Geniza Lab

List of weekly emoluments, preceded by the collection made for the purpose. Superscription: 'Statement about the revenue from the collection for the weekly payments, jibayat al-mujama'a, for the week of Naso' (Numbers 4:21-7:89, read mostly in May or June); 'our Master' (Moses Maimonides) 8 dirhams, 'the Trustworthy' (title of Maimonides' father-in-law) 12 dirhams, three others 10 dirhams, one, three, and five other 6, 5, and 4 dirhams respectively; Several items are lost. On the reverse side (as the manuscript is bound, it is recto) the Trustworthy and others give additional sums. Still, only 124 dirhams were collected, while another 31 were required. Besides communal officials (R. Anatoli, 8 dirhams; R. Jephthah, 6; the cantor Abu Sahl, 6; and others), payments to women and for the capitation tax are included. R. Anatoli's monthly salary of 52 dirhams, which was covered by income from houses, probably was simultaneous with this weekly emolument, which was paid from a collection. (Information from Mediterranean Society, II, pp. 465-466, App. B 102)

Account, possibly for the collection of tax on real estate. Many names. (Amir Ashur)

Collection for the capitation tax - jibayat al-jawali (verso) (for the 6th week of the liturgical year, usually falling in November). As the very small sums show, these were not payments to the government, but contributions toward the capitation tax of the poor. The collection was made on a Thursday (21 persons) and the subsequent Friday (15). Sums: 1 gave 11/2 dirham wariq, 13 gave 1 dirham, 3 gave 3/4 dirham, 12 gave 1/2 dirham, 2 gave 1/4 dirham, and 5 unclear or not preserved. All these sums together would not make the total of the yearly capitation tax required from one man. Because of the extreme poverty of the population, the tax was collected in installments. The fraction rendered 1/3 is represented by a 'v' on its side with a dot in the middle and another on top ( like an abbreviation mark); a 'v' on its side without a dot in the middle I think is 1/2 [half an 'alef]. The common Coptic slash is also used for 1/2. (Information from Mediterranean Society, II, p. 505 App. C 128)

Letter from Dawud son of the haver to a certain dayyan. It seems some dramatic event has taken place off-scene (maybe in Palestine?) and here we hear about the ripples. Someone has arrived from Gaza safely. Dawud reports that the Qaraites all went to Cairo. He expresses concern for the judge Menahem. The letter also mentions David al-Amani, rent and government taxes and the wife of al-Nezer. The letter is to be carried by Ibn al-Tabib.

Letter in Judaeo-Arabic to "my child Ibrahim" . After the usual greetings we read: "I have no instruction to you except that do not let anyone sue/demand from your father the rent of the house or the store. Your father continues to give instructions about the payment of the capitation tax, the collection of rent and giving it to the seller of milk." Mansur b. Baqa is mentioned. In the verso greetings to the Rayyis are expressed and to Rabbi Hannanel.

Petition in Judaeo-Arabic with a Hebrew beginning for financial assistance addressed to Rabbenu Avraham, can be dated by script to around the 13th century (i.e. probably Avraham Maimonides). Yosef al-Andalusi has spent three months in Fustat, his robe is torn and the authorities are demanding the capitation tax from him. He needs help.

Petition in Judaeo-Arabic from Yaʿqūb b. Abū l-Yaman to the Nagid. The writer was sick for 8 months and is hiding at home because of the capitation tax. Now a holiday is approaching and he is asking for help. On the back is a short account.

Field-guide to taxation. Parts of two paragraphs. Written in a large, calligraphic hand. Collesis joint, suggesting it was once a longer rotulus, but also holes where it may have been bound into an archive, quire or codex. Discussed and translated in Rustow, Lost Archive. On verso is a liturgical text and a letter draft in the hand of Efrayim b. Shemarya (see PGPID 6698).

Recto: Letter from Shelomo b. Eliyyahu to his father Eliyyahu the Judge. In Judaeo-Arabic. Recommending the bearer, Dā'ūd of Banhā, who is chronically in arrears for the capitation tax (ʿalayhi jawālī muzmina). Rabbenu Menaḥem has already helped him by writing a recommendation for him to the Nagid Avraham. At the end of this letter, Shelomo asks for copies of certain books from the Mishneh Torah. Verso: Shelomo continues, now writing on his own behalf. He asks his father to try to make sure that Shelomo is not sent to a place that is far away, because Shelomo is in a terrible state of isolation and ghurba and he could die any day, and then his father would regret having let him be sent away. ASE.

Letter from Mūsā, in Ṣandafā, to his brother, in Fustat. In Judaeo-Arabic, with the address in both Judaeo-Arabic and Arabic script. Written in a lovely hand, with rudimentary orthography. The sender arrived safely in Ṣandafā, but things are not going well there, and he plans to come to Fustat. There is an issue with the tax collector (ṣāhib al-kharāj)—maybe Mūsā has the tax receipts for other family members, since he offers to come quickly and bring something with him.

Recto: Letter fragment to 'my brother.' Written in Judaeo-Arabic, calligraphic, large quadrangular characters. No detailed are preserved. Verso: In Arabic script (and two different inks), "To be delivered to the tax bureau (dīwān al-kharāj) in Cairo, to Yūsuf." Information from Goitein's note card.

Letter from Manṣūr(?) b. [...] possibly to a younger relative Yūsuf (وينهي ان المملوك مشتاق الى خدمة ولده يوسف). In Arabic script. Looks like a chancery hand and the document opens with expressions of patronage, but it does not seem to be a petition. The sender has been protecting the interests of the addressee (والمملوك حامل هم المولا من جهة...) with regard to Abū l-Faḍl Fakhr al-Dīn, who may have arrived in Fustat from the Fayyūm. The addressee is told that he might still catch him if he comes quickly. The next section is about Jalāl al-Mulk, who may be trying to take over Yūsuf's fief as ḥāshir (tax collector), and he (or somebody else ) is spreading bad rumors about the addressee (...جلال الملك عمل في حشارتك له ويقبح عليك...). The margin mentions the arrival of ʿIzz al-Dīn b. al-Zandī(?), and the addressee is urged to come with him. Verso is almost entirely greetings. Abū l-Ḥasan sends regards. Regards to Abū l-Faḍl, to a paternal uncle, and to a woman and her children. Hiba sends his regards. The addressee is urged to respond quickly, send a report on the taxes he has collected (? والمدعى اكتب عن الذي حشرته) and not to pay attention to ignoramuses (ولا تسمع كلام الجهال). He is urged again to act quickly so that they can kill two birds with one stone (ونعمل شغلين في شغل) and to try to meet with Fakhr al-Dīn. ASE

Very tiny note in Arabic script, in the same type of hand as many of the early 5th/11th century tax receipts. Some contain the mystery mark (backwards ط). All are dated after the formula kutiba. ENA 3971 13–24, 31 and 34.

Very tiny note in Arabic script, in the same type of hand as many of the early 5th/11th century tax receipts. Some contain the mystery mark (backwards ط). All are dated after the formula kutiba. ENA 3971 13–24, 31 and 34.

Very tiny note in Arabic script, in the same type of hand as many of the early 5th/11th century tax receipts. Some contain the mystery mark (backwards ط). All are dated after the formula kutiba. ENA 3971 13–24, 31 and 34.

Very tiny note in Arabic script, in the same type of hand as many of the early 5th/11th century tax receipts. Some contain the mystery mark (backwards ط). All are dated after the formula kutiba. ENA 3971 13–24, 31 and 34.

Very tiny note in Arabic script, in the same type of hand as many of the early 5th/11th century tax receipts. Some contain the mystery mark (backwards ط). All are dated after the formula kutiba. ENA 3971 13–24, 31 and 34.

Very tiny note in Arabic script, in the same type of hand as many of the early 5th/11th century tax receipts. Some contain the mystery mark (backwards ط). All are dated after the formula kutiba. ENA 3971 13–24, 31 and 34.

Very tiny note in Arabic script, in the same type of hand as many of the early 5th/11th century tax receipts. Some contain the mystery mark (backwards ط). All are dated after the formula kutiba. ENA 3971 13–24, 31 and 34.

Very tiny note in Arabic script, in the same type of hand as many of the early 5th/11th century tax receipts. Some contain the mystery mark (backwards ط). All are dated after the formula kutiba. ENA 3971 13–24, 31 and 34.