Geniza Lab

Legal query about a man who admit he recieved a loan but claimed he already returned it with few people one of them named Halfon. The lander claimed he only recieved small part from the loan, and Halfon claimed he doesn't remember recieving any money from borrower. Published by Glick שרידי תשובות מחכמי האימפריה העות'מאנית pp. 489-491

Two responsa written by Yosef Hakohen b. Ya'aqov from Tyre (Date 1011-1037). AA

Bottom part of a legal query written by Hillel b. Eli (Date: 1066-1107). Concerning a court record written by a scribe, agreement between two parties and witnesses testify at time of the qinyan. The writer ask whether an oath should be imposed on both parties. Very damaged. AA

Very faded and damaged, hardly legible, fragment from a legal query addresed to 'our Rabbis', regarding a quarell between two people and a payment of 15 dinars. On verso part of a draft of letter. AA

Upper part of a letter by Berakhot b. Shemuel mentioning his being cut off from the recipent on account of his illnesses, including ophthalmia at the present time. The word in the penultimate line that looks like "sultan" (Muslim government) is כלט אן, referring to an acute attack of a humor. On the back is a query about litigants in a dispute involving Muslim courts.

Left side of a page of legal queries in the hand of Moshe b. Levi ha-Levi (found by Amir Ashur).

Halakhic work on forbidden sexual relations and yibbum. Possibly from a collection of legal queries and responsa.

Responsa regarding a Jewish family – undated – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 182) – in Hebrew. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 34). MCD.

Responsa on familial matters – undated – Museum of Islamic Art (number 256) – in Arabic. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 33). MCD.

Questions and answers on religious matters – undated – Bassatine Cemetery – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 282) – in Hebrew. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 41). MCD.

A legal query to Maimonides written by Yosef b. Shmuel b. Sa'adya and Maomonides autographed reply. Published in Maimonides Responsa (Blau) no. 273. The query is dealing with a circumciser who use to perform circumcission in the vilages. He had a quarell with another person, a physician, who use to perform circumcission in order to harm the circumciser's livelihood. Maimonides eulrd that the physician act wrongly. AA

4 pages of Geonic responsa. Most of ot was published by Wertheimer, pp. 16-20. Contains translations of of various Talmudic terms, all by R. Sherira and his son R. Hiyya Gaon. Also published in Otzar ha-Geonim, Gittin, p. 195, no. 454. Joins with ENA 1491.6. AA

4 pages contains four legal queries and their responsa all by the RIF. Published in Wertheimer, קהלת שלמה, p. 92-94 [Ginzei Yerushalyim, p. 68-71. The responsa are not found in the published collection of RIF responsa. Another page is found in Mosseri VIII.407. On page four letters from the end of a resonsum. The first query is numbered '34' and was sent from Cordoba, about two brothers arguing about their share in an inheritance. The first born is claiming a double share. After this query another one, numbered 35, regarding the same issue: if one of the brothers will want to sell his share, how should they divide it. The query is ending in verso, l. 5, where the responsum begins. It's end is missing. Fol 2, recto: end of a query and responsum, numbered 40. About an argument between a wife, ptobably a widow, and the heirs of a piece of land which they holding in their possession. The woman is demanding the land for herself. The RIF reply that the heirs should produce a legal deed proving the land has been given to them, and if not it should be returned to the woman. On l. 17 another query about a wife who gave a house to her husband as a dowry. After his death the house was sold without her consent to a third person and they are now demanding the rent. He is demanding the rent from the son who sold him the house. The reponsum starts on verso, l. 9, but most of the text is missing. AA

See PGP 15831

Three pages containing Geoncc legal queries. Published by ורטהיימר, קהלת שלמה, עמ' עה-עט (תרגום בעמ' ב-יד) [= גנזי ירושלים תשמ"ב, עמ' ט-כא]. A new version of the query on the appointed death based on this MS and on another MS from Firkovitch collection publisged by וייל, ספר היובל לאסף, עמ' 261-267. On top of fol. 1 a title 'מן מסאיל מדינה'' קאבס לרבינו האיי ז'ק'ל' ' [= queries from Qabis to R. Hayya). Below a responsum on the 'appointed death', which continues on fol. 2, recto. Another versions of this responsum is found in TS Ar. 50.154 and BL Or. 5554B. Below another query on Jonah and the reason for his escape. In l. 13 another query on forbidden sex partner. L. 26 another one regardong the boy from the story on the king of Moab. The responsum is starting on l. 28 and continues on verso. Berso, l. 13 another query about Eve and the snake. AA

See PGP 15831

Collection of responsa by R. Hayya Gaon. The first about Deutronomy 18:8, published by Wertheimer, ' קהלת שלמה עמ' פ-פא (תרגום בעמ' כא-כח). The 2nd responsum about cantor in Rosh ha-Shana published ibid, p. 24 (Otzar ha-Geonim, Rosh ha-Shana, p.54, no, 96). Publihsed again by פרידמן, 'השני מתקיע', סידרא – כרך יובל לכבוד פרופ' צ"א שטיינפלד כד–כה (תשס"ט–תש"ע). The 3rd responsum publuished by Wertheimer, ibid. p. 25-26 (Otzar ha-Geonim, Rosh ha-Shana, p.56, no, 101; Teshuvot ha-Geonim [Imanuel] no. 252) All the responsa published again by Wertheimer, Ginzei Yerushalayim, p. 27-32. AA

See PGP 15834

6 leaves containing Geonic responsa on Sukka followed by a long responsum about giving a herd of sheeps to a shepherd on Shabbat. The first one was published by Wertheimer, קהלת שלמה, p. 50-51, the second ibid, p. 82-89. Fol 1, recto. end of responsum regarding Bavli Sukka 17a. Published in full from TS G2 in Otzar ha-Geonim, Sukka. p. 23-24. In l. 10 another responsum about Sukka 14a. Published ibid, p. 21, no. 40. In l. 12 a new subject within the save responsum citing Sukka 12b, published ibid. p. 20-21, no. 36. On verso another responsum by Sa'adya Gaon, probably by a different scribe, sent to Meir hakohen b. 'Eli, whether it is permitted to a Jew to give is herd to a gentile shepherd in Shabbat. On fol. 2 recto continuation of another responsa on the same subject. Verso l. 7 responsum by R. Nahshon, which we have in a shorter version in Geonei Mizrah u-ma'arav, no. 54. Fol. 4, l. 18 responsum by R. Hayya Gaon. .

Latge page, squrae script, contains various Geonic responsa. Published by Wertheimer, Ginzei Yerushalyim, p. 39-41 and in Otzar ha-Geonim, Quddushin, p. 181 no. 409 and p. 198 no. 441. AA