Rabbi Moshe Maimonides, the famous Rambam, was one of the most remarkable Jews of all times. He was the author of many books wherein he explained the laws and philosophy of the Torah. He was not only held in high esteem in the Jewish world, but also respected as a physician, philosopher and scientist.

The Rambam was born in Cordoba, Spain, and settled in Egypt with his family when he was a young man. Not wanting to accept remuneration for his work as a Torah scholar, he devoted himself to medicine to support his family. The Rambam reached the height of his professional reputation as a doctor when he was appointed by Saladin's court staff as a physician to the royal family. His reputation expanded to the extent that King Richard the Lionheart offered him the position of private physician.

When the Rambam felt his end coming close, he ordered his family to bury him in the Holy Land. On the 20th of Tevet, at the age of 69, the Rambam closed his eyes for the last time. In Egypt, where he had been Chief Rabbi, he was mourned by the Jews as well as by the Muslims. In the Holy Land and in the rest of the world, where the Rambam had been a guide and mentor to the Jewish world, his memory was honored by special services and fasts.

The following story is told of the manner in which his burial place was arranged: Jews from all over the world gathered in Egypt to attend the funeral of the Rambam. Once the procession finished, a discussion broke out about where to bury him. The Rambam had asked to be buried in the Holy Land, without any more details, without mentioning a particular city or site.

Representatives from different cities of the Holy Land came forward. From Jerusalem came the request that he be buried on the Mount of Olives. Representatives of Chevron declared that the Rambam was to be buried in the same city as the Patriarchs and the Matriarchs. A representative from Meron claimed that since the mystic Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai was buried in their city, this was the place that most suited the Rambam. Delegates from other cities in the Holy Land also asserted their demands. Since there was no conceivable solution, all agreed to take the coffin to Israel's borders, hoping that on the way, they would find a solution.

The coffin was placed on a sturdy camel and advanced to the Holy Land. One of the most difficult and dangerous parts of desert travel was not necessarily the lack of water or sandstorms. It was the constant fear of being attacked by the numerous groups of highway robbers who attacked innocent travelers by robbing them of all their belongings.

As it began to get dark, the pace of the caravan accelerated. Everyone hoped to find a safe place to stop overnight. Their fears were well-founded, since it didn’t take long before the sound of galloping horses was heard. "We are under attack!'' exclaimed one of the leaders of the caravan. Many travellers panicked and scattered in different directions. Some of the bravest ones stayed by the coffin to protect it. But they were also terrified when the band of evil bandits attacked them. The bandits enthusiastically approached the camel carrying the big box. They were convinced that this box contained an immense treasure, if it were so well-guarded. But despite their efforts, they failed to seize it. "Grab the reins of the camel," the band leader shouted, "we'll take it with us. But their efforts were fruitless. They tried their best to move the animal forward, but it refused to move.

"Open the box," ordered the chief to his assistants. One of the gangsters started to force the lid open. "There is a body in this box! He shouted as he took to his heels. The other bandits also panicked at the thought of a dead body and hastened to leave the scene.

Once the bandits had deserted the place, the caravan's companions advanced with measured steps towards the camel. But to their great surprise, the camel began to move steadily forward, as if it had a particular destination in mind. The leader of the caravan warned men not to approach the camel. "Let's see what direction it's going to take," he told them. Sometime later, it became clear that the camel was heading towards the Land of Israel.

Nobody dared approaching the camel. The men followed at a respectable distance behind the animal. They were stunned to observe that the camel was on its way to Israel. Everyone was sure that there would be no problem in determining the burial place of the Rambam.

After crossing Israel's border, the camel continued to advance. It arrived in Tiberias in the north of the country. It continued its way through the narrow streets of the city until it suddenly stopped and knelt on the ground.

The escorts understood that they had to bury the Rambam in that place. They lowered the coffin from the back of the camel and laid it on the ground. Immediately, they began digging the ground. Everyone who had witnessed this strange event was astonished by this wonderful miracle that had unfolded before their eyes.

The residents of Tiberias built a beautiful structure as a burial place for the Rambam. Every year, on the day of his death, thousands of people from around the world gather at his gravesite. They like to pray at the tomb of Maimonides, faithful to the extract from the Talmud: "Anyone who prays at the grave of a righteous person is compared to a man who prayed at the holy Temple."