Geniza Lab

Upper half of a letter in which the writer expresses his gratitude to his father-in-law, the 'sar' Yehoshuaʿ, for treating him well, and mentions his visit to Soan (Fustat). (Information from Goitein's index cards)

Letter from Shelomo b. Semah, Ramla, to Efrayim b. Shemarya, ca. 1030.

Fragment of a letter sent from Alexandria to the Head of the Congregations, perhaps R. Eliyyahu the Dayyan, describing a meeting of about fifty elders headed by R. Shemuel, the Dayyan and Ras al-Jaliya (the Nasi). Regret is expressed about a letter sent by the Nagid Avraham, and about letters by the addressee (Information from Goitein's index cards) Letter to someone addressed as ‘Adon ha-Tora Sar he-Te'uda Rosh ha-Qahal Yehid ha-Dor', concerned with community matters, sent to the perfumer's market to Abu l-Faraj (?). Mentions people and titles including the Nagid Abraham, Sulayman, Shemuʾel and ‘al-Nasi Shams al-Din Rosh ha-Galut'. (information from CUDL)

Fragment of a lovely family letter sent from Alexandria by Abu Sa'id al-Bazzaz to his brother, Abu al-Barakat b. Yefet, at the shop of Abu al-Fakhr b. al-Mashati in the perfume sellers' market (Suq al-'Attarin), He expresses deep mourning over the death of Abu Nasr and his sister Zayn. (Information from Goitein's index cards)

Effaced letter in which a man informs his mother that the power of attorney she gave him proved to be invalid. He urges her to send him a valid writ, issued by her and by Mahfuz, which gives power of attorney to him, his brother and Abu Sa'id 'Amram ha-Levi b. Moshe. (Information from Goitein's index cards)

Letter, written by a trader before leaving Aden for Nahrawāra, mentioning Abū l-Waḥš, Abū Saʿd, Abū Naṣr, Abū Jacob and the family of Bayt al-Baḥr (house of the sea). On verso there is the address in Arabic script. (Information from CUDL.) See also Goitein notes linked below.

Letter from Eli Ha-Kohen b. Ezekiel, Jerusalem, to Eli Ha-Kohen b. Hayyim, Fustat.

Recto: fragment of a letter mentioning ‘the Nasi of the Exile’. The sender wants the addressee to speak to 'the captives' to take him with them and to give a small amount for the price of a boat. "Your brother Mevorakh" may have helped the sender in the past. Verso: unrelated business accounts in Judaeo-Arabic, listing names and numbers. Dating: Likely 11th century. (Information in part from CUDL)

Middle part of a poorly preserved letter (the beginning, end, and address are lost), probably an invitation or encouragement for a celebrity, Natan ha-Kohen, to come and visit. (Information from Goitein's index cards and Goitein, typed texts)

Partly effaced business letter in which the writer instructs the addressee concerning a purchase and payments to a certain Abu Nasr. (Information from Goitein's index cards)

Fragment of a letter, mentioning Egypt but mostly illegible. Ca. 11th century. (Information from CUDL)

Bill of divorce. Husband: Mevasser b. Shelomo ha-Kohen. Wife: Kalla bt. Menashshe. Dated: Sunday, 3 Elul 1417 Seleucid, which is 1106 CE. Location: Minyat Zifta. The document remains unfinished and unsigned, and so this divorce was not completed. On verso there is a religious poem (rahaṭ), nineteen lines, by Yeḥezqel b. ʿEli ha-Kohen. (Information from CUDL and Goitein’s index card)

Fragments of bills of divorce. T-S 10J3 ff. 2-11. (Information from Goitein’s index card)

Bill of divorce, fragment. The husband's name is not preserved. Wife: Gharb bt. Abū l-M[...] Tamim b. Bishr. Scribed and signed by the court scribe Yosef b. Shemuel b. Seʿadya ha-Levi (c.1181–1209). Also witnessed by Yefet b. Shemuel the teacher. On verso there is a confirmation of receipt, with the same two witnesses. (Information in part from CUDL.)

Bill of divorce. Witnesses are […] b. Yūsuf and Yoseff b. Yeshuʿa. (Information from Goitein’s index card)

Bill of divorce between […] b. Yefet and […] bt. Ṭūviya. (Information from Goitein’s index card)

Part of a geṭ in which [...] divorces his wife, [...] (names not preserved). Dated 1[.]th Sivan [...]7 (= [...]6 CE). Witnessed by [...] b. ʿEli and [...] b. Yefet the teacher (ha-Melammed) ha-Levi. (Information from CUDL.)

Bill of divorce. Witnesses are Yaʿaqov b. Shemuel and Shelomo b. Yosef. (Information from Goitein’s index card)

Fragment of a geṭ. Husband: Name not preserved. Wife: Fakhr bt. Faḍāʾil the Maghrebī. Date not preserved. Witnessed by Menashshe b. Yosef and Mevorakh b. Natan he-Ḥaver (active 1150–81 CE). On verso, confirmation of receipt, witnessed by the same witnesses. (Information from CUDL.)

Bill of divorce, fragment. Husband: Maʿānī b. Khalaf. Wife: Jamīʿ bt. Barakāt (both families are from Minyat Ziftā, Egypt). Dated: Friday, 29 Sivan 1426 Seleucid, which is 1115 CE. Location and names of any witnesses are not preserved. See also nearby fragments T-S 10J3 ff. 2-11, fragments of bills of divorce. (Information from CUDL and Goitein’s index card)