Geniza Lab

Court record. Dated: Tammuz 1538 Seleucid, which is July 1227 CE. In which the son of one of two sisters whose father, Bū Mansur b. Abū l-Majd, had died stood surety for his mother who, having received her share, would not make any additional claims against any relative, either in a Muslim or a Jewish court. If the mother should claim anything, all losses caused to the other parties would be borne by her son. (Information from Mediterranean Society, III, pp. 287, 491.) ENA NS 21.18 and T-S 8J6.6 + T-S 10J4.4 are related to the same case.

Business letter from Daniel b. Azarya, in his handwriting, sent from Tyre to Fustat. The letter contains details about the commercial activities of Daniel b. Azarya in Tyre, and was probably written to Avraham ha-Kohen b. Yis'haq b. Furat, Fustat. On the back are lines in Arabic script and then Judaeo-Arabic in very large spacing. (Gil, Palestine, vol. 2, pp.634–35, doc. 347.)

Small piece of paper with only one line of text in which Nethanel b. Sedaqa known as Ibn al-Khzaruni is mentioned. on verso few Hebrew words

In this incompletely preserved contract, Yosef Lebdi provided merchandise worth 460 dinars with which the active partner Khalluf would trade. Lebdi will receive three-quarters of the profits and Khalluf one quarter. The contract is described as mudarabat al-tujjar, a merchants' commenda, which normally provides for a division of two-thirds and one third of the profit. Here the active partner did not make an investment on his side and so his share in the profits was lower.

Letter from Yaʿqūb b. Isḥāq to Abū ʿImrān [...] and perhaps ultimately to the writer's son (li-waladī). In Judaeo-Arabic (for the letter) and Arabic script (for the address). The writer complains about his distance from his family and his financial straits and inquires about the well-being of his relatives, especially the old woman: "Has she recovered from the illness of her eyes? Has she started to make out things from a distance or from nearby?" Verso: Apart from the address of the letter on recto, there is a second letter, written in Arabic script. Perhaps the response. Needs further examination. ASE

Legal document draft leaving the date blank, written by Avraham b. Yiṣḥaq ha-Talmid. On verso part of a rough draft record of testimony by Avraham b. Yiṣḥaq Ha-Talmid. Contains the trustee stipulation for a woman, and the end of the stipulation regarding the wife's earnings. The husband is taking upon himslef not to marry another wife, nor to act violently against his wife. Written by Avraham b. Aharon ha-mumhe.

Letter from Khalaf b. Yiṣḥaq, in Aden, to Ḥalfon b. Netanel ha-Levi, in ʿAydhāb. In Judaeo-Arabic. Dating: ca. 1131 CE. Ḥalfon was probably en route back to Fustat from Yemen. Khalaf asks him to distribute gifts to the dignitaries and to deliver some letters. Khalaf discovered that he owes Ḥalfon a quarter dinar. Mentions items that he told Ḥalfon to purchase for Maṣliaḥ Gaʾon. Khalaf also asks Ḥalfon to apologize on his behalf to two cantors in Fustat for not having responded to their letters. (Information from Goitein and Friedman, India Book IV; Hebrew description below.)

Letter, fragmentary, in which the writer complains that a woman's outfit was incomplete and asks for money to buy flour. (Information from Goitein's index cards)

Legal document in the hand of Ḥalfon b. Menashshe (Date: 1100-1138). Fragment (upper right corner). In which Ṣedaqa ha-Meshorer ('the singer/poet') makes a declaration in favor of [...] b. Shemuel ha-Levi. Ṣedaqa ha-Meshorer is presumably Ṣedaqa b. Ṣemaḥ known from documents such as T-S 8.131 and Bodl. MS heb. d 66/7. No details of the present case are preserved.

Business letter sent from Alexandria by Avraham b. Farah to Yaʿaqov b. Avraham. The writer describes the difficult situation, probably in North-Africa, and writes about a merchant who had been lost on the road and almost died before he was found and brought to a ship. He also describes the movement of ships and merchandise in Alexandria and mentions taxes. Dated June 20, 1054. (Information from Gil)

Business letter sent from Alexandria by Avraham b. Farah to Yaaqov b. Avraham

Letter mentioning sums of money, the qadi, the qayyim, and Sulayman the khadim (FGP)

Letter mentioning sums of money, the qadi, the qayyim, and Sulayman the khadim.

Commercial letter, partly in Judaeo-Persian, partly in Arabic script. Well-preserved and clearly written; this is the right-half of the document. Lines 1, 15, 16, 18, and 21-24 on recto are in Arabic script, as are lines 19-31 on verso. Line 3 of recto mentions סנג מצר. The city of Shūshtar, in Iran, is mentioned twice: in line 8 of recto and in line 6 of verso. (Information from Goitein’s index card.) The letter is labeled "L12" in Shaul Shaked's (unpublished) classification of Early Judeo-Persian texts. OH

Letter from Abū Is[ḥāq?] to his father Abū l-Ḥasan ʿEli b. Hillel. Written in the hand of Ḥalfon b. Menashshe, the addressee's brother-in-law. Discusses various business and family matters, including a potential marriage and the writer's anger at the addressee. Someone has ophthalmia (r16) and a certain girl "went mad" when she heard something (r23)—perhaps the prospect of marrying Faḍā'il. The addressee is asked to send wheat urgently (v3, v7). ASE

Letter from Yusha` b. Natan to Nahray b. Nissim.

Letter addressed to Abū l-Ṭāhir al-ʿAṭṭār (the druggist). In Judaeo-Arabic. Dating: Probably 12th century. Concerning the India trade. Giving details about 15 or so spices and their prices in Fustat. The writer first assures the addressee that his children are well and that many people are traveling from Fustat. He orders a couple mystery items: רבע פילס נרזד and גוז אצטראמי טואל. Information from Goitein's attached notes.

Letter from Salah b. Daud, probably from Tinnis, to Nissim b. Ḥalfon b. Bnaya. Around 1057. Regarding the difficulties to sell indigo, which the writer received probably from Fustat, because the merchants from Alexandria are flooding the market with indigo. Also mentions a check for 60 dinars. It seems like the letter was written in the time of the famine in Egypt and people advised the writer not to travel to Fustat. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 4, #784) VMR

Accounts of ʿArūs b. Yūsuf. In Judaeo-Arabic. "Detailed and important." See also ENA NS 22.21. Information from Goitein's note card.

Letter sent by Yaʿaqov b. Nissim to his brother Abu al-Khayr. The letter contains an account for raw Susa cloth, sent from Fustat to another town for treatment, 12 dirhams, plus 2 dirhams for the bearer, all paid in advance by the writer, who asks the recipient not to deliver the cloth to the proprietor before he had settled the bill. (Information from Mediterranean Society, IV, pp. 178, 179, 408)