Critical Notes on the Mishneh Torah: On Graven Images

Abraham ben David’s critical notes (hasagot) on Maimonides’ Mishneh Torah were composed toward the end of his life, after that work had arrived in Provence. Printed alongside the Mishneh Torah for hundreds of years, Abraham’s comments reflect a deep study and appreciation of Maimonides’ contributions. They often record alternative interpretations, praise for Maimonides, and, famously, disagreements with him. In this excerpt, the issue at hand is the prohibition of graven images, which classically applies only to images that protrude from a wall but are here discussed in the context of a seal. According to Maimonides, protruding images of humans are generally prohibited, but in some cases seals with human images on them can be used. Maimonides also distinguishes between images of humans and those of heavenly objects, which elicits a series of objections by Abraham ben David.