Geniza Lab

Business letter. In Judaeo-Arabic. Dating: Probably no earlier than 14th century, based on the language. Deals in part with business in wine, with an interesting passage: "I was left a quarter of a human being. The smell of the wine was wafting, and the goy said. . . " Needs further examination.

Letter in Judaeo-Arabic. Late. From Abū Saʿd(?) to Moshe, Yaʿaqov and Avraham. Mentions various business matters. There is an unusual simile at the top of verso, in which the sender apparently compares himself to a diver who will drown if his arms fail him. He then lists his weekly expenses (or perhaps these are orders?), including for meat, soap, a mantle, coal, firewood, rent, and wine. Needs further examination.

Letter from Shelomo Abū l-Khayr to his cousin (ibn ʿamm) ʿAlāʾ. In Judaeo-Arabic, with a couple words that look European. Late. Reporting on family and business matters. "Bābā" visited the sender for the holiday. Needs further examination.

Letter from קלדה the wife of Meir Ṭaras(?) to דייצה the wife of Avraham Ḥalafta(?). In Ladino. Needs examination.

Letter from an unknown writer, in Rashīd, to Yaʿaqov Malikī, in Fustat/Cairo. In Judaeo-Arabic. Needs examination.

Account in Judaeo-Arabic and Coptic numerals. Mainly lists foods and materia medica: emblic, barberry, olibanum, hazelnut, coriander, קטונה (legumes?), saffron, a syrup of נופר(?), and banana leaf.

Letter draft from the wife of a drunkard to "sayyidnā." In Judaeo-Arabic, beautifully written. She reports that her husband took her belongings, demanded from her more; hit her with something unmentionable (his shoe); she had already once sent to the Nagid when he threatened to kill her in the evening. When her mother came on Sabbath, he demanded that she pay his capitation tax (jāliya); threatened to beat the mother so that she would be ill. His parents encourage him to beat her. Finally she left the house Saturday night. He had already taken from her 4 dinars and bought wine. Information from Goitein's note card.

Marriage document. Small fragment from the top of a ketubah, as is evident from the large, decorative phrases opening with בשם אל עולם, commonly found at the top of ketubot. In l.2: אשר לא יספר (Genesis 32:13). Someone, probably a school child, used the blank spaces to copy what looks like Biblical verses in a very childish and crude hand. Hebrew. AA

Marriage contract. Dated: 5579 AM, which is 1818/19 CE. Groom: Raḥamim ואפה(?). Bride: Marḥaba bt. Yaʿaqov מניצר(?). Currencies: real, medin.

Letter from the community of Jerusalem to the gabbay and treasurer of כארכוך (=Kirkuk?). In Hebrew. Dated: Adar 5603 AM, which is 1843 CE. This is a letter on behalf of the envoy (shaliaḥ) Yaʿaqov Aharon Cur[i]el. "The writers reproach the local leaders of Karkukh for not giving any money to their envoy (שלוחא דרבנן), whose name is written there in big letters — Ya’akov Aharon Koral — who came to the city to collect money for Jerusalem three months ago and was left empty handed. They accuse them of neglecting the holy city, against the tradition, and of not keeping their promises." Information from https://medium.com/@judaicadh/talking-the-talk-pretty-signatures-4e2f861cc4b4.

Pen trials, notes, and a drawing. In Persian and Judaeo-Persian. The least-faded text block reads in part, "I am the ẓaʿir Refa'el b. Ḥanuka(?). I wrote this. . . the month of Adar 5559 AM," which is 1799 CE.

Letter from a man to his son Shelomo Skandari. In Hebrew. Dating: End of the 16th century, according to Avraham David. The addressee spent time in Rosetta and Alexandria (l. 6). The sender complains about the lack of letters (ll. 7–8). The addressee also appears in MS 9160, fol. 1, MS 9160, fol. 8, and Moss. VII,20.1. (Information from A. David's edition via FGP.)

Letter from Yiṣḥaq to Avraham Krispin. In Ladino. Mentions Yiṣḥaq de Curiel. Needs examination

State document. Chancery hand, wide space between the lines. The beginnings of 3 lines are preserved: في ظهرها... والروزنامجات... انفاذها لانك

Letter to one of the communal leaders in Egypt (FGP)

Letter addressed to 'the dear brother' Hārūn. In Judaeo-Arabic. Rudimentary hand, with interesting (late) spellings. Mentions Yiṣḥaq Sāsī. Needs further examination.

Letter, possibly a draft, from a man to his family members Moshe and דאני(?). The relationship is unclear: at one point he addresses "my father" and at another point "my brothers." In Judaeo-Arabic. Dating: Late. The currency שרפי is mentioned in the last line, which is probably the Ottoman sharīfī (first minted 1520 CE) but could also be the Mamlūk ashrafī (first minted 1425 CE). The western Arabic numerals on verso would support a later date. Nearly the entire letter is a moving description of the death of the sender's newborn boy, who did not even live long enough to be circumcised, and the sender's grief for "the noble creature" (khalīqa sharīfa). His heart burns; his eyes are damaged from copious weeping; he has no mind; he cries as he writes this letter. He may also say that he is near death himself. "Every time you wake up a little, and think on the little one, you cry and relapse." He complains about the lack of letters from the addressees. He hopes that Barakāt will stay with him instead of going to them ("if he leaves me, I will go mad"). In the next part, he might remind them to continue sending wheat. On verso there are jottings and accounts in Judaeo-Arabic and what look like western Arabic numerals.

Letter from a merchant to his business partner. Mid-11th century. Regarding a journey to Spain, the Sultan’s ship, and some information about the wheat’s price. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 4, #803) VMR

Engagement (shiddukhin) contract. In Hebrew. Dated: 1 Tamuz 5569 AM, which is 1809 CE. Groom: Yaʿaqov ha-Levi Istanbuli b. Shemuel. Bride: Sara bt. Moshe Condiote. Currency: real. Verso: Note in Arabic script.

Letter from Mūsā Mosseri. In Judaeo-Arabic. Dating: Probably 18th or 19th century. Verso: Accounts in Judaeo-Arabic.