Geniza Lab

Notes in the hand of Ḥalfon b. Menashshe. Mainly lists of names, numbers, and days of the week. Unclear significance.

Letter fragment. In Judaeo-Arabic. Dating: Ca. 1107 CE, since Ṣāʿid al-Dimashqī appears also in T-S 13J2.15 from that year. The sender of this letter gives a report about "the stone" (al-ḥajar). He went to Ṣāʿid al-Dimashqī and asked him [...]. Then he went to see Ḥusayn b. Rosh ha-Qahal, who was with a customer of his, and [...]. The sender told Ḥusayn that the stone belonged to Rabbenu [...]. Then they weighed it "without nafaḍ" and it came out to [...]. On verso there is a talmudic discussion written in a similar hand.

A copy of a legal document about inheritance, probably the copy to be kept in court. Name mentioned: Shmuel

Deed of betrothal (erusin). In the hand of Ḥalfon b. Menashshe. Location: Fustat. Dated: [13]45 Seleucid, which is 1133/34 CE, under the authority of Maṣliaḥ Gaon. The right half of recto and the left half of verso are missing. The families are eminent, as nearly everyone's name is followed by the honorific "ha-Sar ha-Nikhbad." The fiancé: Avraham. Another man mentioned: Netanʾel b. Ahuv (perhaps the same as Netanʾel b. Ahuv ha-Kohen in T-S 12.567). There is an agent named Abū l-Fakhr. The fiancé gives a silver ring. (Information from Amir Ashur's edition, where there are more potential identifications of the parties.)

Legal document in the hand of Ḥalfon b. Menashshe. Fragment (lower right corner). Concerning a divorce. Mentions something (the bill of divorce? the ketubba payment?) given to Elʿazar (her agent?). Dated 1127-1138. under the authority of Masliah Gaon.

A late list of names and amounts

Letter in Arabic script. Last 4–5 lines only, with greetings to all of 'our colleagues' (aṣḥābnā). On verso there is an unidentified text in Hebrew script.

Mixed Arabic and Hebrew characters - needs examination.

Probably a memorandum or account

Arabic - needs examination.

Arabic - needs examination.

Deed of betrothal (erusin). In the hand of Ḥalfon b. Menashshe (dates: 1100–38). Drawn up under the authority of Maṣliaḥ Gaon (dates: 1127–39). Fiancée: Malka, a divorcee. Her brother is her agent. Possibly witnessed by [Natan b. Shelom]o ha-Kohen. (Information from Ashur's edition.)

Arabic - needs examination.

Unidentified

Fragment of a betrothal deed written by Halfon b. Menashshe Halevi (Date: 1100-1138). The groom is Levi b. Halfonץ The early instalment is 5 dinars and the late is 10.

Minute fragment. Bottom part from a legal deed signed by Halfon b. Menashshe Halevi (Date: 1100-1138). On the lower margin a mirror imprint of another text

Letter possibly in the hand of Yefet b. Menashshe ha-Levi. 8 partial lines are preserved. Rubbed and faded. Mentions a Sar Shalom who is dead. Appeals to the manliness (muruwwa) of the addressee.

Minute fragment from an opening of a legal deed written by Halfon b. Menashshe Halevi (Date: 1100-1138)

Minute fragment from a legal deed written by Halfon b. Menashshe Halevi (Date 1100-1138). Name mentioned: Efraim

Medical recipes, including one for ophthalmia (ramad al-ʿaynayn), which uses verdigris (zinjār) and arsenic (zirnīkh). The recipe on verso uses billy goat bile (marārat tays).