Geniza Lab

Letter from an anonymous writer in Jerusalem to a certain Elʿazar, probably 16th century. The writer seems to genuinely yearn to travel to the addressee's location (Fustat?). First he was in Damascus, "and they did not let me leave. I do not wish to tell you all the respect they paid me." Due to the difficulty of leaving, he resorted to "a trick" and told them that he wanted to visit all the graves of the righteous in Palestine, so he left and his party traveled the country from Dan to Be'er Sheva. Then he came to Jerusalem, where the Sephardic congregation again refuses to let him leave. "They wish to catch me so that I preach to them every Shabbat. I escaped Damascus for this? And here these other ones are catching me, and I do not wish to stay with them." Summary based on Avraham David's transcription, who, however, reads "I escaped from Damascus for this" as a sincere statement. ASE

Marriage contract (53d according to Friedman) between ʿEli b. Wahīb and Hiba bt. Yonah. One of four fragments from the court ledger of the Babylonian congregation of Damascus (T-S 16.181, T-S AS 146.66, T-S NS 320.108, and T-S 12.592). Dated: 4693 AM (= 932/33 CE). This fragment contains four independent documents, nos. 53a-d. Documents 53a, 53b, and 53c are betrothal registers. Document 53d is a marriage contract, written at the time of the "nissuʾin." (Friedman, Jewish Marriage, vol. 2, 401–35) EMS

Recto: Letter addressed to Yehosef Hehakam from Damascus, mentioning R. Yosef, perhaps Ibn `Aqnin. Verso: Condolences to a Nagid upon the death of R.`Uzzi'el.