Do Not Disturb Maimonides
The proliferation of printing enabled not only the mass dissemination of Maimonides’ writings, it also gave him a face. Or, more precisely, lent him a portrait that people could associate with him.
Along with the familiar obstacles that stand in the way of work of every creator, there are concerns that are not often voiced as well, first and foremost – the fact that people tend to take advantage of the author's attention to advance their own goals. Maimonides knew this obstacle well and did everything in his power to overcome it.
Among the thousands of fragments found in the Cairo Genizah are dozens of letters between Maimonides and communities and individuals throughout the Jewish world, most of which deal with Halakhic (though sometimes medical and scientific) issues, in which Maimonides was asked to rule or to express his opinion. In recognition of his status, the Rambam responded to these requests – albeit in uncharacteristic brevity.
In the attached Geniza letter, we see another type of request that Maimonides almost always refused: a request for a meeting. One of the letters sent to Maimonides was written by a person interested in deepening his philosophical studies and seeking a suitable guide. The writer notes the great interest he found in the ‘Guide for the Perplexed,’ and asks the great thinker whether he would agree to meet with him or, alternatively, to recommend someone else to help him understand parts of the "Guide" that he did not understand. In addition, the writer asks Maimonides to recommend a suitable diet that will help him withstand his intellectual activities.
Maimonides' response, which was written at the bottom of the letter, is his routine response to requests of this kind: because he is sick, tired and frail, he does not have the time or energy required for such a meeting. The few moments he can devote to the writer are on Shabbat in the Beit Midrash. He recommends eating almonds, raisins and date honey.
The letter itself is not dated. It is tempting to determine, judging by Maimonides’ answer, that it was written towards the end of his life. But since his response to those interested was a fixed version - it may have been sent several years prior.
