Geniza Lab

Two accounts of Ibn Yiju about transactions with the Nakhuda Abu Abd Allah Ibn al-Kataib, Aden, 1140-1145. This is the verso of III, 19.

Power of attorney. In Hebrew. Dated: Location: Aleppo. Dated: Thursday, 16 [...] [13]48 Seleucid, which is 1036/37 CE. Ḥaggay appoints Yiṣḥaq b. Yaʿaqov to collect 1,750 dirhams from the representative of the merchants in Tyre, called Shelomo b. Avraham. Written and signed by the ḥaver Tamīm b. Ṭoviyya. On verso there are accounts in Judaeo-Arabic and Hebrew literary text. (Information from Goitein’s index card)

Letter addressed to Moshe ha-Dayyan, who has a son named Yosef. The sender reports that Avraham was grateful for the favor of the addressee and the favor of al-Nadiv. Avraham has sent a letter enclosed with this one, and the addressee is asked to take a look and respond to all of Avraham's needs. The letter sent by Avraham is presumably the same one written on verso, which contains numerous questions about Talmudic passages and the glosses of "the Frenchman" (Rashi?).

Family letter. In Judaeo-Arabic. Almost certainly from a woman, addressed to her cousin (ibn ʿamm). Goitein describes it as a "fragment of a family letter warning a young husband not to squander his wife’s trousseau." The relationships will take some work to figure out. The sender reports that a certain woman heard that her sister's husband is in prison. Referring to another man, "he and his wife are doing well." Then, "Please ask her husband to let her stay with us until she give birth, so that we can look after her, I and her sister. At this point, she inserts the threats—if the husband touches the dowry, she will send a petition/complaint to the Nagid informing him of everything. The sender has sent with Umm Hiba the bearer of the letter two shirts and two malʿabs (toys?). She has purchased garments for the woman and for her mother-in-law (apparently an effort to win her good graces so that she treats her daughter-in-law well, as he writes, "if I hear that she treats her well, God Almighty will reward her"). If the pregnant woman's own mother were not sick, she would have traveled to her. Regards to "the dear girl" and her children and her husband. "I have sent you 3 [...] for the children." מפרכה and her sister send regards. (Information in part from Oded Zinger.) ASE

Family letter, partly in Hebrew and partly in Judaeo-Arabic. The handwriting seems to be that of the judge Mevorakh b. Natan. Dated: End of Ṭevet 1492 Seleucid, which is 1180/81 CE. There is a long passage (in rhymed Hebrew) about the addressee's mother ailing ever since he departed for Alexandria with the caravan. The scribe wrote the letter while very sick (marīḍ lāzim lā aʿaql ʿalā nafsī min al-ḥamāʾil(?) ṣudāʿ(?) al-bārī yulaṭṭif bi-raḥmatihi fa-tabsuṭ al-ʿadhr...). (Information in part from Goitein’s index card)

A list of names.

Several lines of verse in Judaeo-Arabic, possibly riddles.

Letter, fragmentary, conveying praises to the addressee.

Accounts in Judaeo-Arabic.

Legal document in Arabic script, possibly giving a detailed description of Ḥammām al-Dīk (the dihlīz. . . the four marble columns. . . the mirḥāḍ. . .). Merits further examination.

A few lines in late Hebrew script, possibly Judaeo-Arabic, possibly accounts.

Petition from Abū l-Ḥasan b. Dāʾūd to a Fatimid dignitary. In Arabic script. The petitioner is a poor young man, whose father died destitute and left him only some pieces of furniture, which now Abū l-Ḥasan would like to sell. Dating: ca. 12th century. On verso there is a Judaeo-Arabic text on Jewish law divided into numbered paragraphs, regarding marriage contracts and mentioning Rabbi Shimʿon and the Mishna. (Information from CUDL)

Psalms in Hebrew written in Arabic script. The beginning of the text on the verso is to be found at the end of the leaf at which the text of the recto finishes. The scribe turned the leaf over around its horizontal axis in order to continue on the verso. 16.8cm. and 15cm. between the top and bottom lines. Two small lacunae. Recto: (Ps. 35:2-37:39). Verso: (Ps. 109:1-115:13). Information from FGP.

Bifolium from a Judaeo-Arabic treasure hunting manual. Needs further examination.

Poetry: a leaf from a diwan of Hebrew poetry, with Judaeo-Arabic headers giving the occasions.

Instructions for some sort of magical procedure. "Take seven pebbles, throw one in each of the four cardinal directions, and three will remain with you. Then recite the following verses sven times. . . ."

"This kurrāsa should be delivered to Moshe (ha-baḥur ha-ṭov) b. Ṭoviya (ha-zaqen ha-nikhbad)."

Recto: Beginning of a letter in Judaeo-Arabic to Yefet ha-Nadiv Zaqen ha-Qahal and R. Yosef ha-Kohen Rosh ha-Qahal (both are also mentioned in T-S 13J6.21, ca. 1100). Verso: Piyyutim

"The chapter of knowing the unknown (taʿallum al-ghayb)." One takes a certain animal on Shabbat, breaks open its back, and eats its heart while still hot.

Letter in rhymed Hebrew.