Geniza Lab

A highly formulaic letter in Hebrew. Faded.

Recto: Very brief letter of appeal. "May [God] except you, my lord, last year you gave us a dinar, the price of two robes (maqṭaʿayn). This year please do the same. The children need a blanket for sleep, and she who raises them needs [it ends here]." Verso: pen trials.

Fragment of a letter in Hebrew. The writer is mourning a death in the family (perhaps of one of his sons?) and asks "the whole congregation" to pray for the long life of his son Netanel. There are several more letter fragments by the same writer (identified by Oded Zinger; see T-S 8J14.13, JRL SERIES B 3311, Moss. II, 150, and Moss. VII,143.2), but it is not obvious that they come from the same letter.

Small fragment of a business letter from Yiṣḥaq ha-Levi b. Simḥa ha-Levi al-Nisaburi to Abū Saʿīd . . b. Shelomo al-Fāsī.

Tiny fragment of a letter by Moshe b. Levi ha-Levi, including the phrases, "I took a vow" and "if [al-Shaykh] al-Yesod were not with me. . ."

Fragment of a letter by Moshe b. Levi ha-Levi, including the phrase, "let al-Yesod spend the holiday in the house of [my?] daughter."

Fragment of a letter, probably from a son to his father in Fusṭāṭ. He mainly discusses the flax business and sends regards to numerous people. He concludes, "The amir intends to come in [to Fusṭāṭ], and you must go to him and welcome him and thank him. Likewise Muwaffaq al-Dawla al-Ustādh. By God, I have the utmost gratitude for him." Possibly by the same writer: T-S 12.31.

Fragment of a letter from Avraham b. Natan Av (identification on the basis of handwriting), Tyre, to Yehuda ha-Kohen ha-Rav ve-Rosh ha-Seder b. Yosef regarding opposition to the writer and his resultant inability to carry out his communal tasks as judge. Information from FGP.

Short note in Judaeo-Arabic: "Let it be known to Mūsā that Avraham al-Shammāʿ agreed with us that he live in the house that his sister used to live in, and no one may prevent him from living there. Peace."

Recto: Small fragment of a Judaeo-Arabic letter. Verso: Text discussing the calendar and liturgical additions.

Fragment of a letter from Abū l-Thanāʾ to his "father," possibly named Abū Saʿd Ibn [...]. In Judaeo-Arabic, with the address in Arabic script (note that the bottom line of the address was originally the top line; it appears where it is now because of how the letter was glued shut and cut open). Dating: Probably late 12th or 13th century, based on handwriting. The sender says that the holiday was no holiday at all due to the addressee's absence. He reports that there is no longer any need (wajh, spelled וש) for the addressee to stay away (fī bilād al-ghurba), because the diwan has received in full (istawfā) whatever was owed to it (the capitation tax?), and "al-Ḥazzāzī has taken for us its writ/document (or even receipt? ḥujja)." Join by Amir Ashur.

Letter fragment from Salāma b. Yūsuf al-Gazal, in al-Mahdiyya or Qayrawan, to Yosef b. Yaʿaqov Ibn ʿAwkal. Dating: shortly before 18 October 1030 CE (there is a note in Arabic script stating that the letter was received on that date). Give sinformation about shipments of merchandise to the Maghreb during the summer. It seems that Ibn ʿAwkal complained to the writer, and the latter answers his complaints. (Information from Gil.) VMR.

Letter from Mardūk b. Mūsā (Alexandria) to Yosef b. ʿEli Kohen Fāsī (Fustat), ca. 1065. In the hand of the sender’s son, Mūsā b. Mardūk. Mentions various wares, including rice, sugar, camphor water and regrets that previous letters by Yosef b. ʿEli Kohen Fāsī did not include more information about himself and the state of affairs in town. The recipient is requested to urge Nahray b. Nissim to conclude a purchase. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 3, p. 803.)

Fragment of a business letter in Judaeo-Arabic, mentioning Abū Yaʿqūb Yosef b. Nissim, the arrival of the Kohen, and [Isḥā?]q al-Qābisī.

Recto: letter in Judaeo-Arabic with some missing lines. Verso: an order from Shelomo (b. Elijah the judge) for groceries. (Information from CUDL)

Begging letter, probably, in elegant script informing the addressee that his brother Abū l-Baqā al-Tājir used to give charity to the writer and help his family with the capitation tax, but he has now died without a will. The remainder of the letter is missing the ends of the lines; it involves the late Abū l-Baqā's daughters and niece. ASE.

Note in rudimentary script and spelling to a woman, asking her "on the life of al-Shaykh Abū l-Makārim" to do a certain kindness for the writer (al-ḥajr b-rasmi ʿarḍī?).

Fragment of a letter mentioning Abū l-Munajjā and Abū Naṣr and financial transactions. The handwriting is probably that of Berakhot b. Shemuel; cf. T-S 13J9.11 (published by Friedman), and T-S AS 150.126 (same dimensions and format as this fragment, possibly a join).

Recto: fragment of an official Arabic document. (Information from CUDL)

Verso: order of payment by Abū Zikrī Kohen for one half raṭl of soap and the same of perfume. Information from CUDL.