Editing The Rambam (section)

== Life in Egypt ==
After five months, and following the passing of his father Rabbi Maimon, the family settled in Egypt. Initially the family lived in Alexandria, and after several years moved to Fustat, Old Cairo. In an epidemic that raged in the city due to poor sanitation conditions, the Rambam's wife and daughter passed away. Afterward, the Rambam married the daughter of R' Mishael HaLevi (the Rambam's student), son of R' Yeshaya HaChassid HaLevi Alteka, son-in-law of Rabbi Dosa ben Yaakov, and there his son Avraham was born.

The Rambam served as leader of the Cairo community, and for many years earned his living from his brother Dovid's investment of his money; Dovid owned a ship and traded in precious stones. But after the brother perished in a shipwreck around 4938, which caused the Rambam great mourning and resulted in him being bedridden for an entire year, the Rambam was forced to earn his living from his own work and became one of the best physicians in Cairo.

Due to his great medical expertise, in 4946 the Rambam began serving as physician to the vizier Al-Fadhil, the king's deputy, and later also to Al-Fadhil, son of King Saladin. As a result, he spent considerable time in the royal palace. Many folk stories deal with this period in the Rambam's life, with their background being the court intrigues and the Muslim ministers' jealousy of the successful Jewish physician.

Besides his work in the king's court, the Rambam provided healing to the masses who thronged to his door, Jews and non-Jews alike.