Geniza Lab

Letter from Mordechai b. Yizhaq Shraga Feivish, perhaps in Rafah, to R. Yom Tov the Av Beit Din of Cairo, probably Yom Tov Israel Cherezli who served as chief rabbi in Cairo from 1866–84. Written in Hebrew. He writes to inform the rabbinic authorities that the bill of divorce he gave his wife is illegitimate, because he was under duress by wicked people. He expands on the wickedness of the locals and how "underneath justice (mishpat) there is perversion of justice (mispaḥ), and underneath righteousness (ẓedaqa) there are screams (ẓeʿaqa)." Mordechai's wife, Royze bt. Hayyim Yizhaq, "screamed" at him day and night and said that if he refused her a get she would prostitute herself. Thus he was forced to give her a get. He came up with the trick (perhaps she was illiterate) to give her a get under a bogus name, and here in this letter he gives his true name (twice) to R. Yom Tov. He then pleads with R. Yom Tov ("I scream because such evil should be done in Israel") to side with him and presumably to declare the divorce null. He adds a postscript, "The true ketubba that I gave her on the wedding day is entrusted with the Consul in Port Said." ASE.

Wedding Invitation in French. Dated February 9, 1888 CE. The fathers of the bride (Bienvenue Eliakim) and groom (Raphaël) invite an unnamed guest to the "nuptial ceremony" on February 16 at the home of the groom's father Haïm Lagnado on Hamsani Street in Cairo ("dans la maison de M. Haïm Lagnado, sise Rue Hamsani, propriéte de M. Hassan Madkhour"). Notably, the invitation lists the owner of the property "Hassan Madkhour" in addition to the groom's father, who must have been renting the residence at that time. MCD.

Fragment of a Ladino letter (left half).

Late letter in Judaeo-Arabic (1809 CE?) to Karo y Frances from Avraham Haman and Gavriel Ḥefez. Information from Wagner, Linguistic Variety of Judaeo-Arabic, 24.

List of Judeo-Arabic two accounts in a very orderly hand that detail the funds requested from one Yiṣḥaq Ḥefeṣ (l. 2r) and the payments of S[eñor] Gedaliya Rozano in "פצה" silver coinage (l. 7-8r). The dates are listed in each entry's heading as in the opening of the month of Tishrei [55]83 or roughly September 1822CE (the first two digits of 5583 can be inferred by the names mentioned and the handwriting/paper usage). In the lower entry of payments, there is also mention of Moshe Aghion (l. 19r). The verso contains another list that is mostly faded and illegible although there appear to be itemized entries with corresponding eastern Arabic numerals. MCD.

Calendar of roshey ḥodashim including for the year 1834/35 CE (5595 AM).