Geniza Lab

Letter fragment in Judaeo-Arabic.

Recto: End of a letter in Judaeo-Arabic. Refers to a gathering that took place at the home of "Sayyidnā" on Shabbat, where the addressee's name came up. Abū l-Surūr and Abū Yaʿqūb are mentioned, followed by pious blessings. Same handwriting as T-S NS 236.10 + T-S NS J407. On verso there is a list of medical simples, including saffron, sugar, aloe, camphor, honey, and alum (this description might belong with a different fragment; it does not seem to match the handful of mysterious words in Hebrew script that actually appear on verso). (Information from CUDL)

Letter from Faraḥ b. Ismāʿīl (not necessarily the same as the 11th-century merchant) to Ḥanokh (?) b. Avraham. Contains very detailed orders for materia medica and other specialized commodities.

Letter from Salāma Ḥāmī, Jerusalem, to Yeshuʿa Ḥāmī, Fustat. Late. In Judaeo-Arabic. Needs examination.

Part of a letter mentioning the Rosh ha-Seder. Probably a letter of appeal for charity or a recommendation for a poor man. (Information from CUDL)

Letter from a certain Raḥamim אלכואתיקין(?). In Hebrew. Dating: Possibly 16th century. The sender mentions that he previously pledged some money or property with the addressee. He now asks for a charitable loan of 2 peraḥim (a week?). (Information in part from CUDL)

Informal note from an unknown sender to ʿĀmir b. Isḥāq (per recto) and/or to Abū Kathīr Efrayim (per verso). In Judaeo-Arabic. The sender wants the addressee to take care of the "ḥashīsh" and mentions two unusual medical commodities (כמאפיטוס = ground pine, and מאמיתא = horned poppy), which he would like to be sold. Mentions 'my master the ḥaver.' (Information in part from CUDL)

Letter in the hand of Yefet b. Menashshe. In Judaeo-Arabic. Fragment (a piece from the right side of recto). Confirms the receipt of various good: al-shuqqa al-maqṣūr for a woman, which arrived with ʿImrān [...] al-Tilimsānī; something for Abū l-Munā, perhaps the biqyār and the dinar mentioned in the next line; something which was lost, but there is nothing that can be done about that. (Information in part from CUDL)

Part of the beginning of a letter in the hand of Abū Saʿīd Ḥalfon b. Menashshe al-Qaṭāʾif. (Information from CUDL)

Verso: Complete letter from ʿEzra to Seʿadya. In Judaeo-Arabic. Written on a thin strip of paper, with sharply upslanting lines. Dating: Perhaps 13th or 14th century. The sender apologizes for the delay and is anxious to convey his eagerness to serve, lest 'Sayyidnā' be upset with him like last time. (Information in part from CUDL.)

Recto: Fiscal accounting. In Arabic script. Mentions the treasury (bayt al-māl al-maʿmūr). Dating: Probably late Ayyubid or Mamluk. Needs examination.

Letter fragment (?). List of titles for Shemuel ha-Dayyan in calligraphic Hebrew.

Letter of appeal for charity addressed to Rabbenu Ḥananel. In Hebrew and Judaeo-Arabic. The writer has been paralyzed (marīḍ bi-l-fālij) for two and a half years. On verso is another note in Judaeo-Arabic mentioning ha-Zaqen ha-Yaqar, but too faded to read much else.

Letter fragment addressed to [Abū] Zikrī (?) b. Ḥananel. The location of the addressee is named in the Arabic script portion of the address, but is tricky to read. Needs examination.

Order of payment signed by Abū Zikrī Kohen. (Information from CUDL)

Order of payment signed by Abū Zikrī Kohen. (Information from CUDL)

Small fragment of an unidentified letter. (Information from CUDL)

Letter fragment in Judaeo-Arabic. Mentions a serious illness (marḍa shadīda).

Letter of Madmun b. David, Aden, to Yiṣḥaq b. Sassun, Cairo, about the coercion of Aden jews to convert to Islam. Aden 1198.

Letter on the forced conversion of Yemenite Jews, but business as usual. Aden, August 1199.