Geniza Lab

Recto: Note to a man with many titles. In the margin there is the actual information: someone had gone to Rashid and Abu l-Faraj and Abu l-[...] had gone to Minyat [Zifta, Egypt], but they had not found anything. Verso: Citation of Psalms 121:3-4, possibly part of a letter or note. (Information from the Cambridge Genizah Research Unit via FGP).

Letter from Yeḥiel b. Yiṣḥaq ha-Ṣarfati, in Jerusalem. In Hebrew. Dating: No earlier than 1221 CE, as that is the year Anatoli died. He sends greetings to the widow of Rabbi Anatoli of Marseilles (living in Alexandria) and to her daughter Esther and granddaughter, sending wishes to the latter to bear male children. (Information from Mediterranean Society, III, 462.) He also greets Yefet ha-Melammed ha-Ḥaver, possibly Yefet b. Shemuel who served in the court of Yeḥiel b. Elyaqim (see Shweka, "And Every Day They Make Quarrels," p. 35).

Letter (or draft) in Arabic script. Addressed to a certain amīr. Needs examination.

Letter in Ladino, sent by Isaac Baronito to his father Abraham Baronito, Mitzrayim. (Information from CUDL.) Isaac addresses his father as "the crown of my head" (la corona de mi cabeza). It concerns books with "glosses in his hand": sabreis komo he hallado ke tienen los libros haga'ot eskeritura de su mano y me recelo y si kereis aun kon todo esto ke os los envie os los enviare mas ha de saver ke no los vendas a ningun modo por amor de la dicha ke tiene ... y si keres os man dare los libros komo kedamos haya de ser kon este partido ke no los haveis de vender a ningun por la razon. Information from Elazar Gutwirth, "The Family in Judeo-Spanish Genizah Letters," 213. Isaac goes on to offer his father three options for when to receive certain shipments, including the books, the 3 ducats, and the proceeds from the sale of a Torah scroll (? ס״ת). He insists several times that his father must not sell or send the Hagahot/books to anyone else, ve-ha-maskil yavin. He tells his father to write and tell him which of the three options he prefers. He asks after Perla who has gone to Mitzrayim with her husband, and after Shemuel and Rivkah and her husband. Gutwirth suggests that Perla and Rivkah are Isaac's sisters. He sends regards on behalf of Rachel and Michael; Gutwirth suggests these are Isaac's daughters. And he mentions in the penultimate line "las encomiendas de mi parte y de parte de Esther que la cono[ces]"; Gutwirth suggests that Esther is his wife. ASE.

Recipe in the hand of Berakhot b. Shemuel. In Judaeo-Arabic. Headed "al-qalʿī." For אקאמה אלפלקי (this may not be the 'celestial sphere,' as that would be פלכי). Mentioning substances such as ammonia, white alum and zubd al-baḥr (possibly mercury). (Information in part from Goitein's note card and CUDL.)

Legal query, draft. In the hand of Berakhot b. Shemuel. Addressed to Yosef Rosh ha-Seder. The page is crossed out. A man gives half a house (which actually belongs to his wife) as pledge for a debt of 8 dinars, and after the man dies the creditor demands the money from the widow. The same case is probably described in Moss. VIII,403 and several other fragments: see Friedman's article for complete discussion.

Letter from a woman, unknown location, to her brother Yūsuf b. Makārim the cantor and dyer, in Bilbays. In Judaeo-Arabic with the address in both Judaeo-Arabic and Arabic script. Dating: Likely 15th or 16th century, per Goitein. Contents: The writer is ill, possibly with ophthalmia. She asks for instructions concerning various matters, many having to do with their house. (Information in part from Goitein's index cards and CUDL.) EMS. ASE.

Note in which a physician is requested to pay for some items including a sign above his store that publicizes his practice. (Information from Mediterranean Society, II, pp. 253, 578 and from Goitein's index cards)

Letter/petition from Asher, Yisachar, and Dan, three Jewish converts in Malīj. In Judaeo-Arabic. Dating: No earlier than 13th century and probably later. They express their thanks for the good treatment afforded to them by the judge Yosef and by the elder al-Nafīs b. Abū l-ʿAlā. They complain about the wicked tanner Khalaf who has excused himself from participating in the financial obligations of the local community. (Information from Goitein's index cards) EMS

Letter to Tamim he-haver composed mostly of titles and formulaics. EMS Verso: Hebrew text of Leviticus 7:34-35 and 37 and 8:11-12. (Information from CUDL)

Letter (possibly a halakhic question) by Shelomo b. Elijah, with jottings on verso. (Information from CUDL)

Recto: Letter in which a prominent person is politely asked to pay his debt. Verso: Writing exercises in Arabic script. (Information from CUDL)

Legal document draft in the hand of Shelomo b. Eliyyahu about a gift from his father of almost all his books and copper vessels; brother Abu Zikri gets only a few small books.

Fragment of a business letter, mentioning Abū al-Muna. (Information from Goitein’s index card). EMS

Two rhymed letters between the brothers Shemuʾel and Shelomo, on the subject of wine. See also Goitein's index card, and cf. T-S 8J15.15 (same brothers).

Letter from Eliyyahu the Judge to his son Shelomo (Abu l-Barakāt). The writer asks Shelomo to come immediately to his mother, who is ill, because he has to travel to Alexandria to find a bride for R. Yishaq. (Information in part from Goitein's index card). VMR. ASE.

Letter from Abu Nasr, son of the doctor, in which he acknowledges receipt of letters from the addressee and Abu al-Ma‘ali and asks for charity, citing Genesis 28:20: “I ask no more than bread to eat and clothing to wear for me and my dependents.” (Mark Cohen, “The Voice of the Jewish Poor in the Cairo Geniza, in Semitic Papyrology in Context, ed. L.H. Schiffman, Brill, 2003, 250) EMS Verso: Jottings in a crude hand in Arabic script. (Information from CUDL)

Letter asking for charity in which the writer describes how “exacting” the upcoming holiday of Passover is in terms of expenses, noting that his "prayer shawl" for Sabbath is torn and although it’s patched, he’s embarrassed to been seen it. He also mentions the purchase (not yet carried out) of new bowls and cups for Passover. (S. D. Goitein, Mediterranean Society 4:156, 397, 444) EMS Verso: Jottings in Hebrew and Arabic script. (Information from CUDL)

Recto: Letter by Shemuʾel to his brother Abū l-Rabīʿ Shelomo. Verso: Jottings in Hebrew and Arabic script and the draft of another letter (introduction only) by Shemuʾel to his brother. See also T-S 8J15.11 (same brothers)

Letter from Yiṣḥaq b. ʿEzra to Ḥalfon b. Netanel. Dating: ca. 1128 CE. (Information from CUDL)