Geniza Lab

Communal accounts. For Yaʿqūb and Badr. Perhaps from a place other than Fustat. Thursday collection (pesiqa). See Med Soc II, App. A, section 159. (Information from Goitein's index card.)

Letter from Nissim b. Khalfūn b. Benaya to Abū Isḥāq Barhūn b. Mūsā al-Tāhirtī. In Judaeo-Arabic with the address in both Judaeo-Arabic and Arabic script. Needs examination.

Popular poetry written in a mixture of Arabic script and Judaeo-Arabic on the subject of a man addicted to the love of singing women (ʿishq al-maghānī, pl. of mughaniyya), and who is bankrupt (muflis) and fond of beer (mizr). Same poem as in T-S NS 324.68. The refrain is: وما تدع عنك عشق المغاني.

Medical prescription in Arabic script. For a topical remedy. Written in an unusually beautiful hand and formatting, with the ingredients arranged in a list rather than a paragraph. On verso, the instructions for how to compound it and use it. Mentions "istiʿmāl al-iṭrīfal." It should be used for three days, at the same time on each day. Needs further examination.

Accounts in Judaeo-Arabic. Involving the synagogue. Late.

Recto: Letter from Ṭurfa, in Fustat, to her sister Esther in the house of Subayʿ (?), unknown location. In Judaeo-Arabic. Dating: No earlier than 1422 CE, based on the mention of the currency ashrafī. The writer conveys her concern when she heard that the addressee and her children were sick, and she has sent her 10 ashrafīs with ʿAbdallāh the son of the maternal uncle of Esther's husband. Verso: Response from Esther confirming receipt of the money and begging for news of everyone in the family.

Responsum regarding polygyny. Only the relevant passages in this responsum are brought in this work.

Recto: Informal note (ruqʿa). In Arabic script. Perhaps containing detailed orders of payment--consists almost entirely of sums of money and begins with the word "yaṣil." Verso: Informal note. In Judaeo-Arabic. Addresed to Yaʿaqov ha-Ḥazzan. Asking him to speak to various people on behalf of the writer, including Ḥasan and ʿAqbān. All those people are to pay what they owe (? mā rusima bihi) (referring to recto?) to Abū ʿAlī who will deliver the money to the writer.

Letter from a Ifrīqiyan merchant writing from Alexandria to Nahray b. Nissim (Fustat) in which the writer outlines his problems with the capitation tax and notes that after Nahray’s intervention he paid two dinars this year, which he would not have minded, if other had been treated in the same way. Furthermore, “the tax-gatherers (ḥushshār, “ralliers”) and the director of the jaliya are not to blamed; all this is entirely the work of the Jews.” The opening formulae of the letter is preceded by the basmala in Aramaic-Hebrew form: בשמך רחמנא כתאבי אטאל אללה בקא מולאי (In Your name, O Merciful One, my letter, may God prolong the life of my master). (Nahray, 118; S. D. Goitein, Mediterranean Society, 2:385, 611; and Esther-Miriam Wagner, “The Weakening of the Bourgeoisie,” in From a Sacred Source: Genizah Studies in Honour of Professor Stefan C. Reif,” ed. Ben Outhwaite and Siam Bhayro, Brill, 2010, 345-6) EMS

Legal testimony. Marriage permit. Location: Cairo. Dated: 1 Tevet 1500 Seleucid, which is 1188/89 CE. Under the reshut of the Gaon Sar Shalom ha-Levi. Witnesses: [...] and Netanel b. Yosef ha-Kohen. The witnesses attest that there is no relationship that would prohibit the marriage of Abū Naṣr b. Mevorakh and Sitt al-Khāṣṣa bt. Abū l-Maʿālī b. Mevorakh b. Yaḥyā.

Esoteric instructions for the uses of animal products. To protect yourself from frights and madness and devils: hang a chicken's gizzard stone on your person. If a man applies the fat of a black hen to his penis and sleeps with a woman, she will fall in love with him. A cure for migraines: goose bile mixed with violet oil (to be snorted). For urinary stones: goose blood mixed with water and salt (to be drunk). Snakeskin is good both against hemorrhoids and for enhancing your vision.

Letter from Khalaf b. Ghanīma, probably in Alexandria, to 'my brother' Bū Yaʿqūb b. Nissim, in Fustat. In Judaeo-Arabic. The writer reports that he went to the Rīf to purchase a julla (? גלה) for the addressee, but the cheapest available would have been 3 or 4 dinars. He entered Alexandria with the julla he already had and obtained new gold for the addressee. He went back to the Rīf looking for the julla. He brought the donk[ey?] to the addressee's house (in Alexandria?). The wife and the boy are healthy. The boy had an attack of ophthalmia but it subsided. The writer sends regards to the addressee's maternal uncle Bū Saʿīd. He adds a postscript on verso: "After writing this letter, I went to the Rīf" apparently to buy wheat, but it was too expensive, so he didn't buy any. ASE.

Bill of divorce formulary or draft. Location: Fustat. Dateable perhaps to the eleventh or twelfth centuries. Line one was left incomplete and undated perhaps as draft or formulary. Line two mentions a husband's name Masʿūd b. Yosef b. Nissim. The wife is named Sayyida. This document represents a rare instance in which a husband notes that he himself has drawn up the bill of divorce (ll. 12-13). MCD. ASE.

Letter fragment in Judaeo-Arabic. Dating: Looks 14th c or later based on the hand, but this is a guess. Written in a high register, with rhymes, biblical quotations, and frequent allusions to light and purity. Most of it seems to consist of praises for the addressee. Possibly a letter of appeal for charity or help. Might mention Hebron (al-Khalīl) a few lines from the bottom. There are a few words in Arabic script at the bottom.

Letter from Nissim b. Ḥalfon, from Damsis, to Nahray b. Nissim, Fustat. Around 1055. The writer deals with cloths and scarves for Nahray. Also mentions money delivery and asks Nahray to check it, weigh it, and write its account. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 3, #590) VMR

Letter from Avraham b. Abi al-Hayy, from Alexandria, to his brother Musa. Around 1075. The writer describes his difficulties, especially financially, as he depends on the wheat and money that Musa sends him. Their sister, Garba, needs help as well to have the products she needs for weaving. Avraham is a teacher for young children and the payments are small and not constant, and he is missing several books. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 3, #472) VMR

Letter in Judaeo-Arabic. The writer reports that he still has to rest in the house for several days after every one day in the market. He was saddened to hear about the addressee's trouble (shaʿath, likely an illness) on his journey. But when he heard that the addressee had not yet sold the merchandise that is with him, he rejoiced even more than he was pained at the bad news, evidently because he wants to seize the chance to make better business arrangements. He mentions Yūsuf b. Ayyūb in the margin. He eagerly awaits the response. On verso there are some lines of Arabic poetry.

Recto: Looks like a leaf from a qāḍī court ledger. Copies of two documents are preserved, with signatures. Needs examination. On verso there is a letter in Judaeo-Arabic (see separate record).

Verso: Letter in Judaeo-Arabic from Yūsuf to his 'brother.' The writer reports that he obtained from Abū l-Faraj 20 dirhams nuqra and discusses several further transactions.

Recto: Letter/petition in Arabic script to a qāḍī (al-majlis al-sāmī al-ajallī al-qaḍāʾī al-shamsī). The sender's name is given at the top but is tricky to read (al-mamlūk al-aṣghar Abū l-[...]). There is a large upper margin. The hand appears late, but this is tentative. The sender only gets to the substance of the petition in the last preserved line (wa-siwāhu inna muʿrīḍ(?) hādhih al-khidma al-shaykh al-jalīl Abū l-[...]...." On verso are Hebrew poems, at least one of which is by Yehuda ha-Levi.