Geniza Lab

Letter from the muqaddam of Malij, congratulating R. Aharon ha-Qarawi (or: "who is called") Abu l-Ḥasan on God's miracles and Aharon's deliverance from wicked people. Contains at least 10 lines of wishes for the recovery of Aharon's son Yefet from his illness, citing numerous biblical verses. In the address on verso, al-Rayyis Rabbenu Avraham is mentioned. "Magnificent script and Hebrew style of 29 lines, then in (Judaeo-)Arabic 8 lines." Information from Goitein's note cards.

Letter from Avraham b. Rav Shelomo the Yemeni, in Jerusalem, to Eliyyahu the Judge in Fustat. Avraham lives with Eliyyahu's son, the physician Abu Zikri, and he conveys the good news that Abu Zikri has recovered from his febrile illness and has not relapsed for forty days. Avraham's family recently arrived from Bilbays. On verso are jottings and accounts in the hand of Shelomo b. Eliyyahu. Same writer and recipient as T-S 13J21.5, which was written not long after this one (Goitein's note cards suggest ca. 1214). Alan Elbaum.

Letter from Yaʿaqov to his father. In Judaeo-Arabic. The writer had not received a letter from the addressee for some time (arjū shughl khayr). It seems he heard bad news about the addressee from the ghulām of [...] and was very worried. Someone else came down with a terrible illness (maraḍa maraḍ shadīd), but he is now in good health. This person cried out (yastaghīth) "sīdi, sīdi!" all day long. The writer mentions Abū l-Ḥasan ʿAllān. A third person was sick for 20 days with a fever, but he too is better now. It appears that the father began his response on verso. ASE.

Family letter written by Abū l-Faraj to Abu ʿImran in Fustat at the time of R. Ḥananel (early 13th century). The writer reports that he inquired about Muhadhdhab from two Jews who arrived from Minyat Zifta and learned that he has recovered from his illness. He is now well (fī ʿāfiya) & left his house (kharaj al-ṭarīq) & returned to work (taṣarraf). The writer also inquires four times after al-ṣaghīra, 'the little one,' referring to the recipient's wife. This urgent request for information can be explained by the fact that the plague was then raging in Cairo in 1216. Hananel will forward an answer together with his letter to Abu al-Tahir. (Information from Mediterranean Society, V, p. 113.) Note that this dating is tentative; Goitein writes that this document is dated Kislev 1528 = November/December 1216 (Med Soc V, p. 538, n. 375). But he almost certainly meant to cite T-S 6J6.20. By contrast, T-S Ar.54.91 is not dated and does not refer to a 'great plague' but rather to 'the wakham.' ASE.

Letter fragment (lower part) probably from Moshe b. Levi ha-Levi in Qalyub to his father in Fustat. In Judaeo-Arabic. Discusses sundry small business dealings (in wine, onions, honey, garments) and mentions his delight when he learned that his sister had recovered and that his brother Abu l-Ḥasan [Yedutun] planned to come out [to Qalyub] to spend Shabbat with him. ASE

Letter from Yiṣḥaq b. Simḥa al-Nīsābūrī ha-Levi to Abū l-ʿAlāʾ Salāma b. Hillel al-Ḥalabī. The sender reports that he arrived in Alexandria on Tuesday after spending three days in Malīj. He did not press Abū Sahl Mukhtār (also mentioned in T-S 12.296v) on the matter of the "sayf" (a sword?). because he was ill. But now he has recovered. The sender also refers to the addressee's intended travel to Yemen. (Information in part from Goitein's note card). Join: Alan Elbaum