Geniza Lab

Alexandria; 11 of Kislev; November 12, 1141 This is a short and complete letter written by Abū Naṣr b. Avraham to Ḥalfon, who is probably living in Fustat. After the routine opening, the writer apologized for the fact that an illness, which he and his family had contracted, prevented him from writing earlier and fulfilling Ḥalfon’s instructions regarding the delivery of certain fabrics and other goods to his proxy. In the body of the letter, Abū Naṣr is required to note that Ḥalfon made a comment in his letter about a turban and תַוְבּ that belonged to the late Yehuda ha-Levi, which Abū Naṣr still had in his possession, and which Ḥalfon asked that he give them to one Abū al-Maʿālī. According to Abū Naṣr, when Yehuda ha-Levi was already on the ship preparing to sail to the Land of Israel, six months earlier, and he learned from a letter that Abū Naṣr brought him that the boy Yehuda b. Ezra intended to travel from Spain to Egypt, the poet gave him the turban so that Yehuda would sell it and thereby finance his journey from Egypt to the land of Israel. (Information from Goitein and Friedman, India Book IV)

India Book I, 9: Draft of court proceedings from Fustat dealing with the dispute between Yosef ha-Lebdi the India trader and Yequtiʾel b. Moshe, 'the representative of merchants' in Fustat. After seven weeks had past from the last session (see I, 8), it was clear that Lebdi and Yequtiʾel had reached no agreement between them. They returned to court and the trial continued. We hear that Lebdi was considering the desperate act of delaying the prayer in the synagogue (or appealing to Muslim authorities see p. 81 n. 1 in the Hebrew edition). The document is dated June 10, 1098.

Letter, written by a trader before leaving Aden for Nahrawāra, mentioning Abū l-Waḥš, Abū Saʿd, Abū Naṣr, Abū Jacob and the family of Bayt al-Baḥr (house of the sea). On verso there is the address in Arabic script. (Information from CUDL.) See also Goitein notes linked below.

Accounts in Arabic script and Greek/Coptic numerals. Payment for customs in the Red Sea ports of ʿAydhāb, Bāḍiʿ, and Sawākin. Commodities include: lac; boxthorn; myrobalan; galangal; pepper; gum; cardamom; spices (ṣaqaṭ/صقط); aloeswood; and cotton. There is a transcription in Goitein's attached notes, which should be digitized.

Original use: Short letter from Yosef b. Avraham, in Aden, to Avraham Ibn Yiju. Dating: ca. 1135–38 CE. The address is on part B as Yosef used to write so it would be seen when the letter is folded. In the available space Ibn Yiju wrote drafts of two questions about Halakhot (see PGPID 4718). (Information from Goitein and Friedman, India Book III: Avraham Ibn Yiju. pp. 84-88). VMR

Secondary use: Fragment of three responsa written by Ibn Avraham Ibn Yiju, most probably in Yemen. Dating: ca. 1151 CE. Written on a reused letter (see PGPID 4719). (Information from India Book III; IB III, 34 = T-S 10J9.24v IB III, 35 = T-S 10J32.6.)

Letter from Yeḥezqel b. Netanel, in Qalyūb, to his brother Ḥalfon b. Netanel, in Alexandria. In Judaeo-Arabic. Dated: Monday, 3 Iyyar [4900 AM], which is 22 April 1140 CE. Written on a reused state document in Arabic script. (Information from India Book 4. Hebrew description below. Qalyūb

Calendar for September 1153-September 1156 for Avraham Ibn Yiju's private synagogue.

Power of attorney to Perahya ha-Kohen to recover in India goods entrusted to Abu al-Faraj, Nissim al-Raqqi. Fustat, early 1090s.

Recto and verso: Draft of a commentary on a Talmudic passage, which Ḥalfon b. Netanel wrote during his time in Spain. (Information from Goitein and Friedman, India Book 4.) Spain

Recto: Letter from Yosef al-ʿAdanī al-Mamsawī (i.e., originally from Aden and now a resident of Mamsa, Morocco) to Ḥalfon b. Netanel. In Judaeo-Arabic, with some Hebrew and some Arabic script. Containing a request for charity. This letter was sent to Ḥalfon during his stay in Spain or North Africa. The sender was a prosperous trader who lost all his possessions after a shipwreck. There is some question whether Yosef al-ʿAdanī wrote this letter in his own hand, as the script is sefaradi. Goitein at one time believed that Yiṣḥaq Ibn ʿEzra wrote the letter on his behalf, and Gil and Fleischer agreed; but Goitein evidently rejected this identification later on, and Friedman rejects it in strong terms. (Information from Goitein and Friedman, India Book 4.)

Letter from Saʿīd b. Marḥab, in Aden, to Shelomo b. Yehuda ha-Kohen, probably in Fustat. Dating: Mid-12th century. In Hebrew (for the long, eloquent introduction) and Judaeo-Arabic (for the body). Discusses various mercantile, legal, and communal matters. Awaits examination. (Information in part from India Book VI, 51.)

Egypt, probably Qalyūb, Monday, 17 of Shevat; January 8, 1140 Ezekiel wrote this letter to his brother Ḥalfon, who is staying in Alexandria, ten days after his previous letter (document ח63). Letters or a letter from Ḥalfon arrived, but these were old letters that still had no reference to Yeḥezqel’s last letters to his brother. The first news item deals again with the case of Abū Yiṣḥaq. Abū Naṣr (Shmuel) son of Yiṣḥaq ha-Levi, the late brother of Yeḥezqel and Ḥalfon, returned from a visit to Ḥalfon in Alexandria but did not bring letters and corals from his uncle that he should have delivered to Abū Yiṣḥaq or letters intended for Yeḥezqel. The writer says that he bought a store in Qalyūb and mentioned unsuccessful cheese businesses and more. (Information from Goitein and Friedman, India Book IV)

Three sundry accounts written by Avraham Ibn Yiju. Yemen, apparently 1140-44, 1149-1152.

Letter from Yosef b. Avraham in Aden to Avraham b. Yiju. Goitein thought that the letter was sent to Zabbid, a coastal town in southwestern Yemen. Friedman claims that Ibn Yiju was still in Yemen and understands the reference to Zabbid differently. Goitein dates the letter to 1150, while Friedman to 1148-9. The letter contains many commercial details.

Letter from Yosef b. ʿEzra and Avraham b. Muʿṭī, in Tilimsān, to Ḥalfon b. Netanel. Dating: After Purim 4898 AM, which is 27 February 1138 CE. In Judaeo-Arabic. The sender warns Ḥalfon not to travel from Fez or Almeria, on account of the war in the Mediterranean. (Information from Goitein and Friedman, India Book 4; full Hebrew description below.)

Letter from Ibn Barukh, in Almeria, to Ḥalfon b. Netanel ha-Levi. In Judaeo-Arabic. Dating: probably end of August 1138 CE. India Book 4 (Hebrew description below; full English to come)

Letter from Abū Naṣr b. Avraham, in Alexandria, to Ḥalfon b. Netanel ha-Levi. Dating: February 1141 CE. In Judaeo-Arabic. This was written after Ḥalfon departed from Alexandria together with Yehuda ha-Levi. India Book 4 (Hebrew description below; full English to come) Alexandria

Draft of a letter from Ḥalfon b. Netanel ha-Levi, apparently in Damascus, to R. Ḥiyya. Dating: Ca. 1145–46 CE. India Book 4 (Hebrew description below; full English to come)

Calendar written by Ibn Yiju for the year September 1149-September 1150, which seems to indicate that, as before in India and later in Egypt, he planned to organize and lead a private service in Yemen.