Geniza Lab

List of names with numbers. In Judaeo-Arabic or Hebrew. Dating: Late, perhaps 18th or 19th century. Surnames include Romano and Bialobos.

Late writing exercises and sums, with a note on verso mentioning the neighborhood of the Karaites (Ḥārat al-Qara'iyyīn). Compare 12369.21, 22, 37, 38, 39.

Interesting letter with a conspiratorial tone, apparently from a father to a son. The writer reports that he has heard that Barakat the son of the Rayyis (Shelomo b. Eliyyahu?) has asked for the hand of the daughter of Abū Saʿd. It appears that the recipient is also interested in the daughter of Abū Saʿd, since the writer tells him to pluck up his courage and come quickly so that they can confer with his mother and visit Abū Saʿd in the night and speak to him before they miss their chance. The remainder of the letter (r15-v11) is more faded and less cloak and dagger, mentioning various small items and notebooks and sums of money. The writer reports that he has already paid the money he previously received from the recipient to the landlord. The postscript (v12-20) may resume the marriage plot: the writer tells the recipient to go to "the man" (Abū Saʿd?) and see what is in his heart before the writer and recipient go to him together. ASE.

Engagement (shiddukhin) contract. Dated: Tishrei [5]566 AM, which is 1805 CE. Groom: Moshe Ẓvi. Bride: Simḥa bt. Barukh. Verso is a list of items and their values apparently relevant to the engagement (a dowry list?). A handful of the terms are in Ladino. The word "contante" (cash?) appears a few times. Mentioned in Ilana Tahan, "Judeo-Spanish Manuscripts in the British Library's Hebrew Collection," p. 152 (no. 37)

Scattered notes in Judaeo-Arabic, including dates and names, of unclear significance.

Late writing exercises and sums (compare 12369.21, 22, 37, 38, 39).

Late writing exercises and sums (compare 12369.21, 22, 37, 38, 39).

Late writing exercises and sums (compare 12369.21, 22, 37, 38, 39)..

Late accounts (?), possibly having to do with riding animals (jimal, dawabb).

Legal document. Probably from a calligraphic Qaraite ketubba in Hebrew and Judaeo-Arabic. Unfortunately the name of the bride (Sitt ...) is cut off. What remains is part of her long, luxurious trousseau list.

12369.7 and 8 are drafts of several Judaeo-Arabic letters and documents by Yisrael al-Gevili (אלגוילי) writing in Cairo it seems circa 1755/6 CE (the lower segment on recto mentions the year [5]516; the second digit could also be a ר, making the date 1855/6, but it is closer to his ק and the fonducli - an Ottoman coin - would be more likely to be circulating in Egypt in 1756 than 1856.) Upper segment of recto: Some sort of testimony, perhaps that the Shaykh al-Islām Naṣr al-Dīn Abū Zayn al-Dī al-Iskandarānī pledges to pay a sum of 120 to al-Ḥajj Muṣṭafa in the Gamaliyya neighborhood. Lower segment of recto: Documentation that Yūsuf al-Ḥarīrī who is living in the wakāla of al-Fayyūmī has paid the price for the courtyard and the apartment, and then something to do with six months of payments involving al-Ḥajj Muṣṭafa al-Ramlāwī. Verso: Draft of a letter to his brother regarding business matters. Yisrael reports on the status and likely price of the goods that his brother had sent to him with Murād al-Jawharji. He orders Indian textiles because the demand this year is very high, as none of the ḥajj pilgrims brought any textiles with them. Verso of 12369.8 is another draft of the same letter. ASE.

12369.7 and 8 are drafts of several Judaeo-Arabic letters and documents by Yisrael al-Gevili (אלגוילי) writing in Cairo it seems circa 1755/6 CE (the lower segment on recto of 12369.7 mentions the year [5]516; the second digit could also be a ר, making the date 1855/6, but it is closer to his ק and the fonducli - an Ottoman coin - would be more likely to be circulating in Egypt in 1756 than 1856.) Recto: Draft of a letter to his brother. His brother seems to have gotten upset about the lack of letters from Yisrael and the lack of any shipment of goods or money. Yisrael apologizes and says he had intended to send them sooner, but encountered various difficulties including with selling the goods. However he plans to send everything on Monday. Verso: Draft of a letter to his brother regarding business matters. Yisrael reports on the status and likely price of the goods that his brother had sent to him with Murād al-Jawharjī. He orders Indian textiles because the demand this year is very high, as none of the ḥajj pilgrims brought any textiles with them. Verso of 12369.7 is another draft of the same letter. ASE.

Letter from [...] Krispin, unknown location, to Avraham Krispin, Alexandria. Written in Ladino. Dated: 18 Av 5549 AM, which is 10 August 1789 CE. Needs further examination. Mentioned in Ilana Tahan, "Judeo-Spanish Manuscripts in the British Library's Hebrew Collection," p. 152 (no. 36). Note that Yisrael Gevili (mentioned there as the writer) is rather the writer of BL OR 12369.7 + BL OR 12369.8. BL OR 12369.9 possibly contains the address of the letter. ASE.

Much-faded excerpt perhaps from a collection of responsa. There is an opening question in Hebrew about why something has to be written above something else. The answer below in Judaeo-Arabic appears to explain why the document in question has to be written in this way or else it is pasul.

Literary. Discussing angels, lightning, the revelation of Isaiah.

Literary. Biblical passages with Targum.

Literary. Discussing bediqat ḥameẓ

Literary.

Literary. Hebrew poems, including by Yehuda ha-Levi and Avraham Ibn Ezra.

Literary.Commentary on mishnayot of Sanhedrin and Avot.