Q0592
“The foundation of all foundations and the pillar of all sciences is…” — Maimonides (Mishneh Torah, Book of Knowledge (Yesodei…)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: Mishneh Torah, Book of Knowledge (Yesodei ha-Torah). Theme: god.
English
The foundation of all foundations and the pillar of all sciences is to know that there is a First Being who brought every existing thing into being.
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to Mishneh Torah, Book of Knowledge (Yesodei ha-Torah) and files it under Jewish Rationalism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
About Maimonides
Moses ben Maimon (1138–1204), known as Maimonides or Rambam, fled Almohad persecution from Córdoba to Fez and finally to Egypt, where he served as a communal leader and court physician. He codified Jewish law in the Mishneh Torah and wrote the Guide of the Perplexed for readers torn between Torah and Aristotelian science.
How to read this passage
Across 4 recurring voices here (notably Maimonides and Saadia Gaon), god is framed through Jewish Rationalism and Islamic Philosophy. Some passages define god; others warn how it fails; still others relocate it inside habit, community, or language. This passage enters that discussion through god, knowledge, power.
Concepts in this quote
- God
- God appears in this archive as a live philosophical concern—not a slogan. These verified English passages show how thinkers treat god as a problem of judgment, practice, or explanation.
- Knowledge
- Knowledge is the philosophical study of what we can justifiably claim to know—and where certainty ends.
- Power
- Power is the capacity to affect others and to shape what counts as possible—central to politics and ethics.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Maimonides. (n.d.). The foundation of all foundations and the pillar of all sciences is to know that there is a First Being who brought every existing thing into being. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0592
MLA: Maimonides. “The foundation of all foundations and the pillar….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0592.
Chicago: Maimonides. “The foundation of all foundations and the pillar….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0592.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “The foundation of all foundations and the pillar…”?
The passage is attributed to Maimonides, Mishneh Torah, Book of Knowledge (Yesodei ha-Torah). The archive attributes this English wording to Mishneh Torah, Book of Knowledge (Yesodei ha-Torah) and files it under Jewish Rationalism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
What does Maimonides mean by god?
Across 4 recurring voices here (notably Maimonides and Saadia Gaon), god is framed through Jewish Rationalism and Islamic Philosophy. Some passages define god; others warn how it fails; still others relocate it inside habit, community, or language. This passage enters that discussion through god, knowledge, power.