Geniza Lab

Minute fragment, only few words preserved. It can be a literary fragment, but also a poetical Hebrew verses from an opening of a letter to a notable. AA

Love poetry in Judaeo-Arabic, with at least one word written in Arabic script inside of the Judaeo-Arabic text. There are writing exercises in the margin (Arabic alphabet) and on verso (numerical values of Hebrew characters).

Legal document or documents. Needs examination.

See join.

Letter draft from the Rabbanite leaders of Fustat/Cairo to the Rabbanite leaders of Ashqelon. Dating: Summer 1099 CE. The letter recounts how the Nagid Mevorakh exhorted the Jews of the community to donate money for the redemption of captives and Torah scrolls, and how in response the Jews of Fustat have donated 123 dinars. The first transcription here is for DK 242, and the second is for T-S AS 146.3. For a detailed discussion, see Goldman, "Arabic-Speaking Jews in Crusader Syria" (diss.), 42–48.

Letter to Avraham b. Yiṣḥaq b. Neṭira. In Hebrew. In the handwriting of a certain Avraham ha-Kohen, who is known in the world of piyyuṭ scholarship as the scribe of panegyrics addressed to a certain Avraham ha-Baghdadi. Scheiber published this letter as the key to the identity of Avraham ha-Baghdadi (i.e., he was Avraham b. Yiṣḥaq b. Neṭira, from a distinguished Baghdad family—the grandfather or ancestor, Neṭira, served as banker to the caliphs al-Muʿtaḍid and al-Muqtadir between 892 and 910 CE). This letter is an appeal/petition for help. He refers to the death of 'the Maghribī man who was with me' and how he now lives in poverty and the congregations are too poor to support him. The note on verso may read, "Please te[ar] this letter, whoever reads it," according to Scheiber's plausible reconstruction. Information from Scheiber, "A Letter to Abraham B. Isaac Netira," Tarbiz 48 (1979), 352–55.

Letter probably from [Shem]uel Algıdın (? אלגידין). In Hebrew. Dating: Possibly 16th century. Much of the letter is missing, so the content is obscure. Mentions places such as Bulaq, Rashid, and Jerusalem. Mentions people such as Yaʿaqov Kohen, Yosef Malṭi ("of Malta"), Moshe ʿĀl, Shemuel, Yishamʿel, the sender's brother-in-law Shabbetay, Doña Zahra, Binyamin, Seʿadya, and Avraham Mandil. (Information largely from A. David's edition; note that he interprets the signature as meaning this is a letter from "Yoel" to "Gidaya.")

Probably small fragment from a letter. (Information from CUDL)

Minute fragment from the end of a legal deed. Much damaged. Only some signatures preserved: […] Halevi b. Avraham, Yehuda b. Moshe ha-mumhe. AA

Account in Judaeo-Arabic, headed with the name Ibn Shaʿyā, mentioning "al-Sharīf al-Qābiṣ[ī]." (Information in part from CUDL)

Accounts. Associated with T-S AS 146.307. (Information from CUDL)

Probably fragment of a Hebrew letter; possibly a few Judaeo-Arabic words. (Information from CUDL)

Accounts. Associated with T-S AS 146.304. (Information from CUDL)

Letter fragment (upper right of recto). Only the opening biblical quotations (shalom rav le-ohavei toratekha) and the last few words of the text in the right margin have survived. ASE.

Recto: geṭ of Tamīm b. Shelomo and Nafīsa bat David; signed by Joseph ha-Levi he-Ḥaver b. Ḥalfon and Joseph b. Naḥmān. Verso: another legal document, possibly a draft, mainly in Judaeo-Arabic, followed by jottings, mentioning the agent Ṣadoq ha-Kohen. (Information from CUDL)

Legal document concerning debt, mentioning various sums of money. (Information from CUDL)

Letter fragment (lower left of recto, upper right of verso). The writing is legible and the script distinctive, but so few words have remained that the subject is difficult to discern. The writer mentions Fustat and the buying of something. ASE.

Order of payment by Abū Zikrī Kohen, instructing Abū l-Khayr Khiyyār to pay Abū Manṣūr. (Information from CUDL)

Recto: letter. Verso: accounts in a hand known from many accounts. (Information from CUDL)

Recto: document. Verso: legal document. (Information from CUDL)