone has made, does makes, and will make all things.

Great is the Living G-d, and praised,
He exists, yet His existence has no time.

I believe with perfect faith that G-d is One.  There is no unity that is in any way like His.  He alone is our G-d – He was, He is, and He will be.

He is One, no unity is like His,
He is hidden, His unity has no end.

I believe with perfect faith that G-d does not have a body.  Physical concepts do not apply to Him.  There is nothing whatsoever that resembles Him at all.

He does not have bodily form, He is not a body,
He is beyond compare in His holiness.

I believe with perfect faith that G-d is first and last.

He preceded all things that were created,
He is first, yet without beginning.

I believe with perfect faith that it is only proper to pray to G-d.  One may not pray to anyone or anything else.

He is the L-rd of the world, and all things created
Display His greatness and His majesty.

I believe with perfect faith that all the words of the Prophets are true.

He has granted the bounty of His prophecy
To those of His choice and glory.

I believe with perfect faith that the prophecy of Moses is absolutely true. He was the chief of all Prophets, both before and after him.

There has not arisen another like Moses,
A prophet who looked upon His image.

I believe with perfect faith that the entire Torah that we now have is that which was given to Moses.

G-d gave a true Torah to His people
Through His prophet, trusted in all His house.

I believe with perfect faith that the Torah will not be changed, and that there will never be another Torah given by G-d.

G-d will not replace nor change His Law
For all time, for anything else.

I believe with perfect faith that G-d knows all the deeds and thoughts of every person.  It is thus written (Psalm 33:15), "He has molded every heart together.  He understands what each one does."

He sees, He knows our secrets,
He sees each thing's end at its very beginning.

I believe with perfect faith that G-d rewards those who keep His commandments, and punishes those who transgress them.

He rewards humanity with love, as their deeds deserve,
He gives the wicked evil, according to their wrong.

I believe with perfect faith in the coming of the Messiah.  No matter how long it takes, I will await his coming every day.

He will send our Messiah at the End of Days,
To redeem those who await His final salvation.

I believe with perfect faith that the dead will be brought back to life when G-d wills it to happen.

G-d will bring the dead to life with His great love,
May His glorious name be blessed for all time.

This popular edition of the Thirteen Principles of Jewish Faith represents a summarized version of the original work which appears in Maimonides' Commentary on the Mishnah on tractate Sanhedrin.

This book perpetuates what was undoubtedly the intent of Maimonides in presenting these fundamentals — to open the doors of the storehouse of Torah living and learning and to provide both the schooled and the unschooled alike with a keener understanding of the basic principles of Jewish responsibility.

Contents of This Page

The Author

Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan's meteoric rise as one of the most effective, persuasive, scholarly, and prolific exponents of Judaism in the English language came to an untimely end in 1983 with his sudden death at the age of 48.

Rabbi Kaplan was a multi-faceted, uniquely creative and talented author.  In the course of a writing career spanning only 12 years, Aryeh Kaplan became known to Jewish youth and adult readers for numerous books — among them The Living Torah, a clear, contemporary translation of the Five Books of Moses.

Rabbi Kaplan was born in New York City and educated in yeshivas there.  He was ordained by some of Israel's foremost rabbinic authorities after years of study at Jerusalem's Mir Yeshiva.  He also earned a Master's degree in physics and was listed in Who's Who in Physics in the United States.

Aryeh Kaplan's warmth, sincerity, and total dedication to Torah were an inspiration to the thousands he reached personally.  In the process of bringing Torah to the masses, Rabbi Kaplan revealed much which was previously hidden.  His mind contained libraries of books waiting to be put into writing.  It was the will of the L-rd that so much be revealed and no more.

The Publisher

Preliminaries