Geniza Lab

Letter from Yisrael b. Natan, probably from Qayrawan. Around 1040. The addressee in unknown, maybe it is Israel’s brother – Nahray, or another younger relative. The addressee traveled to Fustat and has difficulties to adapt so he considers going back to Qayrawan. At the same time, one of his daughters considers coming from Qayrawan to see him in Egypt. Israel writes that if he decides to come to the Maghreb he will have to decide to stay there. Also mentions Yisrael’s brother in-law or son in-law, which took from Yisrael a Mishna book and 1,000 dirhams and traveled to Palestine. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 3, #407) VMR

Letter from Yehuda b. Salāma, in an unknown location, to Yosef b. ʿEli ha-Kohen Fāsī, in Fustat. Dating: Ca. 1054 CE. Concerning money shipments. The writer has been unable to obtain anything from Ibn Khafāja, who is sick (r8–9). (Information from Gil, Kingdom, vol. 4, pp. 377-379, #725). VMR

Letter apparently from Abū Zikrī Kohen, in Fusṭāṭ, to an unidentified addressee, apparently in Alexandria. In Judaeo-Arabic. Containing news about Aden. Commodities include: pearl (luʾlūʾ), ivory (ʿāj), musk, tusk (? nāb), and a siddur—or rather the lack of a siddur; Abū Zikrī Kohen even checked the bill of lading (tadhkira) and found that it was never shipped. "As for what you said about Ben Yiju, there is no need to postpone the letter, because it is a heartrending situation, and it won't do you any good: every penny that belonged to him drowned with the ship of Maḍmūn, for the ship foundered when it was entering (India) and nobody survived. Likewise, three other ships for Bharuch foundered when they were entering, and not a soul survived." Goes on to mention Maḥrūz; a judge; a fatwā concerning a house; and on verso detailed instructions about garments to be made. (Information in part from CUDL and Goitein's attached notes.)

Letter from Yosef b. Eli Kohen Fasi, from Busir, to Nahray b. Nissim, Fustat. Around 1055. Regarding selling matters. Contains orders of goods that the writer asks Nahray to but for him in Fustat. In the handwriting of Farah b. Isma’il b. Farah al-Kabisi. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 3, #398) VMR

Awaiting description - see Goitein's index card.

Letter from Avraham Ibn Yiju, written in Aydhab, probably around 1152, while on his way to Egypt. The letter reveals the distrust between associates and the disruption of Avraham's family life.

Distrust between associates and disruption of family life, on the way to Egypt. Aydhab, probably 1152. (India Book III, 39)

Awaiting description - see Goitein's index card.

Letter from the Alexandrian community to Shemuel ha-Levi, "the prince of Levites, the glory of doctors" b. Shelomo, requesting his help in countering a decree that forbade saying piyyutim (Heb. sacred poetry) during prayer. Goitein argued that the letter was written from a country town in Egypt while Friedman suggested that the letter originated from the Jerusalemite Synagogue in Fustat and that the decree forbidding piyyutim was part of the Hasidic reforms of prayer which Avraham Maimonides tried to implement. In Frenkel's opinion, the letter was sent from Alexandria. There are a few indications for this in the letter: The mentioning of 'the evils of gentiles' (recto - line 17) fits well with Alexandria which was known for its fanatic atmosphere and for its not uncommon anti-Jewish acts of violence; see Goitein, Med. Soc. 2:278-281. The same is true for the mention of an epidemic lung disease common to Alexandria (recto, right margin line 1 and the note to this line). Furthermore, Alexandria was known for its characteristic prayer customs, to which the Alexandrian Jewish community adhered with zeal; see for example the responsa sent by Saadya b. Berakhot ha-Melammed from Alexandria to Maimonides (Maimonides, Responsa, vol. 1, #113, p. 196; vol. 1, #118, p. 202; vol. 2, #163, pp. 311-312; vol. 2, #259, p. 485). Friedman's argument that the decree forbidding piyyutim originated from Avraham Maimonides fits well with the argument that the letter was sent from Alexandria. A group of pious followers (Heb. Hassidim) of Avraham Maimonides settled in Alexandria and strove to implement in the wider community the principals of their creed. The reference to these pious followers as 'judges, cantors and managers of pious foundations' (Verso, line 3) agrees with other hints about the followers of Avraham Maimonides as enjoying material benefits and neglecting their spiritual mission. On the active followers of Avraham Maimonides in Alexandria see Goitein, 'Our Rabbi Avraham,' Trabitz 33 (1964): 181-197. (Information from Frenkel.) [The suggestion that barāsīm refers to an epidemic lung disease is doubtful. Though the Pahlavi birsām originally meant "pleurisy," in the Arabic medical literature, the word was used interchangeably with sirsām, i.e., phrenitis or delirium. Al-Razi notes that even if physicians sometimes distinguished the two terms, laypeople regarded them as fully synonymous. See Ullmann, Islamic Medicine, pp. 29-30. Both the disease and the death are metaphorical in this letter: "O Israel, if you see that we have been ended and killed by the frenzies brought against us (by our persecutors), know that we have been killed for the sake of the rite of our fathers and grandfathers and prophets..." It would not be a martyrdom to be killed by a disease. ASE.]

Letter from the French rabbi Shemuel b. Yaʿaqov. Dating: Early 13th century. In Hebrew. Concerning a communal dispute against a leader who wished to reverse a ban of excommunication, but the notables of the city assembled and opposed this. The sender was the main opponent and made money off of the outcome. His friends were incensed and avoided him. (Information from Goitein's index card and from Friedman's article.) NB: This letter was published by Jacob Barnai, who incorrectly believed it was connected to Shabbetay Sevi.

Letter from Binyām b. Abū Naṣr (druggist of Rashīd), probably in Alexandria, to Abū Saʿīd (al-ʿAfṣī), in Fustat. In Judaeo-Arabic. He has sent 20 pounds of סארנאן(?), white lead (isfīdāj), and mercury (zaybaq), and orders crushed saffron and 4 bags of large needles (אבר). Also mentions money owed to him by Abū l-Munā b. Daʾūd. (Information in part from CUDL and Goitein's index card.)

Recto: Upper part of a letter from Shemuel ha-Kohen b. Yosef to a judge of Alexandria regarding a dwelling (this is the only word concerning the content of the letter preserved.) The writer (good hand), probably a cantor in a town near Alexandria, must have been close to the judge, for his wife prays for Sitt Nu'aym who had trouble with her feet. (Information from Goitein's index card) Verso: Arabic address and jottings, which include names such as Shemuell ha-Kohen b. Yosef. (Information from CUDL)

Note in a Spanish hand concerning payments and mentioning a substance zanjfur (vermilion) and Abū l-Faraj. (Information from CUDL)

Letter from Shemuʾel b. Eli gaʾon in Baghdad. Contains the names Gūlā (גולא) b. Khalaf and Manṣūr b. Kūtā (כותא). Partially written in Aramaic. Gil and CUDL say this is an autograph, but according to Amir Ashur and Marina Rustow, this hand is identical to that of the gaʾon's disciple Yosef b. Yaʿaqov rosh ha-seder of Irbīl. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 2, #79, and from Marina Rustow.) The extant text includes blessings from the opening of the letter and makes a reference to debts. Biblical quotations are introduced by שנא and marked with pairs of supralinear dots. (Information from CUDL)

Letter addressed to a dignitary (ha-rav ha-gadol, ha-maʿoz ha-migdol—a title usually reserved for Maimonides or his son). The handwriting is distinctive (especially the curly זs). None of the content is preserved beyond the ornate titles of the introduction.

Letter from Farah b. Isma’il from Alexandria, to Nahray b. Nissim, Fustat. Around 1057. The letter contains details about shipments of coins, including coins that Nahray ordered from Alexandria and needs to pay for their exchange. The writer asks for the prices in the linen market (al-Kalus) in Fustat and the spices’ prices as well. There is a mention of the situation in Sicily. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 3, #506) VMR

Begging letter from a certain Yosef to Yeshuʿa ha-Sar, asking him to help him buy clothes. Complains of the cold. On verso there are accounts in Arabic script. (Information from CUDL and Goitein's index card.)

Legal query addressed to Avraham Maimonides concerning the permissiveness of Qaraite, Muslim, and Christian wine. (Information from CUDL and Goitein's index card.)

Letter from Abū ʿAlī, currently in Iraq, to his cousin in Fustat. Dating: second half of the 12th century. The writer shows his support for a visitor who is about to arrive in Fustat, Shelomo from Sijilmasa. The writer mentions his own visits to saints’ and prophets’ graves in Iraq. Also mentions Shemuʾel b. Eli gaʾon. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 2, #88) VMR

Letter to a certain Shemuel. In Judaeo-Arabic, in a crude hand. Mentioning the currency nuṣṣ (= nuṣf, which generally refers to the muʾayyadi first coined in 1415 CE) and Ar. arsala for ‘to send’, thus dating to the 15th century or later (as opposed to Goitein who estimated 13th century). Containing many instructions about business transactions. (Information in part from CUDL; see also Goitein's index card.)