Geniza Lab

Letter from David al-Qalʿī, perhaps in Minyat Zifta or nearby, to Yosef al-Faranji (it seems his uncle), perhaps in Fustat/Cairo. In Hebrew. Dating: mid-16th century, based on Avraham David's assessment and identification of the people named. The letter deals mainly with a request for the addressee to send wheat to the writer, and gives details about how the wheat market is faring in his location. Information in part from Avraham David's edition (FGP).

21 pages from a large ledger recording donations from the early years of the 19th c. See tag for several other shelfmarks containing pieces of the same ledger.

25 pages from a large ledger recording donations from the early years of the 19th c. See tag for several other shelfmarks containing pieces of the same ledger.

Legal document. Partnership. Dated: 1215-1216 CE. This fragment emerged from the court of Avraham Maimonides. The partners ʿImrān Moshe al-Iskandarī b. Bū Manṣūr ha-Zaqen and Abū al-Ma‘ālī b. Ḥalfon ha-Levi ha-Zaqen contract a partnership. The division of profits and losses is not retained in the preserved portion of the document, but allusions to it in line 15 indicate it was outlined clearly. Line 12 suggests it was an "‘isqa under the rules of a commenda", in which case the active partner would have received 1/3 of the profits and not have been responsible for losses. The active partner, apparently Moshe, was to journey as far as Aden; that the partners were to be separated by distance suggested by the fact that Moshe takes upon himself "the avoidance of betrayal". (Information from Lieberman, "A Partnership Culture", pp. 275-276)

Legal document written and signed by Natan ha-Kohen, in which Abu al-Faraj the physician permits his debtor Abu al-Ḥasan b. Mu'ammar b. al-Batt to pay him a debt of 22 dinars and 70 dirhams in rates of one/fourth dinar each month, beginning with Tevet 1441/ December 1129. (Information from Mediterranean Society, I, p. 252, and from Goitein's index cards)

Account of Abu al-Faraj the physician upon his arrival from Damietta. Dated to ca. 1130.

Legal fragment. In Judaeo-Arabic. Dated: Shevat 1341 Seleucid, which is 1030 CE. Written by Bishr b. Yefet ha-Ḥazzan b. David ha-Ḥazzan. Validated by Shemuel ha-Kohen b. Avṭalyon. The purpose of the document is to attest that Manṣūr b. Yosef gave to Barhūn b. Thābit al-Ṣā'igh the power-of-attorney to make out a bill of divorce for his wife Surūra. This was attested in "al-Ṣaʿīd al-Fawqānī" by Ghālib b. Faraj and Abū Saʿīd Maymūn b. Dandūsa. Information from Goitein's note card.

Letter from one of the Sughmār family to Nahray b. Nissim. Around 1080. The main part of the letter is a recommendation for a person named Isḥāq, the student of Isḥāq al-Ifranji. The writer also mentions business matters: dinars exchange and a request to pay the rent for two houses that he rented to Nahray in Alexandria. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 4, #626) VMR

Court record. This is a copy of the marriage contract (ketubba) between Shemuel Kahna b. Nissim and Fā'iza bt. Yūsuf, originally dated Tuesday, 2 Heshvan 1357 Seleucid, which is 15 October 1045 CE. The copy of the marriage contract is introduced with a statement that Fā'iza came to the court and asked them to copy the marriage contract into the court ledger ('shimmush') so that it would serve as a proof, because she intends to send an agent to claim a bill of divorce and her mu'akhkhar (delayed marriage payment). Information from Goitein's note card.

Court record in the hand of Ḥalfon b. Menashshe. Dating: Mentions the date Av 1425 Seleucid, which is 1114 CE. This is a post-divorce settlement. The former husband, Seʿadya b. Avraham, and the former wife, Jawhara bt. Seʿadya known as Abū l-Yumn b. al-Baṣal, release each other from all claims. She initiated the divorce by agreeing to forego the delayed payment from her marriage contract (this is known as "ransom" or iftidā'), and the court obligated him to give her the bill of divorce. The ex-husband does commit to maintaining their infant daughter by giving Jawhara 10 dirhams each month and 8 pieces of clothing each year. Information from Friedman's edition and from Goitein's index card.

Legal document. Dated: Thursday, 17 Nisan 1483 Seleucid (1172 CE). Inventory of the estate of the physician Abū l-Riḍā al-Levi, which was designated for the benefit of the orphan daughter of ʿImrān by order of "the great Rav Moshe," that is, Maimonides, who had recently been appointed head of the Jews. Also mentions the dead man's female slave named Musk. Join by S. D. Goitein. Join awaiting transcription. Goitein's notes say that Westminster Frag. Cairens. 25+ is another copy of this document, but the shelfmark must have changed (this should correspond to L-G Misc. 25, and nothing in the L-G Misc. folder appears to be related to this document).

Letter in Arabic script. Possibly from a mother to a son. Handwriting and spelling are dreadful. There are many greetings as well as instructions about transactions involving Fakhr. Also, "Take your wife and come visit Dammūh." On verso, the addressee writes back in Judaeo-Arabic: "May whoever wrote such a letter never enjoy health! Next time you send me a letter, don't let anyone write it except someone who knows how to write and read, like Bū Ṭayyib or someone from the kuttāb of the teacher."

Letter from an unknown man. In Judaeo-Arabic, in a blocky hand and with אללה spelled אלי. He alludes to a terrible misfortune afflicting him. "If it were not for the dream which I had on the eve of the day of the betrayal—for I had lain down in [...] as God knows, and I saw a man telling me, 'Cast/throw yourself onto [...], by God and by the Torah, do not exceed what I tell you....' And if it were not for that, I would not have had the courage in it...." The continuation is too faded to read. Toward the bottom, 'the affair of Abū l-Maymūn' is mentioned. On verso there are accounts in Arabic script and Greek/Coptic numerals.

Short letter sent from Yosef b Avraham to Ismail b. Yaʿaqov al-Andalusi, mentioning that the writer sent textiles marked with his name, and asking Ismail to buy sandals and a scarf for the writer's son. Dating: ca. 1055. (Information from Gil, Kingdom)

Letter from a Qaraite probably of Persian origin. His location is unknown (perhaps Ramla or Fustat), as are the identity of the addressee and his location (perhaps Jerusalem). In Hebrew. Dating: First half of the 11th century. The letter opens with extensive good wishes for the addressee, including for his recovery from an illness. The sender is writing on Tuesday the 20th of Sivan "according to the observation of the new moon." Several months earlier, the addressee had asked him to go up to Jerusalem and meet with the (now deceased) Nasi.The sender had excused himself at that time by citing his difficult circumstances. He is writing the present letter to report on recent developments: Abū Naṣr David b. Yiṣḥaq ha-Levi (active ca. 1020–55) arrived; Mikhaʾel went to greet him, but the two of them quarreled. Someone said something about the sender being in Egypt (or Fustat), and someone said something about Abū Sulaymān David b. Bapshād. The continuation of the letter is missing. On verso there are seliḥot. (Information in part from Rustow, Heresy and the Politics of Community, p. 154.)

Literary work in Judaeo-Arabic. Perhaps al-Faraj baʿd al-Shidda of Rabbenu Nissim. This page discusses Naḥum of Gamzu and Rabbenu ha-Qodesh when he was afflicted by illness (and toothache?). Needs further examination for proper identification.

Prayer for the current incumbent of a distinguished family of Kohanim, Moshe ha-Kohen (lived around 1200), opening with a prayer for his ancestors and other deceased relatives (called tarhim) (Information from Mediterranean Society, II, pp. 162, 554)

Genealogical lists. See Goitein's note card for more information.

Letter from Yisrael b. Natan from Jerusalem to Nahray b. Nissim, Fustat. September 8, 1060. Several financial issues between Israel and Nahray. Also mentions copying books and the writer asks for a shipment of cinnamon. (Information from Gil, Palestine, vol. 3, pp. 139-143, #470). VMR

Literary. Rhymed maxims in Judaeo-Arabic, organized alphabetically. Cf. T-S Ar.13.13, discussed in the November 2019 Fragment of the Month by Mohamed A. H. Ahmed. Information in part from Goitein's note card.