Geniza Lab

Text of a will, Fustat, 1250, as well as a draft of a letter to Abu l-Ḥasan, a judge in Bilbays. At the top of the page some books of Hayy Gaʾon are mentioned, which are in the possession of the Nasi. (Information from CUDL)

Fragment from a legal document, probably a bill of release from a wife to her husband Abū Sahl Menashshe. In the hand of Ḥalfon b. Menashshe ha-Levi (1100-1138 CE). (Information from CUDL)

Document of sale between Shelomo b. Moses and a woman (Sitt al-H[…]). Possibly in the hand of Emmanuel b. Yeḥiʾel. (Information from CUDL)

Barely legible letter in Judaeo-Arabic. (Information from CUDL)

Awaiting description - see Goitein's index card.

Awaiting description - see Goitein's index card.

Deathbed will. In the hand of Ḥalfon b. Menashshe. Fragment (upper left corner). Dating: 1112–ca. 1126 CE, as this was drawn up under the authority of the Nagid Moshe b. Mevorakh. The testator is named Abū l-Ḥasan. (Information from Goitein’s index card.)

Middle fragment of the will of a physician, mentioning 1/8 share of a house held by him in partnership with a Muslim named Ahmad, as well as something worth 180 dinars which should not be taken away from him after his death. (Information from Mediterranean Society, II, p. 292; IV, pp. 63, 371)

Deathbed will of a physician (it seems, for he notes the book of medicine (kitāb al-ṭibb) in his own hand), mentioning a one-eighth share of a house held by him in partnership with a Muslim named Ahmad, as well as something worth 180 dinars which should not be taken away from him after his death. He makes arrangements for his wife after his death. (Information from CUDL)

Part of a ketubba for Yeshuʿa (groom). (Information from CUDL)

Note accompanying a shipment (risala) sent by Avraham b. Abu Yusuf to Mansur the son of Yefet Abu al-Ḥasan al-Dimashqi. (Information from Goitein's index cards)

Bill of divorce (geṭ). Location: Taṭāy (תטאי). Dated: 20 Adar 4812 AM, which is February 1052 CE. Husband: Yeshūʿa b. Mev[orakh?] of Alexandria. Wife: ʿAziza bt. Aharon of Fustat. Goitein writes that this was not Yeshuʿa's first divorce, but he does not explain how he knows that. (Information in part from Goitein’s index card.)

Small fragment from a ketubba. (Information from CUDL)

Part of a ketubba for Sitt al-Yaman. (Information from CUDL)

Part of a ketubba, referring to various sums in dinars. (Information from CUDL)

Probably a Karaite ketubba (since the legible text is in Hebrew). Sums are given in darkemon (עשרים דרכמון וחצי). (Information from CUDL)

Awaiting description - see Goitein's index card.

Recto: possibly the rhymed opening of a letter, mostly consisting of praises directed towards ‘ha-Rav’. Verso: small amount of partly illegible Arabic text. (Information from CUDL)

Awaiting description - see Goitein's index card.

Testimony made by unknown members of the Jewish community (the signatures are either cut off or were never added). Location: Fustat. Dated: First decade of Iyyar 1540 Seleucid, which is 1229 CE, under the authority of Avraham Maimonides (called 'adon' and 'gaʾon' but not 'nagid'). T-S NS J66 (mainly Hebrew) and T-S 8.161 (mainly Judaeo-Arabic) are versions of the same document. The undersigned say that when they lived in Jerusalem, Yeshuʿa b. Shelomo ha-Levi regularly went up to the Torah for the Levi blessings when no other Levi was present. Moreover, they confirmed this from asking the people of his country. This document was drawn up for him to carry with him as support for his claim to be a Levi. Goitein summarizes it as follows: "How even the poorest of the poor would jealously guard his rights in these matters [participation in prayer] may be seen from a document certifying that a certain young "Levi" was called up in Jerusalem to read a part of the Scripture lection, when no other local or foreign "Levi" was present. This rather comical testimony was given to him "so that he might not be put to shame" (Med Soc II, p. 161). (Information in part from Goitein, Palestinian Jewry, p. 336–37.) VMR. ASE.