Geniza Lab

Letter from Ṣedaqa Nes, probably to Moshe b. Yehuda. In Judaeo-Arabic. Dating: last quarter of the 15th century. Needs examination for content.

Letter in the hand of David b. Yaʿaqov al-Shammās, probably addressed to Moshe b. Yehuda. Dating: Last quarter of the 15th century. Dealing with family and business matters.

Letter or letter draft, preserving only the copious opening praises for the addressee. Probably from the archive of Moshe b. Yehuda. Dating: last quarter of the 15th century.

Mirror image (imprint) of a letter in Judaeo-Arabic concerning communal issues (the synagogue, insubordinacy). Dating: Last quarter of the 15th century.

Mirror image (imprint) of a letter in Hebrew.

Masora.

Masora.

Masora.

This is the famous epistle/sermon generally attributed to Daniel al-Qūmisī, in Jerusalem, to his "brethren" the Qaraites, urging them to come to Jerusalem (along with a great many other matters). One passage: "Since the beginning of the exile, the Rabbanites were princes [sarim] and judges, in the days of the kingdom of Greece, the kingdom of the Romans and the Persian Magians, and those who sought the Torah could not open their mouths with the commandments of the Lord out of fear of the rabbis . . . until the arrival of the kingdom of Ishmael, since they always help the Qaraites to observe the Torah of Moses, and we must bless them [for it]. Now you are amidst the kingdom of Ishmael, and they favor those who observe the month according to the new moon. Why, then, do you fear the rabbis? . . . For by means of the kingdom of Ishmael God broke the rod of the rabbis from upon you." (Translation from Rustow, Heresy, p. 117.) This text was originally edited by Jacob Mann, and later edited and translated by Leon Nemoy in "The Pseudo-Qūmisīan Sermon to the Karaites," Proceedings of the American Academy for Jewish Research Vol. 43 (1976), pp. 49-105.

See Bodl. MS heb. d 36/13–16bis (PGPID 19355).

See Bodl. MS heb. d 36/13–16bis (PGPID 19355).

See Bodl. MS heb. d 36/13–16bis (PGPID 19355).

Diwan of the poetry of Yiṣḥaq b Khalfūn (active around 1000). There is a poem addressed to Abū l-Faraj Yehoshuaʿ Ibn al-Qamūdī; a poem addressed to Shemuel Ibn al-Lebdī (hence Goitein's inclusion of this fragment in the 'India Book'); a poem addressed to Abū Sulaymān, complaining about the delay of the response to his panegyric from Menashshe b. Ibrāhīm al-Qazzāz; a poem that he sent together with a Purim present; poems on generic themes (parting, elegy, praise); and a poem that he wrote to a friend who gave him some cheese instead of the wine that he had asked for. The identification of the poet was made by Schirmann. (Information in part from Goitein and Friedman, India Traders.) ASE

"The notes prove that love between parents and children is strongest where both are committed to a love greater than themselves." (Goitein, Med. Soc., vi, 2, n. 29)

Copy of a portion of Ezekiel, vocalized. Concludes with a dedication or colophon of sorts: "the dear teacher Yehuda b. Shemuel wrote this for Petaḥya and Yosef the Leviim." (Information from Goitein’s index card)

Letter from Efrayim b. 'Isma'il al-Jawhari to Yosef b. 'Awkal.

Hebrew poetry.

Hebrew poetry.

Hebrew poetry.

Hebrew poetry.