Geniza Lab

A piece of the opening page of the abridgement of the Karaite linguist Abu l-Faraj Harun's "Hidayat al-Qari" (aka Kitab al-Shurut). See the edition by Ilan Eldar (based on Genizah documents), "Mukhtasar Hidayat al-Qari," Leshonenu, 51 (1986–87), pp. 3–41. ASE.

Recto: bottom half of a letter in Ladino from Shemuel Sidi (same as T-S 12.318 and T-S 12.381). Verso: unclear, needs examination. Long list of names, mostly Shimons. ASE.

Late accounts probably in Judaeo-Arabic.

Recto: Geomancy castings. May be related to AIU VII.F.32. Includes two questions about the illness of David b. Esther: Is it earthly or from God? And what medicines will help him? Verso: Astronomical tables depending on Zacut's tables of 1513 described in Goldstein, B.R. and J. Chabás, '"ransmission of computational methods within the Alfonsine corpus: the case of the tables of Nicholaus de Heybech," Journal for the History of Astronomy 39 (2008), pp. 345-55, esp. pp. 354-5 (described). 34 lines. Times of true opposition (full-moon) for each month in the year 1796-97 computed (date expressed as 557). Abraham Zacut (1452-1515) credited on line 1 for the method of determining true oppositions. Information from JRL online catalogue.

Hebrew poetry, late.

Business letter in Judaeo-Arabic from Raḥamim Abzaradel to Moshe ben Naʿim dated 14 September 1827 (22 Elul 5587).

This is the end of a letter. A certain Abu al-Ḥasan is mentioned, though the document provides too little information to identify him. The author also mentions a short document (wurayqa) which is being kept with a man named Shelomo. The verso is blank.

Fragment of a late legal document in which someone, perhaps Faraj Allāh, acknowledges an investment of Venetian gold from Sulaymān Faraḥ.

Late accounts probably in Judaeo-Arabic.

Legal document dated 20 October 1800 (1 Heshvan 5561), Fustat, in which Me'ir ben Naʿim acknowledges an investment of 60 reales, equivalent (?) to 90 silver muayyadis, from Sulṭāna the widow of Yosef Mizraḥī.

Recto: Engagement (shiddukhin) document, dated 18 June 1795 (1 Tammuz 5555), for Moshe b. [left blank] and Sara bt. David Russo. Verso: A geomancy casting; the question is crossed out but may be legible ("Is . . . good for me or not?")

Late accounts in Judaeo-Arabic on lined paper.

Late letter in Judaeo-Arabic fron Nissim Masos (?) to Shimʿon Frances.

Legal document. Testimony in court, between Moshe Sofer and Yitsḥak Sofer. Late.

Late accounts in Judaeo-Arabic.

Late accounts in Judaeo-Arabic.

Late accounts in Judaeo-Arabic.

Letter discussing communal matters, especially income derived from the market place by religious dignitaries. Mentioned are levies imposed for the purchase of new mats (see Gil, Palestine, 2: 743, doc. #400) and oil for the synagogue (notice mention of prayers), an estimate of income which the writer cannot calculate, a weekly revenue of eight dinar, and the market where animals are slaughtered. Avraham b. David, 'the joy of the yeshiva', might refer to Avraham b. David b. Sighmar mentioned with this title in ENA2804.11 (Goitein, Med.Soc.3:183). The letter also mentions the Nasi and ends with profuse expressions of submission. Goitein suggests that the references to the Nasi and the Yeshiva indicate that the letter originated in Fustat (Goitein, Med. Soc., 2:543 note 3). On the verso, there are four lines of greetings possibly in a different hand. This is probably a draft and unconnected to the contents of the recto. Similar expressions are found in other Geniza letters, such as T-S NS 320.9 (Gil, Palestine, 2:388, doc. #211).

Bifolium of accounts in Judaeo-Arabic, including for the years 1760–62 CE (1174–75 Hijri).

Recto: The end of a legal document dated February 1821 CE (middle of Adar I, 5581), Fustat, scribed and signed by Yaʿqov ha-Kohen. Verso: Accounts in Judaeo-Arabic.