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Regular expressions
The Princeton Geniza Project database allows for search expressions containing certain 'regular expressions'. Regular expressions are codes that can be inserted in search queries to match patterns of text.
| ^string | Matches the text at the beginning of the string |
| string$ | Matches the text at the end of the string |
| . | Matches any single character (including special characters) |
| a* | Matches the sequence of zero or more of the specified character |
| a+ | Matches the sequence of one or more of the specified character |
| a? | Matches zero or one occurrence of the specified character |
| abc|def | Matches either one of the specified strings |
| [abc] | Matches any one of the specified characters |
Boolean Search
The Princeton Geniza Project database uses a boolean full-text search. This type of search allows users to combine keywords with operators to refine searches. Possible operators and examples of their use:
| מולאנא מולאי | Search for rows that contain either of two words by simply typing them consecutively. In this case, the search will find documents that contain either מולאי or מולאנא. |
| כתאבי +מולאי+ | Use a + sign before word to search for rows that contain all of them (in this case the words כתאבי and מולאי) |
| כתאבי AND מולאי כתאבי OR מולאי | The keyword AND indicates that both search terms must be present in the results. OR matches either search term. |
| כתאב –כתאבה | Use a - sign to exclude a term from your results (in this case, the search will include כתאב but exclude כתאבה) |
| *כתאב ?כתאב |
Use an asterisk or a question mark as a wildcard. An asterix matches any number of characters. A question mark matches any single character |
AIU VII.A.43
Letter fragment (bottom half) in Judaeo-Arabic, addressed to an important person (perhaps Avraham Maimonides). Dated: Middle third of Elul 1541 Seleucid, which is 1230 CE. Opens with a mention of the ḥushshār (capitation tax collectors) of Alexandria and somebody they wanted to imprison. Mentions the noble congregation of Bilbays. Seems to be a letter of recommendation for a man in need. Verso: List of names, including Ibn al-Labbān Abū Saʿd; al-Rayyis Abū l-Riḍā Ibn al-Shelishi and his son; al-Rayyis Abū Manṣūr and David and Netanel and Yaʿaqov. There are also various jottings in Hebrew, Judaeo-Arabic, and Arabic script. Notably, the jottings include the five categories of sharīʿa rulings (aḥkām), but in Judaeo-Arabic: mafrūḍ (compulsory); manhiyy ʿanhu (forbidden); makrūh (discouraged); mustaḥabb (encouraged); mubāḥ (neutral).
Library: AIU
Type: Letter
