Geniza Lab

Letter from Yeshua b. Ismaʿīl al-Makhmūrī from Alexandria, probably to Nahray b. Nissim, Fustat. Around 1056. In the handwriting of Yeshua b. Isma’il, with an addition in the handwriting of Musa b. Abi al-Hayy Khalila. Information about transferring money, including money that was hidden in a book cover. Also mentions different goods: lead, almonds, cloth, wood, camphor, cheese, Bible codices, flax, and incense. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 3, #311)

Inventory of books. Dating: Likely 13th century. Mentions a book in the handwriting of al-Shaykh Abū l-ʿIzz, whom Frenkel identifies as possibly identical with Abū l-ʿIzz the brother of Sitt Ghazāl, the wife of Shelomo b. Eliyyahu; possibly identical with the Abu l-ʿIzz who inherited books from Avraham ha-Ḥasid (T-S 20.44); and possibly identical with the physician Abū l-ʿIzz whose books were sold after his death (ENA 1290.16). (Information from CUDL and Allony et al.)

Court record. Dated: 1408 Seleucid, which is 1096/97 CE. Of a dispute between Abū ʿImrān Moshe b. Moshe Ibn Majjān and Abū l-Faḍl Yosef b. Yoshiyya al-Dhahabi, which arose when the former claimed from the latter a complete bible codex he had bought from him some time before. The resolution is that Abū l-Faḍl gives the codex to Abū Sahl Menashshe to give to Abū ʿImrān (because he had taken a vow that he would never give it himself). (Information in part from Goitein's index cards). Join: Oded Zinger