Geniza Lab

An inventory of books. In Judaeo-Arabic. Dating: 13th century. The list includes books in the hand of R. Anaṭoli and al-Dayyān al-Maskil (identified by Friedman as Shemuel ha-Levi b. Saadya), both deceased at the time the list was written. See Friedman, "Maimonides Appoints R. Anatoly Muqaddam of Alexandria," Tarbiz 83 (2015), p. 155.

Legal document. Apparently unfinished. In the hand of Ḥalfon b. Menashshe. Dated 1145 CE (Elul 1456 Seleucid). Involves a certain Abū l-Ḥasan b. Mūsā.

Marriage contract for Shelomo b. Yosef and Munā bt. ʿAmram. From somewhere in Egypt. Dated 1086/87 CE (1398 Seleucid).

Letter from Shelomo b. Yehuda, probably to Sahlan b. Avraham in Fustat, written in his own hand. (Gil)

Letter from Faraḥ b. Yosef, in Alexandria, to Nissim b. ʿAṭiyya, in al-Mahdiyya. The writer gives details about shipments of goods to al-Mahdiyya and asks the recipient to help sell them. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 3, p. 744)

Letter by Menashshe b. Moshe to Rabbi Eli b. Mevorakh, probably sent from Sicily to Egypt. The writer orders some clothing and mentions Abu al-Bishr and the Nagid, probably referring to the Sicilian Nagid Zakkar b. 'Ammar. (Information from Goitein's index cards)

Letter from Faraḥ b. Yַūsuf b. Faraḥ al-Qābisī in Alexandria to Abū Zikrī Yehuda b. Menashshe in Fustat. Gil dates the letter to May 1069. Parts are very faded. The letter contains details about goods Faraḥ b. Yַūsuf had sent to Yehuda b. Menashshe, as well as two references (verso, lines 5 and 7) to Abū ʿAbdallāh Muḥammad b. ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Ṣāʾigh, known as Ibn al-Baʿbāʿ, a powerful shipowner who was the last Muslim ruler of Palermo, 1069–72. The letter mentions that Ibn al-Baʿbāʿ had appointed as nagid of the Jews of Palermo Zakkār b. ʿAmmār, brother of Ḥayyim, the wakīl of the Sicilian merchants in Egypt. Goitein (Med Soc., 2:25, 525, n. 11, and the edition below) reads lbn al-Naʿnāʿ, and the hand in this document is indeed ambiguous; Gil initially followed this reading (Italia Judaica, I, 96), but later corrected it, and it's correct in his edition.

A pregnant woman, seemingly well-to-do, complains to her sister in the city about neglect and expresses apprehension that part of her house will be taken by the military, the Ghuzz or Turkomans, in billeting (nazl). The ṣāḥib al-dīwān lives now in the neighborhing house and walks over the roofs and knows what is going on—particularly that there is plenty of space for soldiers in the house. The sister, who possibly had a part in the house, should come. Information from Goitein's note card and Med Soc, IV, p. 24. The letter was dictated to Ibrāhīm (the writer's father?) and addressed to Abū l-Ḥasan b. Ibrāhīm al-Ṣā'igh in the market of the goldsmiths in Fusṭāṭ. The first part of the letter is a rebuke for the addressee's silence. "We could all die, and still you would not ask after us. We hear news of you only from hearsay. If it were not for my pregnancy, I would have traveled [to Fusṭāṭ] to ask after you, because I am tired of sending letters without receiving responses. You now write to tell me, 'Come to us,' because my maternal aunt has died. You did not even write to tell me that you were sick [as well]. Even if I were your enemy, that much at least you would owe me. My cousin died, and you did not even write to console me or your paternal uncle. . . What is the solution to (or reason for?) this enmity? Please come and visit, for the house is derelict and empty. We fear the billeting—for the ṣāḥib al-dīwān lives next door in the house of Yūsuf and walks over the roofs—and that the Ghuzz will take it, and we will not be able to say anything. Even Ibn al-Sarūjī sold his house because of the Ghuzz." On verso: "By God, my sister, console the daughter of my maternal aunt on my behalf. I was sick and was unable to write to her to console her about her mother. As soon as you see this letter, send its response and whatever you see fit with whomever will deliver it. I will pay for it. All of my children have fallen sick, and the female slave is also sick, may God make the end good. By God, I do not need to urge you to send the response quickly, for my eyes are on the road and on every person who arrives. When I hear you are healthy, I will rejoice. I have taken a vow not to break my fast during the day until your letter arrives. I have perished from fasting. Perhaps you will come in place of your letter, and look into what you will do with your [share in the house?]. For Ibn Hilāl is not waiting for Ibn al-Qāḍī to arrive. He has already sent and made me take a vow regarding you. . . ." She concludes with sending regards to Abū l-Ḥasan and his siblings and his son, and to Ibrāhīm. ASE.

Document in Arabic script, torn and reused for a Judaeo-Arabic literary text.

Literary. A theological discourse in Judaeo-Arabic, in the form of a dialogue with a Muslim ruler (amīr al-mu'minīn). Discusses the books of Esther and Maccabees.

A strongly worded letter by the head of a yeshiva to Yakhin ha-Levi b. Mevorakh demanding assistance for its cantor. (Information from Mediterranean Society, II, 569, and from Goitein's index cards)

Letter in Hebrew to Hillel ha-Ḥazzan, the diadem of the cantors. Fragment. It seems that only formulaic content remains.

Medical prescriptions in Judaeo-Arabic, or perhaps drafts for a medical treatise. The text on recto contains many words crossed out and many corrections. The main text on verso is in the same hand. The text oriented at 90 degrees may also be in the same hand, but it is difficult to tell as it was written with a wider calamus.

Letter from Suhayl, in an unknown location, to his wife Umm Wuhayb and to his son, in Fustat. He asks in the most urgent terms that they return to him. He is seriously ill (marīḍ ʿalā khuṭṭa) and may die at any moment. If they do not return, they will regret it when regret will not do them any good. He alternates between addressing his son, who is probably meant to read the letter to his mother, and his wife. Information in part from Mediterranean Society, III, p. 339. ASE.

Legal affidavit or court record. In Judaeo-Arabic. Dated: Middle third of Shevat 1434 Seleucid, which is 1123 CE. But this dating is not certain, because it is very faded. In which Yefet b. ʿEli praises and acknowledges the help of Moshe ha-Sar b. Tiqva(?) and ʿEli ha-Levi b. Netanel, who intervened on his behalf with the Nagid (=Moshe b. Mevorakh, if the dating is correct). The document is very faded, but it appears that the matter has to do with the Palestinian synagogue as well as 'the congregation of the Cairenes.'

Document in Judaeo-Arabic, maybe a letter. Different hand than recto. Mentions a woman several times. Needs examination. There is also some Hebrew literary text.

Segment of a letter from Shelomo b. Yehuda to Avraham b. Mevaser.

A story in Judaeo-Arabic, involving Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Meir and a woman who tries to sate her desire with the latter while he remains asleep.

Fiscal account or receipt dated Muḥarram 437H (July–August 1045). Closing five lines. (MR)

Letter to the Gaon Daniel, as identified by the titles “our Nasi, our Gaon,” in which the correspondents state they are well, “though troubles passed over us during the years of famine, from all of them our God rescued us.” The correspondents also assure Daniel of their loyalty to him, “rejoicing in thy kingdom (a reference to his descent from King David) and taking pride in they epistle.” Eleventh century. The verso contains a copy of a letter mentioning the Babylonian and Palestinian synagogues, Shemuel of Tahort, Efrayim ha-Ḥaver, and Abū Katib b. Abraham. (Jacob Mann, The Jews in Egypt and Palestine under the Fatimids, (1920-22; reprint 1970), Vol. 1, 81-2, Vol. 2, 217-18) EMS