Geniza Lab

Letter from an unknown writer in Jerusalem to Yeshuʿa Rofe, Fustat (Ẓoʿan). In Hebrew and Judaeo-Arabic. Dating: Catalogued as 17th century. The writer also greets the Qaraite community of Cairo (Miṣr ha-semukha Ẓoʿan). The purpose of the letter is to inform the addressee that Umm כאסכיה(?) died on the 24th of Nisan. The writer describes her funeral arrangements. Needs further examination.

Karaite note acknowledging a debt dated 5422 era of creation

Karaite Bill of debt dated Sunday 16th Shevat 5415 era of creation (1655)

Karaite pre-nuptial agreement. The groom is Shelomo Hakohen b. El'azar known as Hatum. The bride is Hana b. Nissim b. Avraham Fairouz. Dated Monday 17th Sivan 5524 Era of creation.

Karaite legal document regarding inheritance of a widow dated 5480 Era of creation. .

Karaite bill of debt. Dated Thursday, 8th Adar II, 5529 Era of creation (1769)

Karaite bill of purchasing or renting a shop. Dated 5535 Era of creation (1774)

Bill of debt. Dated Thursday 7th Kislev, 5431 Era of creation (1671)

A long letter regarding a marriage case. A refernce is made to the ketubah and drinking of the cup as part of the betrothal ceremony. Sayyidna is mentioned throughout the letter, but the period can be determined. Cairo is also mentioned. needs further examination

Partnership agreement. 17th century (no date is written)

Agreement of buying siddurs?

Record of purchase. Perhaps of a book to which this leaf originally belonged. It seems that al-Shaykh al-Asʿad b. al-Shaykh al-Fakhr Mūsā al-Tawrīzī purchased it from [...] the physician b. al-Shaykh al-Muwaffaq Yaʿqūb al-[...] for a sum of 8 ashrafīs. Dated: Tuesday, 19 Tishrei 1778 Seleucid = Ṣafar 871 AH, which is 1466 CE. Underneath there is a note in which Moshe b. Yosef b. Yeshaʿyahu b. Avraham ha-Melammed al-Tawrīzī records that he inherited it from his father Yosef.

Dowry of a Karaite bride 'Aziza d. Shelomo. Dated 3rd Elul 5530 Era of creation

Letter from Yeshaʿya Kohen, in Damascus, to his nephew Aharon Kohen, in Fustat/Cairo. (The writer is the paternal uncle of the addressee.) In Judaeo-Arabic. Dating: Late, probably no earlier than 14th century. The letter mainly consists of very flowery greetings. There is a second letter directly underneath the first, addressed to Gedalya Fayrūz, also consisting almost entirely of greetings. There are two versions of the same postscript in which David Nasi Rofe adds his greetings to all the aforementioned people.

Letter addressed to Moshe Kohen. Opens with long poetic Hebrew introduction, then transitions to Judaeo-Arrabic. The sender is reporting on the family's hardships this year. They are in distress over the daughter of R. Pinḥas and have spent nearly 100 גרש on her. It seems that the sender had a male newborn who died. When the wife of R. Avraham Qudsī came on Friday, the guard of the neighborhood brought a miscarried fetus (walad siqṭ) and left it in the road in front of the house of the addressee's sister Ḥana (blood libel??). Then, someone (al-Qudsī?) and R. Shemuel were imprisoned and the house of the sister was ransacked, and she and Ibrāhīm were left without anything. And there is no news either about the barley crop or about Jerusalem. The addressee's brother-in-law Shelomo Rofe has come. Needs further examination.

Long legal contract regarding payment of rent of expenses monthly starting on Tishrei 5499. On verso another legal document regarding inheritance.

Letter from an unknown writer, unknown location, to his brother-in-law al-Shaykh al-Fakhr al-Khāzin and his wife (the writer's sister), in Jerusalem. The addressees are asked to return to 'the city' before the winter. Otherwise the letter consists of expressions of concern and regards. Several more names are mentioned.

Documentary per FGP - needs examination. No image yet.

Karaite document regarding an ownership of a house. Monday, Iyyar 2nd, 5405 Era of creation (1645)

Letter from an unknown writer, in Jerusalem, to "the community of Qaraites." In Judaeo-Arabic, with some Hebrew verses at the top. Dating: Unknown. The letter discusses a matter of inheritance and a 'tarsīm' and complains that the addressees have abandoned him, and he suffers at the hands of the gentiles, and he does not sleep at night. He wishes the addressees to write back quickly, come in person, or help him with money. Needs further examination.