הרמב" ם כמפרש דברי עצמו." ספונות: מחקרים ומקורות לתולדות קהילות ישראל במזרח

This article examines a unique instance in which Maimonides interpreted his own words in Mishneh Torah. He twice explained a particular ruling that appears in the Laws of the Sabbath: once in a responsum to Baghdad and a second time in a responsum to Provence toward the end of his life. However the two responsa differ and provide conflicting interpretations. A careful analysis of all the sources reveals that Maimonides actually changed his mind regarding the issue involved. This change is documented in variations of the text of Mishneh Torah — as it appears in the first version of the work and as it was corrected by Maimonides himself in the later version. The article also reconstructs the Talmudic background to Maimonides' change of opinion. From this it may be concluded that the ruling regarding which Maimonides was consulted was first based on his earlier opinion, as found in the first version of Mishneh Torah. Consequently his ruling was clear and unambiguous, and the first responsum reflects this understanding. However, after Maimonides changed his mind regarding the issue, as reflected in the later version of Mishneh Torah, the ruling regarding which he was consulted had become irrelevant. It is concluded that in his second responsum Maimonides justified his ruling in Mishneh Torah, but not on the basis of the original arguments, and consequently there is a degree of hesitation in this responsum. The reconstruction suggested by this article presents a new aspect of Maimonides' dynamic thinking — creative interpretation of his own words.