Geniza Lab

Letter fragment, 20 lines, well preserved. The writer at the beginning of the letter mentions a sale that did not reap any profits (lam yūlij minhā ḥabba wāḥida) and describes his anguish and shame over it (lines 2-4). He then mentions the arrival of a letter on 11th Rabīʿ al-Ākhar and the news of the addressee’s safety joyed him but the affairs that he described saddened him. Another purchase (piece of land?) from Abī l-Tayyīb, who is honored with several words of praise is mentioned. This object of purchase (land?) was then entrusted to Abī Ghālib ( lines 5-11). The apples reached safely but 3 freights were found empty (lines 12-13). The addressee’s wife (al-Ṣaghīra) conveys her greetings and was saddened to hear about his unwellness during the journey but was happy to hear about his well-being and homecoming (lines 14-15). The writer in the last few lines expresses his desire for prompt correspondence from Abī Ghālib either through his messenger or through ʿAbd Allah and assures frequent communication regarding affairs from his side. Needs examination.

Letter from somebody to his brother-in-law Avraham ha-Levi. In Judaeo-Arabic. Of note, the script uses ק for כ and vice versa. Dating: Late. Reused for accounts. Contains regards to and from various family members.

Recto: Letter in Hebrew and Judaeo-Arabic. Addressed to the Nagid or at least someone very important (נזר הנסיאות (sic)). Only the upper left corner is preserved. Verso: Legal document, draft. Involves a dyer, a payment to a wife, and a quarter-house.

Letter in Judaeo-Arabic. Fragment. Mentions a sum of 200 dinars.

Document in Latin script. Needs examination.

Letter fragment, probably. Only the address is preserved. Addressed to Yeḥezqel ha-Kohen ha-Ḥazzan b. Ḥesed. The blank space on the fragment is entirely filled with Hebrew poetry.

Literary letter(s). Copy of the queries that Ḥasan b. Nisi ha-Sofer/ha-Tofer sent to Seʿadya (b. Yosef) Gaon.

Legal formularies. Late.

Letter in Judaeo-Arabic. Only the upper right corner is preserved. Recommends the bearer for charity and mentions the Nagid. Might also mention Yemen. The name Abū Saʿīd ha-Levi appears at the bottom of the right marginal text.

Letter in Hebrew and Judaeo-Arabic. In large, formal script. Only the upper left corner is preserved. Probably a fundraising letter for captives.

Legal document(s) in Judaeo-Arabic. Involves 13 dinars, a trip to Aleppo, Yiṣḥaq b. Shemuel ha-Sefaradi, and Barukh ha-rav ha-Gadol.

Legal document or documents in the hand of Ḥalfon b. Menashshe. Mentions a process of checking the qiyyum (validation of signatures) and the shimmush (court register). Also mentions Yiṣḥaq b. Makhlūf al-Nafūsī and a certain Fahd.

Fragment, 4 lines of a state document in a chancery hand regarding issues pertaining to agriculture "an qad zaraʿ fī l-kufr l-madhkūr thalatha meʾya". Needs further examination.

Business letter from an unknown writer in Damsīs. In Judaeo-Arabic. Dating: Probably 11th century based on the hand and the names mentioned (Barhūn, Nissim, Abū Yūsuf). Needs examination.

Accounts in Arabic script and Greek/Coptic numerals (and maybe some actual Coptic as well?)

Mysterious document in Hebrew script. Accounts? Judaeo-Arabic?

Letter from an unknown writer, perhaps a provincial muqaddam, to an unknown distinguished person, presumably in Fustat. In Judaeo-Arabic with interspersed biblical verses. The writer is defending himself against accusations of high-handedness and perhaps even having his name invoked in the reshut clause of documents and marriage contracts under his jurisdiction. He defends himself at some length and appears to mention Ibn al-Ṭaffāl, conceivably identical with the rival of Moshe b. Levi ha-Levi in the 1190s CE (see FOTM April 2020); however, the hand of this letter does not resemble that of Moshe or his brother Yedutun.

Letter addressed to a distinguished Nasi. In Hebrew and Judaeo-Arabic. Congratulating him on the birth of a son.

Accounts in Judaeo-Arabic. The hand may be known. Dating: Probably 11th or 12th century.

Letter in Hebrew.