Geniza Lab

Legal document. Location: Fustat. Dated: 1 Kislev 1359 Seleucid, which is 22 November 1047 CE. An undertaking by Ṭoviyya b. ʿEli b. Khalaf Ibn Zaffān ("son of the buffoon") before marrying his bride Fāʾiza bt. Shelomo b. Netanel to sever his relations with disreputable people, not to buy a female slave, and never to leave Fustat except with Fāʾiza's consent. Signed by: Shemuel b. Avraham; Shelomo b. [...]. (Information from Goitein's index card.)

Legal record of an inheritance, issued in the court of R. Levi b. Ḥabib in Jerusalem in September 1532 CE (3 Tishrei 5293), for the estate of the late Naṣr bt. Eliyyahu b. ʿAbd al-Waliyy Melammed, the widow of R. Fuhayd known as Barābak (?), who died without direct descendants. Her nephew, ʿAbd al-Kāfi b. Sulaymān ha-Ḥazzan—whose mother Ẓarīfa was Naṣr's sister—presented a power of attorney drawn up in Fusṭāṭ in May 1532 (7 Sivan 5292), witnessed by Yosef Abuhab and Yosef b. David Moreno, entitling him to claim the amount of the inheritance willed to him (subsequently it transpires that his aunt willed his mother Ẓarīfa and her family a full 2/3 of the inheritance, while the other 1/3 was to go to their other sister Rivka and her family). ʿAbd al-Kāfī brought a suit against Shemuel ha-Levi b. Shelomo ha-Levi, aka Shemuel Kalaḥ, the guardian/executor of the estate, to receive his share of the inheritance. Shemuel then claimed that he had already sent enough of the money to David Ḥavriya (? חבריא), who was supposed to give a portion to his wife Rivka bt. Zubayda (the other sister of Naṣr) and to give the remainder to ʿAbd al-Kāfī, who, however, didn't receive a penny. Shemuel responded that there was not enough money left from the inheritance to pay ʿAbd al-Kāfī his share (and his mother's and siblings'), but there was enough if he made up the difference with property and jewelry and clothing. The document continues for another 100 lines or so, detailing all the different denominations of currency that Shemuel handed over to ʿAbd al-Kāfī, along with all the jewelry, clothing, and other items (with a detailed inventory of 70 items of mainly clothing appearing in a separate list on the facing page). However, of these items, some were to go to David Ḥavriya, and the jewelry in particular was put in a bag and sealed with the seal of Ovadya Kohen, and ʿAbd al-Kāfī had to take an oath not to open it until the pair of them could go through it together in Fusṭāṭ under the supervision of Shemuel ha-Levi b. Ḥakīm. Among the currencies named are gold Sholali peraḥim and gold Ibrahimi peraḥim, respectively coins minted in the mint of R. Yiṣḥaq Sholal and Avraham Castro. Information largely from Avraham David's description on FGP

Court record in the hand of David b. Daniʾel and Hillel b. Eli (draft). This is the testimony of Yefet b. Menashshe, acting as power of attorney for his wife Banat, daughter of Abu al-Rida. Abu al-Rida died in a shipwreck on his way from Mahdiyya to Spain, and has left two daughters. Banat claims her father’s share of what remains (700 dinars) from his partnership with Musfir b. Shemuel, but Musfir insists the two were not in partnership when Abu el-Rida died. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, vol. 4, pp. 667-669, #824, and CUDL). VMR. ENA 4010.31 and T-S 20.162 are from the same case.

Court record of an excommunication ban pronounced against Sulayman the blacksmith after he insulted the court when it failed to take his side in a court case between him and Salman b. Shabib over the sum of 40 dinars. The court appointed Yefet ha-Levi b. Toviyya as Sulayman the blacksmith’s representative. Fustat, August or September 1031.

Partnership agreement from Fustat/Cairo, dated 1668 CE (״חכתה״ = 5428) between Yaʿaqov ha-Levi and a certain Yosef and a certain Refa'el.

Narrow strip torn from the signature section of a large legal document. Witnesses include *[Yefet?] ha-Ḥazan b. David ha-Ḥazzan; [...] b. Menashshe; *Avraham b. David; Shemuel b. Shemuel b. Shekhanya; Shariya (?) ha-Kohen b. Natan, Shemuel b. Yosef, *Khalaf b. Yosef, Avraham b. Seʿadya, and [...]ʿa ha-Levi b. Aharon. The asterisked names all appear in documents from the first half of the 11th century.

Fragment of a Judaeo-Arabic letter in poor handwriting, including alephs that are often separated by internal spaces and gimels that extend well below the baseline. Many people are named: Abū l-Barakāt; Yiṣḥaq b. Abū l-Ḥusayn; Abū l-Faḍl; Aḥmad b. ʿAlī al-Baghdādī; and Abū l-Fatḥ.

Debt contract. Written and signed by Ḥalfon b. Menashshe. Dated: First decade of Elul 1447 Seleucid, which is 1136 CE, under the authority of Maṣliaḥ Gaʾon. One of the parties is Hiba. Also signed by Natan b. Shelomo ha-Kohen and Moshe b. Binyamin ha-Sefaradi.

Account of the Qodesh: list of arrears in rent owed by different tenants in the synagogue compound, from December 1042 CE to April 1043 CE. The rent was collected and the document written by the scribe Yefet the cantor b. David b. Shekanya. He then lists the current payments for one month, Jumada'l-ula; some apartments are said to have been vacant. The list is large in size, written in big characters, and was probably intended for public display. (Information from CUDL and Gil, Documents, pp. 193 #22)

Deed of sale. In the hand of Natan b. Shemuel (dated documents: 1128–53). A few words from the reshut formula are preserved, but it is not possible to tell if Maṣliaḥ Gaon or Shemuel b. Hananya is intended. Fāḍila bt. Ḥalfon/Khalaf ha-Kohen sells a quarter (of a house) to Abū l-ʿAlā b. Abū l-Surūr. Signed by: Natan b. Shelomo ha-Kohen, Yosef ha-Levi, Yeshuʿa b. Ḥotam, ha-Levi Natan b. Ḥalfon ha-Kohen, Yakhin b. Yeshuʿa, Yehuda b. Elʿazar, Avraham b. Yosef, and Yeshuʿa ha-Kohen. Verso: Addendum (faṣl). Subsequent deed of sale certifying that the blind man Ṣadaqa b. Yiṣḥaq has purchased the same property from Abū l-ʿAlā b. Abū l-Surūr for the same price, namely 12.5 dinars. (Information in part from CUDL and from Goitein's index card(?).) Join: Alan Elbaum. AA. ASE.

Letter in Judaeo-Arabic. Fragment (right lower part only). Dating: Late 11th century. Describing communal strife and what appears to be an uprising of common people (such as cobblers) in Alexandria. The dispute also involved a Jewish judge, a Muslim Judge, the Rayyis and the Nagid Mevorakh. Some of the leaders of the community and their families are mentioned in the letter. On verso there is a portion of the Passover Haggada, including the Ha Laḥma and Four Questions, fully vocalised with Judaeo-Arabic instructions (unvocalised). (Information from Frenkel and CUDL.)

Fragment of a calligraphic letter from the head of the Palestinian Yeshiva in Tyre (located there in 1090 CE), to the dignitary Shemuel b. Yehuda (called הוד המשכילים עזר הישיבה). Wide space (2.5cm) between the lines. With greetings to Shemuel's son Yaḥyā. The addressee may identical with the person mentioned in T-S 13J34.5, v10. (Information from CUDL and Goitein's index card.)

Letter from the merchant Abū l-Riḍā ha-Kohen in Tiberias to his brother Seʿadya, in Jerusalem. In Judaeo-Arabic with the address mainly in Arabic script on verso. Abū l-Riḍā had traveled from Jerusalem to Tiberias via Nablus and Beisan (Beit Shean). Dating: ca. 11th century (unclear on what basis). Verso: Arabic letter mentioning sums of money. On verso there are several different text blocks in Arabic script. One is a formal letter with wide space between the lines, which probably was the earliest writing on this fragment. Another is an order of payment for Abū l-Riḍā to give the bearer 5.5 dinars. Needs further examination.

Long letter from Yaʿaqov b. Salīm, in al-Juwwa (near Aden, Yemen), to the judge and parnas Natan ha-Kohen b. Shelomo, in Fustat. Quoting Deuteronomy 32:43 and Isaiah 33:24. Dated: Tishrei 1445 of the Seleucid Era (= 1133 CE). Natan had previously written asking the Aden community for money on behalf of the Palestinian Gaonate but Yaʿaqov reports that because of disagreements with the community in Yemen he is not on good terms with them and has moved away. (Information from CUDL.) See also Goitein notes linked below.

Shelomo b. Eliyyahu writes to a relative (his father-in-law Abū l-Faraj?) complaining about the behavior of Abū l-Barakāt (Sitt Ghazāl’s paternal uncle and Shelomo’s first cousin), who sent a letter to Abū l-Faḍl b. ‘Atā’ b. Ḥasan inquiring about Shelomo's mistreatment of his wife Sitt Ghazāl. Abū l-Faḍl confronted Shelomo after he exited the synagogue. This behavior sickened Shelomo, who alludes four times to his “relapse” (naksah). Shelomo complains that Abū l-Barakāt sees himself as too important and Shelomo as too inconsequential to write directly to him, instead involving strangers in the matter. Those who extend greetings are Shelomo, Sitt Ghazāl, his father (Eliyyahu the Judge), his mother (Sitt Rayḥān), his brother the physician Abū Zikri, his brother-in-law Simḥah, his maternal aunt (and mother-in-law) Umm Abū l-‘Izz, and her son Abū l-‘Izz. Greetings are extended to the recipient, to Abū l-Barakāt with blessings for his son, and to their father Abū l-Ḥasan (Shelomo’s paternal uncle). Sitt al-Fakhr and her daughter are also mentioned. Cf. Mediterranean Society, III, p. 435 and Goitein's index cards.

Letter from the beginning of the thirteenth century from a man who was staying in Alexandria to the Nasi, Shelomo b. Yishai, who was in Cairo. The writer arrived to Alexandria on commercial business, to deal with an order of pillows, carpets and clothes for the Nasi from local artisans. The local Judge, R. Elazar ha-Dayan, was also involved with the Nasi's order. (Information from Frenkel. Frenkel does not mention that Gil published the verso of the document and treats the two sides as parts of the same letters. Gil summarizes the letter: Letter sent from Alexandria to the Nasi Shelomo b. Yishai in Fustat by one of his students. The letter deals with making linens and pillows for the Nasi in Alexandria. The people of Alexandria are anxious to hear the lessons of the Nasi.

Letter from Alexandria to the nasi Shelomo b. Yishay, Fustat, from one of his supporters. Around 1240. The letter mentions products that people make in Alexandria for the Nasi, such as robes, turbans, pillows, and bedsheets. Also mentions that the people of Alexandria are eager to hear the Nasi’s lessons and lectures. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 2, #100) VMR

Letter in Judaeo-Arabic, probably 13th-century or later, from a physician or druggist to a respected person named Avraham who also has a son named Shelomo. The writer greets Avraham's wife and wishes her a speedy recovery. He then says he was greatly distressed ("it utterly blotted out my mind") to learn of the illness "of the noble mother." The word used to describe her state is khudūra—numbness or paralysis? withdrawal to women's quarters? Another possibility is that the khudūra refers to the writer's own mental faculties and the impact on him of the news of the mother's setback. In any case, the great bulk of the letter it taken up with conventional expressions of longing and respect. He concludes, "As for what you insisted that the slave respond to every letter and letter, I have done so in a separate letter that has been sent with this one. As for what you mentioned regarding the hiera [a medicine], the slave intends to make it this very week, God willing." ASE

Letter from Avraham b. Yaʿaqov Der'i to Mevorakh b. Saadya. A new governor arrives at the city and is received by the leaders of the Jewish community, who are headed by Avraham. The new governor promises to protect the community and carries a recommendation letter from Mevorakh. The tax burden also seems to have been somewhat lifted. This is a monumental letter, meant to be hung in the synagogue for public view. The letter was written after 1094, as can be seen from Mevorakh's titles. (Information from Frenkel. Goitein adds that the letter complains that a certain 'Rum' had rented storehouses belonging to one merchant, but had left for 'their' country without having paid for them. For reasons not stated, the governor of the city was not prepared to take action to redress that complaint).

Letter from Shelomo b. Yehuda to David b. Aharon, ca. 1040, concerning an inheritance that was left by a person from Ramla (Mevaser) who had three sons. Zabga b. Yehoshua ha-Ḥaver has been requested to represent the two younger sons but has not fulfilled his role. David b. Aharon is requested to solve the problem. (Information from Gil, Palestine, vol. 2 p. 226-227, #125). VMR