Geniza Lab

Reuse: Letter sent to Shelomo ha-Nasi. In Judaeo-Arabic. The sender asks him for help on account of his illness, poverty, and "hot bedbugs. May God never afflict our master with distress, and may he afflict my state on all those who hate you." On verso there is a postscript mentioning Alexandria and family members being left in prison. (Information in part from CUDL.)

Letter of appeal addressed to Shelomo ha-Nasi. The writer asks for assistance after having been arrested. He suffers severe poverty and illness and bedbugs (al-baqq). "May God spare you such a trial, and may God place all whom you hate in my situation."

Recto: A few words from a decree: al-mamlūk muqaddam al-juyūsh.

Reply to a letter of the addressee concerning the qualities of three kinds of salt. (Information from Goitein's index cards)

Letter from Efrayim b. Isma'il al-Jawhari, probably in Alexandria, to Yosef b. 'Awkal, in Fustat, ca. 1030. Mentions Palermo and Mahdiyya; ships of Ibn Daysūr (?), ships of the amīr, the ship of ּḤusayn al-Lakkī (?), the ship of Yaḥyā b. al-Sāḥilī, and the ship of Ḥassūn.

Business letter from Musa b. Abu al-Hayy in Alexandria to Abu al-Afrah Avraham (`Arus) b. Yosef in Fustat. The letter contains an accounting for a shipment, perhaps of flax, followed by List of prices, manly spices and medicaments. Dated ca. 1080. (Information from Gil, Kingdom)

Letter. See T-S 10J14.20 for description.

Business letter to the Parnas Mordechai ביאלוכוס in Cairo from הצעיר יאודה יוסף נסים מניני and הצעיר יששכר כניסי, including accounts with Arabic numerals. C. 18th-19th century. (Information from CUDL)

Business letter to Karo y Frances from Nissim M[...], c. 1800 CE. (Information from CUDL)

Letter in Ladino to Joseph from Isaac in Cairo, mentioning ʿAbd ar-Raḥmān and Marseille (?). Dated 5488 of the Era of Creation (= 1728 CE). (Information from CUDL)

Business letter from Moses Ḥarād (חראד) to Shim'on Frances in Cairo, with European numerals. Dated 167 (5567 of the Era of Creation = 1807 CE). (Information from CUDL)

Letter from Shelomo Cesana & Company to Karo y Frances & Company. In Judaeo-Arabic. Dated: 20 Sivan 5568 AM, which is 15 June 1808 CE. (Information in part from CUDL)

Letter from Bū l-Maḥāsin, in Alexandria, to his mother Sitt Ghazāl bt. Abū ʿAmr, in Fustat. In Judaeo-Arabic. Dating: undated, but there is an Abū l-Maḥāsin b. Sitt Ghazāl (he must have been an orphan or his father unknown, since he is only identified by his mother's name) in T-S K6.149, which Goitein dated to 1165–1203 CE based on the identification of the handwriting with that of Shemuel b. Seʿadya ha-Levi. In this letter, Bū l-Maḥāsin tells his mother about the trouble he encountered when sailing from Cairo to Alexandria. He left Cairo on Friday but could not board the sail-boat because the customs officials would not let him and finally got a ferry to take him over to the boat, where the officials could not see him. He did travel comfortably, however, on the crowded boat during the trip, which took almost a week, arriving in Alexandria on Thursday evening. (Information from Mediterranean Society, I, p. 298; V, p. 329)

Letter from Ibrāhīm b. Farrāḥ, Fustat, to [ ] b. Isḥạq b. ʿAlī Majjānī in Alexandria. Mentions an ullaba (container) holding bible codices, details about a commercial shipment and a discussion with the owner of a boat. He hopes a load with goods will arrive at Majjānī's soon, but remarks that neither the navy nor civilian boats have been able to sail. He adds that Nahray b. Nissim was unable to pay his one dinar to the synagogue for lack of cash. (Information from Mediterranean Society, I, p. 335, and Gil)

Fragment of or postscript to a letter requesting a visit or a letter from the recipient. (Information from Goitein's typed texts)

Letter from Musa b. Abu al-Hayy from Alexandria to Nahray b. Nissim in Fustat. The writer mentions robbery by pirates on two ships carrying merchandise meant for the writer and for others. Dated ca. 1055. (Information from Gil, Kingdom)

Fragment conveying good wishes for the holidays and reporting on the sale of indigo (nil) in al-Mahalla which had been successful but which had been unsuccessful in Minyat Ghamr. The writer is in Ashmum. (Information from Goitein's index cards)

Letter from Abu al-Nasr b. al-Melammed mentioning the impending divorce of his nephew and niece. Abu al-Nasr describes himself as suffering 'dispersion and separation from family and friends' after he traveled from Fustat to Alexandria, where he hoped his mother would join him. He adds that he will spread the fame of his benefactor at warehouses and social gatherings. He also writes that his wife refused to return with him to Alexandria after he had had to flee to and spend some time in Fustat after having gone bankrupt in Alexandria. He now wants to divorce her unless the recipient can restore peace between them. Finally he remarks that he wants to pay the capitation tax.

Letter from Nahray b. Nissim from Fustat to a person in Qayrawan. Around 1045. Mentions galls, Camphor, and shipment of money. Nahray Also expresses his worries for his family in Qayrawan. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 2, #243) VMR

Letter from Nissim b. Yiṣḥaq al-Tahirti in Susa to Abu Zakariyya Hayyim b. `Ammar, who writes about a disaster at sea that overcame the boats, in which was traveling Barhun b. Salih al-Tahirti. The writer fears for his fate. Dated ca. 1052. (Information from Gil)