Geniza Lab

Letter in Arabic script from Ishaq al-'Asali reporting that he is engaged in Hebrew studies and asking for material support. The question is whether he himself did not know Hebrew writing or if the recipient did not know. Goitein supposes the latter. Information from Goitein's note card. On verso is liturgical text in discrete blocks and neat handwriting.

Ketubba, small fragment. Wide space between the lines. Groom: Elʿazar ha-Kohen.

Business letter in Judaeo-Arabic.

Letter from an unidentifed merchant, in ʿAydhāb. In Judaeo-Arabic. He complains about the tribulations of getting pepper through customs. The qāḍī in Qūṣ apparently issued an unfavorable judgment. The customs farmer (ḍāmin) in ʿAydhāb said "I have not received anything of the customs duties," and he opened up the store-room (makhzan) and sold off an ʿadl of pepper. The letter was abandoned here. See Goitein's attached notes for further analysis.

Fragment of a legal record in the hand of Ḥalfon b. Menashshe (1100–38 CE). Concerning a family dispute. A woman, Maḥfūẓa from the Ḥātimiyya(?) family, had her inheritance from her father taken by her husband, and domestic strife ensued. In this document, the court orders him not to beat or curse his wife, but rather to honour her and provide her with anything that she was rightfully due. (Information from Goitein's note card and CUDL.)

Letter from Jerusalem addressed to Efrayim b. Shemarya (Maḥfūẓ), concerning the revenue from the Compound of the Jerusalemites in Fustat, ca. 1040. This letter is written in Judaeo-Arabic with the address in Arabic script, whereas the great majority of letters written from Jerusalem to Efrayim b. Shemarya, the leader of the Palestinian congregation in Fustat, are in Hebrew. The writer of the letter is not the gaon himself, but somebody in his retinue. Only the left part of the letter is preserved. Apparently, the writer complains that the revenue from "the compound" (by which the compound in Fustat dedicated for the Jerusalemites is obviously meant) did not arrive; nor did they receive an additional sum which used to be sent from Fustat for "the holiday." Since a holiday just past and one in the near future are mentioned, the period is probably between Pesach and Shavu'ot. The situation in Jerusalem is described in gloomy terms. (Information from Gil, Documents, pp. 149 #6)

Letter from Barhun b. Salah al-Tahirti, from Mahdiyya to Nahray b. Nissim, Fustat. Around 1045. Barhun is in the Maghreb and makes business with the people of Qayrawan, Safakus, Tripoli (Libya) and he is planning to travel to Sicily as well. Mentions gems, nuts, and flax. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 3, #328) VMR

Letter from Alexandria by a man to his friend, reporting that he had settled the dispute between Shabbat (the recipient's son-in-law) and his wife (the recipient's daughter) with the help of Shabbat's brothers, and recommending a poor and bashful cantor, who was exiled from Spain. (Information from Mediterranean Society, II, pp. 136, 548; III, pp. 213, 417.) Join: Oded Zinger.

Recto (reuse): Letter from the fledgling cantor [...] b. Shelomo(?) al-Ḥalabī, in Malīj, to his mother, in Fustat (care of Hillel al-Fuqqāʿī in the druggists' market). In Judaeo-Arabic, with some unusual spellings. Dating: After ca. 1110 CE, based on the dating of the other side. The sender traveled from Fustat to Malīj, looking for a judge. He then went on to Shubrā, where he served as cantor, and then Damsīs, where he sang at a wedding. Now he has returned to Malīj. Greetings to family members and to his teacher the cantor. (Information in part from Goitein's note card.)

Verso (original use): Provincial fiscal account concerning the maintenance of the dikes (ʿimārat al-jusūr al-maʿmūra) in the districts of Shubrā and one other by the responsible official (wakīl) ʿAbd al-Karīm b. Naṣrallāh. Dating: Mentions the years 502 and 503 "hilāliyya kharājiyya" ("lunar-fiscal"). ASE. Needs examination.

Beginning of a deathbed will, in the hand of Eliyyahu ha-Kohen b. Shelomo Gaon, between approximately 1065 and 1083.

Accounts in Judaeo-Arabic. Likely 11th century, likely in the hand of a known merchant. Mentions ambergris.

List of commercial goods. In Judaeo-Arabic. Dating: no earlier than 1425 CE. Values given mainly in ashrafīs, also in bunduqīs. Goods include numerous luxury products, some from Yemen.

Booklist? Awaiting description - see Goitein's index card.

Book list written by Yosef Rosh Haseder. Published by Aloni under shelfmark TS NS 94.126

Private accounts written by Nahray b. Nissim. 1058. The person it was written to is unknown. Regarding payments and money tranfers. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 2, #283) VMR

Account (small fragment) of purchases. See Goitein's note card for partial transcription.

Letter from Ayash b. Sdaka, from Alexandria, to Barhun b. Musa al-Tahirti. Aruond 1045. Mentions a disagreement with a person that was supposed to send Ayash goods and money. In addition, Ayash asks what exactly he needs to buy. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 3, #482) VMR

Letter from Nissim b. Ḥalfon, from Damsis, to Nahray b. Nissim, Fustat. Around 1055. The writer expresses his wishes that the addressee will recover from his illness. Also writes about receiving payment for shipments of asphalt and nuts. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 3, #591) VMR

Accounts, it seems a list of loans granted by a broker of the 14th century. Information from Goitein's note card.