Geniza Lab

Bifolium from a medical treatise giving recipes for various powders (safūfāt).

Late family/business letter in Hebrew signed by Yehuda Duran, mentioning goods sent from Fustat/Cairo to Venice, and discussing several female family members. The writer asks particularly about Ṣulṭāna bt. Yūsuf Abū l-Khayr.

Letter: draft(s) in the hand of Efrayim b. Shemarya (11th century), in Fusṭāṭ, probably to the Gaʾon Shelomo b. Yehuda, in Jerusalem. One draft contains a report, in Hebrew, on a joint Karaite-Rabbanite collection made in the capital of Egypt on behalf of the Jews of Jerusalem to assist them with their taxes. Ezra b. Yishmael b. Ezra is mentioned, and the document refers to Yusuf ibn ‘Awkal with his honorific title ‘Rosh Kalla’ (‘head of the assembly’ of students at the biannual scholarly convention in Baghdad). (Marina Rustow, Heresy and the Politics of Community, 196, 278; From a Sacred Source, 309-10; S. D. Goitein, Mediterranean Society, 2:472) Another draft explains that, contrary to the malicious and false accusations made against him to the gaʾon by some members of the Jewish community in Fusṭāṭ, he will indeed be sending a generous donation for the Jerusalem academy in response to a fundraising mission by the gaʾon’s son Avraham. Efrayim also mentions that he retains the support of an influential Fatimid official, the Qaraite David ha-Levi b. Yiṣḥaq, who will also be sending a donation. Written on the verso of an Arabic -script letter discussing philosophical theology and mentioning the raʾs al-mathība (see PGPID 33676).

Long Hebrew letter of condolence to Seʿadya ha-Ḥaver upon the death of somebody (his father?). The writer describes the physicial and emotional agony that came upon him when he heard the news, and how the whole congregation cried out and donned black "and the garb of the Ishmaelites" (ולבשו הכל שחורים ויתעטפו בעטיפת ישמעאלים). Some parts of the letter are rhymed, and others are filled with biblical citations.

Opening of a letter in Hebrew to a group of important people, with wide space between the lines. The beginning of the body of the letter in Judaeo-Arabic is also preserved and says, "When we sent to you [copious praises . . . ben] Sasson ha-Dayyan."

One of a pair of letters written by Umm Sitt al-Nās to family members when she had been thrown out of her husband's and mother-in-law's house. The match was identified by Oded Zinger. The other letter is T-S 10J9.13, addressed to Abū l-Faḍl Ibn Sabra, whom Goitein identified as her maternal uncle and as Mevorakh b. Avraham b. Yiṣḥaq Ibn Sabra. That letter gives the background of the situation and how Umm Sitt al-Nās had had to leave her own family's location and move in with the husband and mother-in-law. "First, we all moved into one house. Soon my mother-in-law began to work against me, isolating me from everyone and putting enmity against me into the heart of her son. The least she did was that she said to me: 'Go away and become like your notorious mother.'" Umm Sitt al-Nās then probably alludes to her mother (the sister of both the addressee and the mother-in-law) when she writes, "You remember well how everyone reacted to your sister Baqā'." A man—perhaps the writer's husband or perhaps her father-in-law (per Goitein)—then accused Umm Sitt al-Nās of adultery with her cousin (ibn ʿamm). Ultimately she was turned out of the house, "naked and lost." She has been staying with a widow who took her in, and she wishes to travel to her uncle and stay with him, as she has no one else to turn to. The present letter is addressed to her brother Abu ʿUmar Ibn Sabra and does not add a great deal of new information. She requests 20 dirhams (like she requested from her uncle). She begs him for a letter and for news of their younger brother, who also has not written to her. For more, see T-S 10J9.13 and Goitein's translation and discussion of the other letter in Med Soc III:175f.

Literary work in Hebrew and Aramaic citing biblical verses.

Leaf from a medical work attributed to Makārim b. Isḥāq (see tag).

Fragment of a document in the hand of Ḥalfon b. Menashshe.

28 pages from a cookbook in Catalan. The hand is 15th-century according to Eleazar Gutwirth. Many recipes for dishes containing meat and fish. Soups and baked goods, too. It is interesting to note that pork is mentioned several times. Information kindly provided by Ilil Baum via a discussion on Facebook, 01/2021.

Testimony of woman, Sittuna bat Hayyim about her husband, Farah ibn Banuqa who left her 'a widow in his lifetime.' She is indigent because he had sold part of her dowry and pawned the rest, and this was many years ago.

Letter possibly sent from Alexandria to Fustat. In Arabic script. Fragment (right side of recto). Written on parchment. Dating: Likely 11th century. The address is written on verso but is almost too faded to read. Mentions: the wife of Saʿāda; al-Mahdiyya; that the sender had been promised safe passage in a certain ship; that the addressee was supposed to come down to Alexandria, "but if you are living with your wife...."; Jerusalem; Abū l-Faraj; urging the addressee to come down to Alexandria: "all of us to Jerusalem"; further urgings not to delay. Needs further examination

The opening portion of a letter—flattery and praises—for a certain R. Yefet ha-Ḥakham.

Ketubba from Cairo dated 22 November 1822 (8 Kislev 5583), for Khalīfa Pipa and Sulṭāna bt. Nissim Qanini (?). The grand sum of the ketubba is 32000 medins (מך).

Fragment of a letter in Judaeo-Arabic, mentioning someone's brother and al-Nezer. The writer then asks the addressee to pass on his copious excuses for not having rendered sufficient service to someone who has bestowed much favor (tafaḍḍulāt) upon him. The margin contains the interesting phrase "I will not drink again except. . ."

Two pages of formularies for marriage-related documents, giving sample locations and dates as Fustat/Cairo, 1707 CE (Tishrei 5468). The scribe uses parentheses liberally

Late accounts in Arabic.

Recto: The first page from an Arabic literary work, copied in Judaeo-Arabic in a late hand. The book seems to be a guide to witty conversation, and it is called "Kitāb al-Dahqana lil-ʿUqūl fī ʿIlm al-Faqhana wa-l-Dukhūl" = כתאב אלדהקנה ללעקול פי עלם אלפקהנה ואלדכול = كتاب الدهقنة للعقول في علم الفقهنة والدخول. The words "dahqana" and "faqhana" are respectively unusual and made-up. It is unclear whether this book has survived. Verso: Accounts in Judaeo-Arabic for deals involving livestock as well as some other jottings in Hebrew and Judaeo-Arabic.

Partnership agreement from Fustat/Cairo, dated 23 July 1819 (1 Av 5579), between Gedalya Mughrabi and Shabbetay Vidal, to begin immediately and to last for a period of 6 months. They are in the sarraflık trade (בעסק הצירפליק).

Partnership agreement. Location: Alexandria. Dated: 19 Tishrei 5575 AM, which is 3 October 1814 CE. Between Yiṣḥaq ha-Levi from Istanbul ["Costa"] who pitched in 10,000 gerushim, Yiṣḥaq de Curiel from Fustat/Cairo who pitched in 17,500 gerushim, Avraham Cesana & Company from Alexandria, who pitched in 17,5000 gerushim, and Eliyyahu Ayilion (?) from Fustat/Cairo, who pitched in 1,500 gerushim, yielding a total capital fund of 46,500 gerushim (it specifies "Egyptian gerushim").