Geniza Lab

Damaged fragment of a dirge

Torn fragment from a bill of release between Ibrahim and Abu Muna in Cairo, regarding expenses for burial (shrouds). AA

Letter from an unidentified merchant to Abū Saʿīd al-ʿAfṣī. In Judaeo-Arabic. The sender reports on a shipment that he has sent with Jaʿfar: 62 wax moulds (qālib) weighing 51 1/2 raṭls in addition to 2 1/4 manns of violets (zahr banafsaj). With the proceeds from the sale of the wax, the addressee should purchase brazilwood (baqqam). If the violets sell for 1/2 dinar a mann or more, the addressee should use the proceeds to purchase costus (qusṭ) or high-quality brazilwood (this reading is not certain, as the first letter is missing). If the violets fetch less than that, then the addressee should hold on to the money. The Jaʿfar mentioned here is likely identical with the ship owner mentioned in Bodl. MS heb. a 3/19 (India Book II32). He was evidently Muslim; nothing else is known of him. The addressee, Abū Saʿīd al-ʿAfṣī, is known from numerous documents, including several in India Book II. AA. ASE.

Fragment from a letter sending regards to people.

Beginning of an informal letter in Judaeo-Arabic. It reads, "They sent the little paper for al-Shaykh al-Asʿad al-Levi the cantor, the son of R. Shelomo. If he comes to you, show him this paper. . . ." On verso there is a memorial list for two families. AA. ASE.

Damaged letter, probably concerning business.

Minute fragment. One Arabic word on recto. Two fragmentary names on verso (Avraham b. Shl[...] and Yosef b. Hal[fon?]

Account

See PGP 24113

Few words from an opening of a letter to a notable

Letter from Yosef to his brother Elʿazar aka Abū Manṣūr b. Abū l-Surūr. In Judaeo-Arabic. Dating: Likely 12th or 13th century. Fragment (upper part of recto). Yosef complains about his weakness and poverty and worries. Greetings from [Abū] l-Surūr, from the sender's maternal uncle Abū Saʿd and his wife and Isḥāq. On verso the sender seems to complain about a lack of news: he heard something about a marriage, a (newborn?) boy, Sitt al-Kull, and Daniel, but was not informed. He ends the letter, "Do not blame me, for my vision is weak."

Probably a bill of release from [Avra]ham b. Imran. Torn and faded. AA

A letter, torn on top and bottom, referring to the 'the kohen, the teacher, Sulayman b. Yosef'. AA

Letter from Mevasser b. David (Tinnis) to Nahray b. Nissim (Fustat), ca. 1052. Mevasser b. David appears to have recently arrived from the Maghreb (al-Mahdiya). The letter is largely about sending and receiving correspondence. The writer congratulates Nahray b. Nissim on the latter’s marriage. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 4, p. 292.)

Very torn legal deed written by Halfon b. Menashshe Halevi (Date: 1100-1138), regarding a house, probably as part of inheritance of the widow of Abu al-Tahir (?). Names mentioned: Nethanel, Abu al-Wafa. AA

Small and very faded fragment from a letter, probably written by Yefet b. Menashshe Halevi.

Two copies of possibly the same legal deed. In the hand of Halfon b. Menashshe ha-Levi (1100–38 CE). Settlement of a dispute over a husband's support for his wife during his absence. The parallel text between the two fragments begins with אן יפרץ להא (line 10 of T-S NS 225.17b and line 3 of T-S NS 225.17a).

Torn fragment from a legal deed.

Fragment from a letter, sending regards to various people among them the Head of the Diaspora

Torn fragment of a legal deed regarding a mount of money to be paid to Abu al-Faraj, The date is not preserved. Few words from the reshut formula are preserved, so we can date it to 12th century to the earliest. AA