Geniza Lab

Accounts or donation list in Hebrew. Late. The handwriting and the names are unusual, possibly pointing to an Iranian origin for this fragment. E.g., Samarqandi; Ben Baba; Baba Jan; Yaqubi spelled יאקובי rather than יעקובי; Zion Irani; Qalandar. The rest of the folder (literary fragments) is very possibly of Iranian origin as well. At least ENA 2330.10 and ENA 2330.15 have Judaeo-Persian. Merits further examination.

Very interesting late letter in (middling) Hebrew from a certain ʿOvadya (or [... b.] ʿOvadya) currently in Hamadan (!) and planning to travel to Yazd. Only the bottom part (perhaps 2/3) of the letter is preserved. The writer is explaining why he did not go to Sina (?), stating that the congregation refused to let him go and told him he would lose his wages. Furthermore, there was no business there, and he had understood that the power of attorney (sheṭar harsha'a) the addressee had written was in effect in any place where revenue for congregations in Palestine could be raised, but there was no business there. "By the help of God and the merit of Rashbi (!) and by the goodness of the land of Israel, when I return, God willing, I will go there. With your permission, I will go to my city and gather [my belongings?] and leave quickly. Send me letters by way of M. Menashshe b. A(gha?) Yaʿaqov, and he will send them to me, and tell me where you are (?) so that I can send you letters there. If you go to Baṣra, send a letter with M. Shukri to Shiraz, and he will send it to me in Yazd. By my life, do not withhold the 'small powers of attorney' (?): enclose them with the letter and send them. Furthermore, for you to understand the account: I have acquired 600 Qurans (!?). I bought 20, which are for me (?). The remaining 580 Qurans will be taken by מ׳ א׳ Elazar until (or when?) ʿAbbās arrives. Forgive me, for time is pressing . . . if I have erred in the writing, [it is because] I wrote in a hurry. I cannot elaborate. Peace." Above the name ʿOvadya appears the word "qadisha." ASE.

Recto: Letter (or copy of a letter) in Hebrew, mentioning Hamadan in the antepenultimate line, and perhaps written there. The scribe signed his name, but the first part is faded: [...] b. Yiṣḥaq ha-Sefaradi. Underneath the signature, in different hands, in Judaeo-Persian and Hebrew: "The copy of the letter (nāme) of Efrayim [...], written by Toviyya b. [...]."; "The copy of the letter (nāme) of Efrayim b. ʿAzaryahu with nothing added or subtracted, written by Bū l-Faraj b. B[???]"; And then, "This is the copy of the letter (īn noskhe-ye nāme) of Efrayim. . . ." It is unclear if these statements relate to the letter above signed by [...] b. Yiṣḥaq ha-Sefaradi. Verso: In a different hand from all the hands on recto, a text in Hebrew. Unclear if it relates to recto. The whole document requires further examination. May be a join with T-S 24.52. ASE. OH.

Letter addressing a communal leader, a certain ʿOvadya. Other names mentioned are Yaʿaqov b. Aba Mari Moshe, and [...] b. David the judge. There is a reference to the city of Kashi (possibly Kashan, Iran). (Information from CUDL)