Geniza Lab

Fragment of a letter from Shemuel Gaon b. Hofni to the community in Qayrawan. Around 1008. The writer assumes that the donations to the Babylon Yeshivas ended up in the Yeshiva of Pumbedita. The writer chooses Yosef b. Berekhya to be in charge of sending the money, after the passing of Ta’akov b. Nissim. He details Yosef’s virtues in his knowledge of the Torah, and his commentaries to the Torah, Mishna, and Talmud. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 2, #54) VMR

Fragment of a letter from Nehemya ha-Kohen, the Pumbedita Gaon, to one of the heads of the Babylonian community in Fustat, probably 963. Mentions an internal disagreement among the members of the community in Fustat about the cantor (hazzan). The main part of the letter concerns the Gaon’s desire to renew the community’s support for the Yeshiva. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, vol. 2, #18) VMR

Letter from Shemuel b. Hofni to the community of Qayrawan. Dated ca. 1008 CE. In it Shemuel reminds the community that the academies of Sura and Pumbeditha had made peace before the death of Sherira Gaon, and that Sherira’s son, Khai, is now Samuel’s son-in-law. (Information from CUDL) Only T-S 12.99 is edited in comparison with manuscript.

Copy of a Gaon’s responsum (might be Rav Hayya Gaon) that includes details about the house of Bustenai and an answer regarding the status of the family’s children. There are two other versions for this answer (one of them is T-S 8 G1). This version is probably the closest to the original. (Information from Gil, Kingdom. Vol. 2, p. 1-3, #1). VMR

Beginning of a calligraphic letter in Hebrew rhymed prose by Shemuel ha-Levi b. Eli, the gaʾon ("head of the academy of the diaspora") in Baghdad (1164–93). Gil identified this as his handwriting, but Amir Ashur and Marina Rustow believe this to be the very distinctive hand of his disciple R. Yosef b. Yaʿaqov Rosh ha-Seder of Irbil. (Information from Gil, from Goitein's index cards and from Marina Rustow)

Responsum by the court of the Babylonian Gaʾon Shemuel b. ʿEli. Dated: Ḥeshvan 1478 Seleucid, which is 1166 CE. Concerns inheritance issues between Yosef and Maʿālī and their wives on one side and an orphan on the other. Strongly worded. Copied in the hand of Yosef b. Yaʿaqov rosh ha-seder of Irbīl. (Information from CUDL, Goitein's index card and Amir Ashur.) VMR

A booklet containing copies of eight letters by Rav Sherira Gaon and one letter by Rav Hayye Gaon. End of the 10th century. The letter by Rav Hayye Gaon is addressed to the sister of Yosef b. Ḥasan b. Bundār, probably a community leader in Northern Iraq. All letters mainly deal with financial matters; the first seven mention places in Yemen. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 2, pp. 83-84.)

Copies of letters by Rav Sherira Gaon, dealing with money matters.

Colophon to R. Saadya Gaon's commentary to one of the prayers (תפילת שמונה עשרה), written in Ashkelon in 1061. Verso: the beginning of R. Saadya Gaon's Arabic commentary to the same prayer. (Gil, Palestine, vol. 3, 327, Doc. #528). VMR

Fragment of a letter from Nehemya ha-Kohen, the Pumbedita Gaon, to one of the members of the Babylonian community in Fustat, probably the beginning of 963. Asks to renew the connections between them by a gaon’s emissary, probably Shlomo b. Eli b. Tavnai, and by Tuv Aluf and the sons of Aaron ha-Baghdadi. (Gil, Kingdom, vol. 2, #17) VMR

The address on a letter from Zekharya b. Berakhel to Shemuel b. Eli gaʾon. Seems like this fragment held several letters. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 2, #84) VMR

Fragment of a letter opening from Sharira Gaon to Efrayim b. Sadok from Fustat. Around 980. Mentions Amram b. Mishui, the Gaon’s uncle (his mother’s brother). The letter addressed to a doctor in a hospital in Fustat, that will pass it to Efrayim b. Sedaka ‘l-Mualem, probably Efrayim b. Sadok from the community in Fustat. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 2, #26) VMR

Responsum of a Babylonian Gaon.

Responsum of R. Hayya Gaon in the Arabic original.

Copy of a Gaon’s responsum (possibly R. Hayya Gaon) that includes details about the house of Bustenai and an answer regarding the status of the family’s children. There are two other versions for this answer (one of them is T-S 13G1). (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 2, p. 1; joins by Shraga Abramson via FGP.) Ed. Assaf, Teshuvot ha-Geonim, pp. 59–62 (Doc #9).

Letter by Israel Gaon b. Shemuel b. Hophni to an unknown community.

Letter by R. Sherira Gaon.

Legal query addressed to Shemuel b. ʿEli (active ca. 1164–97; identification based on handwriting of the responsum on verso) concerning a man whose son becomes engaged to a woman but calls off the wedding. Can they recoup the early marriage payment that was already paid? On verso is the full responsum in the hand of Shemuel b. ʿEli, answering that whatever was already paid is like a deposit and does not belong to the bride until the wedding, so she must return it. It seems that precisely because of this eventuality, many engagement contracts stipulate that the bride would receive the muqaddam in full or in part if the groom should renege on the promise to marry (and he would get it back if she reneges). Information from Ashur dissertation and FGP description. See also Goitein's note card.

Fragment of two responsa of a Babylonian Gaon.

Pastoral letter with widely-spaced lines, from a Nasi, possibly David b. Daniel. Announcing that Meʾir ha-Sar and Yiṣḥaq ha-Dayyan will appoint all ritual slaughterers (טבחים) and guards in the community addressed and look after their religious needs. "Elsewhere in the same letter the writer announces another of the prerogatives he plans to exercise over the community and, at the same time, justifies his authority: 'We shall select ten elders out of your notables and strengthen their arms so that they may lead the people, as it is incumbent on us to appoint elders, judges, and magistrates. This is our inheritance and that of our forefather King Jehosaphat, as it is written in Scripture: 'And he set judges in the land throughout all the fortified cities of Judah' (II Chronicles 19:5)." Cohen, Jewish Self-Government, 208–09. On the other side, there is an astronomical piyyuṭ. In the bottom and left margins, there is a "narrative of the dreadful calamities that occurred in Lucena (אליסאנה), may God protect it." (Information in part from Goitein's index card.)