Geniza Lab

Letter fragment (upper right corner). In the hand of Ḥalfon b. Menashshe. He says that the Nagid had issued a letter/document probably addressed to the judge Avraham b. Shabbetay (of Minyat Ziftā, active ca. 1091–1135). It concerned Ḥasan al-Qudsī and another man, the legal opponents of Abu l-[...]. Someone (Avraham?) should report to Fustat quickly. (Information in part from CUDL.)

Part of the address from a letter to Shemuʾel b. Sid (probably 16th or 17th century). (Information from CUDL)

Verso (original use): Fragment of official/state correspondence, probably. The ends of 3 lines are preserved and parts of 2 more lines. Mentions a village/estate (ḍayʿa) known as المخرقة (in the Fayyūm) and 'the farmers there' (al-muzāriʿīn fīhā). (Information in part from Naïm Vantieghem.) Recto (secondary use): Targum Yonatan on Isaiah 49:10–11 and probably nearby verses.

Responsum. In Hebrew: Dating: ca. 16th century. Concerning two partners who sue a third ex-partner. Currency: Mentions 1700 grossos (silver coins).

Halakhic text, late.

Literary text in Hebrew.

Literary text in Hebrew and Judaeo-arabic.

Draft openings of letters in different hands and different directions, numerals, jottings and an elaborately decorated שין. (Information from CUDL)

Poem, of documentary interest. In Judaeo-Arabic. Mentioning al-Sayyid Musa b. al-Mumajjid, and the communities of Alexandria, Malij, Damayir and Jawjar. Information from GRU via FGP.

Four responsa of Gershom b. Judah (the Ragma), on the subject of borrowing money from gentiles, selling property, interest on a loan, and business deals with non-Jews made on the Sabbath. This is the oldest known Ashkenazi manuscript to be discovered in the Genizah. (Information from CUDL)

Letter from Ṣemaḥ b. Yiṣḥaq, gaon of Sura, to Elḥanan b. Shemarya, ca. 990. Contains information about Ṣemaḥ b. Yiṣḥaq and about the academy of Sura. The gaon expresses his wish that Elḥanan b. Shemarya would come to Baghdad, the new location of the academy of Sura. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 2, p. 133.)

Letter from Ṣemaḥ b. Yiṣḥaq, gaon of Sura, to Elḥanan b. Shemarya, ca. 990. Contains information about Ṣemaḥ b. Yiṣḥaq and about the academy of Sura. The gaon expresses his wish that Elḥanan b. Shemarya would come to Baghdad, the new location of the academy of Sura. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 2, p. 133.)

Accounts. (Information from CUDL)

Literary text in Latin script. Spanish?

New Testament in Coptic (1 Cor. 16:2, 5-7). Identification kindly provided by Matthew Boutilier.

Letter fragment in Arabic script in the margin of a Coptic New Testament. "اعملوا/تعملوا معروفكم الى اورشليم وان كان ينبغي ان امضي انا ايضا الى ها هناك اذهبوا معي فاني . . . عليكم." Planning a trip to Jerusalem? Needs further examination.

Document in Arabic script. Small fragment. Looks official.

Accounts or shopping list in Judaeo-Arabic. "Green fūl" appears in the upper right.

Letter fragment in Arabic script. Needs examination.

Literary text in Ladino.