Geniza Lab

Document in rudimentary script naming sums of money to be paid for a period of time in the year '52, using the Islamic calendar.

Recto: Fragment of a document in Arabic script, probably a letter. The last line reads والحمد لله وحده وصلوات على سيدنا محمد وصحبته. In different ink and handwriting, there is what may be an address: to al-muʿallim D[...] from his servant [Bek?] Muḥammad. Verso (and a few words on recto): Hebrew piyyut.

4 pages of accounts in Hebrew, late, possibly to do with the flax business (see page 4) naming currencies such as Gerushim, Ducados, and something Turkish (? 'טורכי).

Several legal attestations in Hebrew, perhaps from a court ledger, in multiple handwritints, regarding the dispute between Yosef Kalido (?) and David Leon, who were in the securities ("polisas") business. David Leon transfered to Yosef Kalido a debt owed by Yosef Shunina (the Talmudic term "apoteiki" is used here, but seems to refer to Kalido himself rather than to assets designated as repayment). There was also a dispute between Yosef Shunina and Makhlūf Mayo (?), likewise regarding polisas. The plot thickens here, and more characters are introduced, including Eliezer Benveniste and Yosef de Leon. The settlements reached appear on verso in statements introduced by "I the undersigned, by the power vested in me. . . ." which sounds like a European documentary formula. The date Friday, 17 Elul appears, but the year (if given) is difficult to parse—may be gematriya. ASE

Recto: Accounts of some kind in Arabic script (for instance see the word danānīr at the upper left of the second entry). Verso: Genesis 32:4.

Recto: Document in Arabic script, probably an account. Verso: Hebrew Halakhic work.

Recto: Tiny fragment of a document in large Arabic script. Verso: Accounts in Judaeo-Arabic in an extremely rudimentary hand.

Fragment of a late legal document in Hebrew detailing financial transactions. Mentions 181 peraḥim that were detained with the consul; a certain Hayyim; a total sum of 971 peraḥim; and Sunday, the 29th of Kislev of the previous year.

Late accounts in Arabic, reused for Hebrew commentaries on different portions of Genesis.

Fragment from the history of Netira and his sons, as was told by Natan b. Yishak ha-Bavli, from “Akbar Baghdad”. (Information from Gil, Kingdom. Vol. 2, #11). VMR

Small portion of a marriage document listing the elements of a dowry in Judaeo-Arabic.

Original document: Acounts in Arabic, mentioning aṣḥāb al-dār and a qāḍī. Reused for a list in Judaeo-Arabic of the clothing belonging to someone, perhaps for legal purposes.

Probably a fragment of a court ledger from Fustat, including three records dated November 1719 (Kislev 5480). The first is marriage-related; the second is a betrothal document; the third is some sort of financial arrangement. (1) Names Shemuel Neḥemias the acquaintance of Avraham and the widow Confrada (?) bt. Avraham Mizraḥī. (2) The groom-to-be is Yiṣḥaq Afiya (?) and the bride-to-be is Kabīra (?) bt. Gabriel Amarillo of Crete (Candia). (3) Names Yaʿaqov Yo'av and Ḥava the wife of David ha-Levi Ṭorina (?).

Accounts in Hebrew, mentioning silk and olives among other goods.

Recto: Perhaps a donations list: names in Judaeo-Arabic and corresponding quantities. Verso: Nehemiah 9:6 followed by several lines in Arabic.

Recto: A very formal letter (resembling a legal document or legal query) to an authority in Fustat, regarding the daughter of [...] ha-Levi, known as Ghazāl, who is betrothed to Eliyya Marṭūb. A certain Moshe has been maligning the reputation of Eliyya's fiancee. The writers of the letter are very upset and wish the addressee to investigate the situation and to punish Moshe as necessary. Dated "vihi ka-zayiT hoDo" (Hosea 14:7), which likely means 1643/4 CE (5404). Verso: An account or donation list using western Arabic numerals. A Hayyim Vital appears, but the date excludes the famous one.

Draft of a letter from Ishaq Sholal (d. 1524) to the yeshiva in Jerusalem. In Hebrew. Published by Avraham David in Cathedra 68, pp. 43–48. He has received their letters and has heard about the renewal of a certain controversy, and opines that the controversy remains groundless.

Fragment of either a letter or a legal testimony (or both, one on each side) regarding various sums of money.

Letters of recommendation for an unnamed man, drawn up by the Sephardic community of Vienna in 1861. This man was from Mosul (Nineveh) and brought with him his own letters of recommendation, for which this is a replacement. He suffers from poverty and illness, and he was robbed in his lodging when he entered the borders of Hungary. There are three different notes sharing the page; the first two urge all who meet him to extend charity to him. (The third note is somewhat obscure and needs further examination.) The first note is signed by Aharon b. Eliyyahu, Yehuda b. Yaʿaqov, and [...] b. Shimʿon. The second note was written by the Sephardic rabbi, Reuven Barukh (served 1846–74). He signed in Hebrew and Latin script, and stamped the document with his seal. ASE.

Recto: Document in Arabic script, headed with a basmala and a note including a blessing for somebody (ṣalawāt allāh ʿalayhi), followed by many lines of sums of money, written out in words. At the bottom is another note mentioning a payment to dīwān al-majlis al-[...]. Needs further examination. There is also one line of Hebrew, added later. Verso: In brown ink, a string of blessings for some sort of dignitary. At the bottom, in black ink, two more lines including the name Avraham b. Aharon.