Geniza Lab

Unidentified rabbinical discussion.

Document(s) in Hebrew. Square letters. Extremely faded. The second line of recto reads כבוד גדולת שלמה איש חמודות. There is a name that looks like Shukayr b. ʿUmar in line 4. Verso in a different hand.

Lists of names with Hebrew numerals, possibly wages. Mentions the different days of the week and repeats the same names such as Ibrahim, Ḥusayn, Joseph and al-Ḥallāl. (Information from CUDL)

Legal document. Small fragment containing some of the last few lines, with a witness signature: Avraham b. Menaḥem (in lousy handwriting).

Legal document. Bottom part only. Unclear if any of the identifying details are preserved.

Letter addressed to a judge. In Judaeo-Arabic. Dating: 1221–52 CE, as it mentions Crusaders ("Franks") fighting at al-Manṣūra 2 years prior. At that time, Sayyidnā al-Nasi intended to borrow from the sender a beautiful copy of the book of Īlāqī (probably al-Īlāqī's epitome of the first book of Avicenna's Canon) in order to copy it for the addressee. The Crusaders were attacking al-Manṣūra, and the sender was in the army camp together with a gentile (presumably Muslim). He had three books with him, including a commentary and some of the 'kalām' of Maimonides (=Guide for the Perplexed?) as well as the Īlāqī. The Muslim companion had no eyes for anything but the Īlāqī, and he offered money to borrow it, copy it, and return it. As everyone was penniless at the time, the sender agreed, but he never saw the book again. Sayyidnā al-Nasi already forgave the sender for this, but is making him write this letter to explain the situation to the addressee. The addressee must not think that he is being negligent in finding another ('regular') copy to use for his purposes. Everyone he asks either says they don't have it, or they're worried he'll make off with it and give it to the Nasi. ASE

Letter opening from Yoshiyyahu Gaon to Efrayim b. Shemarya, approximately 1020.

Accounts, dealing with tax and business matters. Mentions names such as ʿAbd al-Wāḥid, Ibn al-Jalājilī and Ibn Ḥayy. Coptic numerals. (Information from CUDL)

Short letter to Abū Naṣr, asking for money. Mentions the capitation tax. (Information from CUDL)

Document in Arabic script. Accounts of some kind? Undeciphered and needs examination. In the margins and on verso there is Hebrew literary text, probably poetry. The word עין is repeated several times.

Letter, discussing matter concerning a shop and sends greetings to the addressee’s father. (Information from CUDL)

Fragment from a letter, mentioning the Nagid. The writer is asking not to be thrown to jail, but the letter is too damaged to contextualize. AA

Accounts, mentioning dates such as 9th of Ḏū l-ḥijja and 3rd of Ḏū l-Qaʿda. Coptic numerals. (Information from CUDL)

Legal document mentioning Abū l-ʿAlā and Abraham and several sums of money in the currency dinar. (Information from CUDL)

Letter from Yefet b. Menashshe Ibn al-Qaṭāʾif, to his brother Abū Saʿīd Ḥalfon b. Menashshe. Fragment (upper right corner of recto). Yefet's handwriting in this letter is better than usual. Refers to some seliḥot (cf. AIU VII.E.12). (Information in part from CUDL)

An unusually long bill of lading sent from Fustat to al-Mahdiyya, listing the goods of at least eight merchants. In Arabic script at the bottom, "wa-ḥasbī allāh wa-ʿalayhi tawakkaltu." (Information from Mediterranean Society, V, p. 599, and from Goitein's index cards)

Legal document mentioning a teacher, a sum of dinars and ‘the price of the garden’. The partial names [...] ha-Levi and [... b.] שאטי[..] are preserved. (Information from CUDL)

List of numerals, probably in relation to the calendar. (Information from CUDL)

Legal document(s) in the hand of Ḥalfon b. Menashshe. Both sides contain formulary for documents relating to the sale of a female slave (שחרורה... אלש]רוט אלמשתרטה פי ביע הדה אלגא[ריה...).

Probably a Talmud commentary, with citations such as Bava Batra 49b. See also TS NS 34.107, TS NS 288.209. AA