Geniza Lab

Letter from Yaʿaqov b. Shela to Yaʿīsh al-Ḥaddād (the smith). In Judaeo-Arabic. Dating: Possibly 11th century. The addressee is asked to pay the money he owes for the price of the clothes to the carrier of the note. Yaʿaqov excuses himself for not being able to come in person. (Information from Goitein's index cards) EMS

Letter from Abu Mansur al-Kohen b. Yefet ha-Kohen Abu Qasasa with orders for ‘mahmuda’ (scammony plant) and camphor. (Information from Goitein's index cards) EMS On the verso is a postscript from Abu l-Ḥusayn (Abu l-Ḥasan is written above in the margin) concerning the silk trade. He also sends greeting to the addressee’s brother Abu l-Faraj. (Information from CUDL)

Recto: Beginning of the opening of a letter. Verso: Address in Arabic script, to al-Nasi Shelomo in Cairo (most likely Shelomo b. Yishay, 13th century. AA) (Information from Goitein's index cards) EMS

Recto: Letter of condolence from [...] b. [...] ha-Dayyan (ZL) to Shemuel the physician (peʾer ha-rofʾim). In Hebrew. Dating: Early 13th century, per Cohen. (Information from Goitein's index card.)

Verso: List of contributors of wheat. Dating: Early 13th century, per Cohen. Goitein speculated that the wheat was contributed in connection with mourning rites (as recto is a letter of condolence). One irdabb equaled six waybas, and one wayba contained about fifteen liters or about four gallons. The average middle-class household, where both parents were present, needed 12 irdabbs of wheat per year, or one per month. (Information from Cohen and Goitein's index card.)

Calligraphic invitation to the elder Suwayd and his son from Aharon ha-Kohen av bet din to come to a lecture on Saturday. (Information from Mediterranean Society, II, 158, 553)

Letter (draft?). Jottings on verso mention Mūsā b. Levi and sums of money. (Information from CUDL)

Account of the Qodesh: building expenditures, ca. 1044 SH [11-12-86] Fragment of a leaf written by Yefet b. David b. Shekhanya, torn at its upper and right edges. Materials for carpentry work are mentioned, acacia and sesbania, nails, locks, and doors. The grapes bought for the sum of one dinar were apparently for the synagogue, where they were probably made into wine to be used in the synagogue services, and stored in jugs. August, the month in which this took place, was the vintage month in Egypt. (Information from Gil, Documents, pp. 207 #29)

Letter in which the writer gives various instructions to the addressee, including that he reply to the letter and inform him of the news of whether or not Abu al-Ghayth made a profit; he also twice assures the addressee that he (and presumably his correspondence) have not been cut off. The writer states that he has been versed on the state of everything (hal kul min) in the addresse’s house, the house of […] Hananel, and the house of the ra’is. The writer’s uncle Menachem and his son, along with the midrash of R. Shemuel, are mentioned. EMS and VMR

Letter to Simha from Eliyyahu in which he notes that he left from Fustat and arrived in Alexandria on Friday, and further states that “our hearts are anxious about the girl (sabiya) and her daughter.” 13th century. EMS

Abu Said b. Abu al-Razi writes to his mother in profuse terms but addresses the letter to his brother Abu al-Barakat. (Information from Goitein's index cards) VMR On verso are also jottings in a different ink. (Information from CUDL)

Letter, possibly from the office of Yehoshua Maimonides, recommending a man who is “poor but from a good family.” The community of Fustat is asked to help by taking up a collection in the synagogue, referred to as a ‘pesiqa.’ (Mark Cohen, The Voice of the Poor in the Middle Ages: An Anthology of Documents from the Cairo Geniza, Princeton University Press, 2005, 197) EMS. Bibliography: Mentioned in Goitein, "The Twilight of the House of Maimonides," Tarbiz 54 (1984), 67–104.

Letter to the doctor Abu Zikri b. Eliyyahu to his brother Shelomo b. Eliyyahu (early 13th century). EMS (Information from CUDL)

Fragment of a letter in which the writer describes a business affair in which he was under threat (taḥta al-tahdīd) and also involved the sultan. (Information from Goiten's notes) EMS

Letter fragment written in a largish hand with widely-spaced lines. It is addressed to an individual (ואנשי ביתך). The extant text consists mostly of blessings (לחזות המשיח בן דויד; לראות שכינת יוי). Blessings and greetings are also bestowed on El'azar and Shelomo. It is dated תשרי [...]ז and closes with the 'alama ישע רב. Probably 12th-13th century. (Information from the Cambridge Genizah Research Unit via FGP).

Recto: note from Khalīfa Ḥasan. Verso: letter by Meʿir Naʿīm (cf. CUL Or.1080.4.40) to Khalīfa Ḥasan concerning business matters. 18th-19th century. (Information from CUDL)

Letter fragment in the hand of Yiṣḥaq ha-Levi Nisaburi about his cost in an affair concerning Abu Sa‘id Makhlūf al-Nafusi. (Information from Goitein's index cards; and Mediterranean Society, 4:413.) EMS. The writer also wants more bibles sent and warns him of any more business with Makhlūf. He mentions further matters regarding Abu l-Faraj and Abū Tahir, and sends greeting to a number of people, including Abu Sahl, Abu l-Rida and Abū l-ʿAla who are admonished for not writing for a long time. (Information from CUDL.) He also describes a prolonged illness (60 days) this winter and asks Abū l-Munā to try to obtain a drug called Abū Zīdān for him; the physicians tell him there is no alternative. Join: Oded Zinger. ASE.

Letter from a foreigner who was formerly "among the givers," a benefactor, but lost his wealth. He asks for assistance from the addressee. (Mark Cohen, Voice of the Poor) VMR Interestingly, the writer blesses the recipient with ויכפיל ממונך (rather than the usual שכר, ‘reward’). (Information from CUDL)

Letter from a certain Maḥāsin, in ʿAydhāb, to his "brother" the cantor Abū Isḥāq b. al-Mumḥe, in Fustat. Sent to the shop of Abū l-Munajjā the druggist to be forwarded to the addressee. In Judaeo-Arabic. Begins: "What happened to me would take too long to explain. You will hear it from Abū ʿAlī b. Faḍāʾīl al-Ṣāʾigh (the goldsmith). . . . I am still sitting here in ʿAydhāb, sad and weeping over. . . ." (Information in part from CUDL and Goitein's attached notes.)

Recto: Note from a certain ʿUzziel. In Judaeo-Arabic. Explaining that the collection of pledges (pesiqa) has been delayed because it was mismanaged from the outset. The sender says he is always trying to expedite it, and he will deal with the matter as soon as he is free. Dating: ca. 12th–13th century. (S. D. Goitein, Mediterranean Society 2:544) EMS. Verso: Business accounting in Judaeo-Arabic and in Arabic script. (Information from CUDL)