Geniza Lab

Accounts in Arabic script, with expenses broken up according to day of the week. Written on one page of a bifolium, otherwise containing morning benedictions. (Information in part from CUDL.)

Literary - recommend suppress

colophon; ביד אלחזן אלבגדאדי AA

A letter sent to a dayyan informing him about what was agreed upon in Cairo. He mentioned that Sar ha-sarim Nagid ha-Negidim (titles usually kept for Mevurakh b. Saadya, was in office 1094-1111) has arrived and asked for an answer regarding R. Masliah. It is less likely that Masliah b. Shlomo Gaon is referred here (He arrived to Egypt around 1127), however this assumption should be taken as an option and required further examination.

Verso: List of names in Arabic script. Official/state related? "ʿĀmir b. Nāṣir in place of ʿUmar b. Salmān... Muḥammad b. Mūsā... ʿĪsā b. ʿIyāl(?)..."

Private account by Yeshua b. Isma’il al-Makhmuri. Around 1058. Contains details about different expenses for shipments in Fustat and Rashid as well as packaging expenses. Mentions different goods: pearls, ruby, felt, and lacquer. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 3, #323) VMR

Declaration of a father and husband, testifying that he had not married anyone before the mother of his first-born and that he had not sired a child before this one. Written by Ḥalfon b. Menashshe (ca. 1100-1138). (Information from Mediterranean Society, III, p. 279)

The main text on this bifolio consists of instructions about blessings to recite on different occasions (including שככה לו בעולמו upon the sight of beautiful paintings or statues). There are then 3 lines of Arabic script. The first 2 lines are a writing exercise, incorporating all the letters of the alphabet (طرقت شموس فظل ذا جزع *** خبلا حديثك نصه غض). Cf. T-S Ar.30.243 for a similar Arabic exercise, and blog.nli.org.il/writing_lesson/ for the Hebrew equivalent (haqeṣ ʿaṣel). The next line appears to be a jotting of accounts for three different grocery items (the last is lentils), with Greek/Coptic numerals underneath (perhaps 13.5 written each time).

Very damaged Arabic letter- needs examination.

Bible. On verso one line with the name Ishaq b. Musa

Letter in the hand of the professional scribe Shelomo b. Shemuel b. Seʿadya (fl. early 13th century). In Judaeo-Arabic. Possibly a draft. He is reporting on his progress completing various commissions. He has "fulfilled the rights..." of "the noble Majlis," and he has sent with the Parnas Abū l-Najm 18 quires (kurrās/karārīs) out of the two volumes (al-juzʾayn) in his possession. He has had difficulty in buying parchment for the purpose which he had previously mentioned to the addressee. He asks 'Sayyidnā' to send an advance of 25 dirhams toward the price of the quires (the remainder of the price of the two volumes to be paid upon completion). The only reason he has not finished before Rosh Hashana is that he has been exerting himself trying to find parchment. There follows another similar update on a different project. On verso there is liturgical text (the birkat ha-mazon for weekdays) in the same hand. ASE

Remains of Text in Arabic script on verso

Literary - recommend suppress

Minute fragment' very dark, with few words from an Arabic document.

Marriage contract for two enslaved people, both born into slavery (muwallad(at) al-jins), Muwaffaq and Dhahab. In Arabic script. Excerpt: ...انه زوج مملوكه موفق المولد الجنس لمملوكته ذهب المولدة الجنس ايضا... مبلغه ربع دينار دفعه هذا المولا.... On verso reused for the Passover Haggada. Needs further examination. ASE

Arabic list on verso - needs examination.

Formal letter in Arabic script. Dating: Perhaps 12th or 13th century based on handwriting. From ʿAbdallāh b. [...]. He reports that he has obeyed the addressee's order (imtathala al-mamlūk al-marsūm) and investigated the matter of Ibrāhīm b. [...]. Then mentions "for the treatment of the eye (li-mudāwāt al-ʿayn).

On recto there are morning benedictions. On verso there are several lines of Arabic script in a calligraphic but childish hand. Needs examination.

On recto end of a Judeao Arabic letter. On verso fragment from a Bill of Consent- ab acknowledgment of debt by the banker son of Nethan'el

Recto: The ends of two lines from an official letter (report or petition). Verso: Accounts in Arabic script.