Geniza Lab

Colophon to the first Parashah in Leviticus for the name Halfon b. Yeshu'a b. Halfon.

List of books with names of persons and prices. (Information from Goitein's index cards)

Letter addressed to a judge. In Judaeo-Arabic. Dating: 1221–52 CE, as it mentions Crusaders ("Franks") fighting at al-Manṣūra 2 years prior. At that time, Sayyidnā al-Nasi intended to borrow from the sender a beautiful copy of the book of Īlāqī (probably al-Īlāqī's epitome of the first book of Avicenna's Canon) in order to copy it for the addressee. The Crusaders were attacking al-Manṣūra, and the sender was in the army camp together with a gentile (presumably Muslim). He had three books with him, including a commentary and some of the 'kalām' of Maimonides (=Guide for the Perplexed?) as well as the Īlāqī. The Muslim companion had no eyes for anything but the Īlāqī, and he offered money to borrow it, copy it, and return it. As everyone was penniless at the time, the sender agreed, but he never saw the book again. Sayyidnā al-Nasi already forgave the sender for this, but is making him write this letter to explain the situation to the addressee. The addressee must not think that he is being negligent in finding another ('regular') copy to use for his purposes. Everyone he asks either says they don't have it, or they're worried he'll make off with it and give it to the Nasi. ASE

Book list in Arabic script. The first two items are Sīrat Mawlānā l-Ḥākim (ṣalawāt (?) Allāh ʿalayhi) and Rasā'il Ikhwān al-Ṣafā', i.e., the biography of al-Ḥākim bi-Amr Allāh and the Epistles of the Brethren of Purity. ASE.

Hebrew letter, likely a draft, from Moshe b. Levi ha-Levi to a distinguished physician (but probably not Maimonides: Moshe b. Levi blesses his "sons" rather than "son"). The writer just spent a week in the household of Dr. Moshe, hoping to gain a livelihood of 10 dirhams a week, as he had been struggling to support himself during this drought. However, Moshe b. Levi became embarrassed by all the trouble Maimonides went to on his behalf, so he ran away. He also complains that he could not find any water with which to wash his hands. He now writes this letter begging Dr. Moshe to judge him favorably and to continue bestowing his favor on him. He reminds Dr. Moshe that he still owes him half of a dirham from the book sale for tractates Yoma, Sukkah, and Yom Tov (Beitzah) and half of a dirham for Sefer Kinyan. T-S 6J10.9 is an earlier draft of the same letter without the opening blessings or signature. ENA 1810.2 and 1810.3, also written by Moshe b. Levi ha-Levi contain drafts of poetry in praise of Maimonides, several phrases of which are recycled in the present letter.

Letter from a learned man in the Fayyūm to R. ʿOvadya and R. Ḥananel. In Hebrew and Judaeo-Arabic. Dating: No earlier than the late 12th century. The writer hopes to be able to get out of the Fayyūm before Rosh Hashana, but is not optimistic. He has sent a copy of the introduction to the commentary on Avot (probably of Maimonides), and asks the addressees to 'complete it' through the eighth chapter and send it back to him along with the copy of Sefer ha-Madaʿ (the first section of the Mishneh Torah) that they had promised.

Letter in Judaeo-Arabic. The writer asks for a copy of Saadya Gaon's tafsīr of Ezra and Daniel or his tafsīr of Proverbs and Job or one of his commentaries ("parārīsh") on the Torah. He doesn't want it to be like the tafsīr of Psalms, which was written in a lousy hand (ghaliq al-khaṭṭ). The addressee might borrow these books from a friend. The writer's wife and 'mawlā' (father?) send regards. There is a marginal note that ends "if _____, do not send me anything."

Letter in the hand of the professional scribe Shelomo b. Shemuel b. Seʿadya (fl. early 13th century). In Judaeo-Arabic. Possibly a draft. He is reporting on his progress completing various commissions. He has "fulfilled the rights..." of "the noble Majlis," and he has sent with the Parnas Abū l-Najm 18 quires (kurrās/karārīs) out of the two volumes (al-juzʾayn) in his possession. He has had difficulty in buying parchment for the purpose which he had previously mentioned to the addressee. He asks 'Sayyidnā' to send an advance of 25 dirhams toward the price of the quires (the remainder of the price of the two volumes to be paid upon completion). The only reason he has not finished before Rosh Hashana is that he has been exerting himself trying to find parchment. There follows another similar update on a different project. On verso there is liturgical text (the birkat ha-mazon for weekdays) in the same hand. ASE

A bookseller keeps books, some of them borrowed from others. (Information from Goitein typed text and Goitein's index cards)

Letter in Judaeo-Arabic (recto) and Hebrew (verso). From the well-known scribe Abū l-Mufaḍḍal Shelomo b. Shemuel b. Seʿadya ha-Levi (titled al-Dayyān al-Maskil); Shelomo was active until ca. 1231 CE. He has made copies (nusakh) of certain books. He is extremely grateful for the addressee's role in selling books. He has sent several more books with the bearer, including some in Hebrew (perushim wa-baʿḍ lughawāt [...]) and some in Arabic on logic and medicine. Among the latter: (1) al-Kāfī fī l-Ṭibb by Abū Naṣr Ibn al-ʿAyn Zarbī (d. 1153/54 CE) in the hand of Rabbenu Shelomo ha-Dayyan (ZL); (2) A volume in the hand of Abū Naṣr Ibn al-ʿAyn Zarbī himself(!), comprising 3 books: (2a) al-Kawn wa-l-Fasād (by Ibn Bājja?), (2b) Kitāb al-Maḍnūn bihi ʿalā ghayr Ahlihi by al-Ghazālī, (2c) Masʾala fī l-Nafs wa-mā Taṣīru Ilayhi by Ibn Sīnā; (3) two booklets (juzʾ) containing "The Eight" by Abū Naṣr al-Fārābī, missing one section; (4) three booklets containing Sharḥ al-Burhān in the hand(!) of Ibn Fātik. This portion of the letter is torn away around here. Verso may contain the continuation and ending, but it is quite faded and more difficult to understand. ASE

Book list. In Judaeo-Arabic and Greek/Coptic numerals. Dating: Probably 13th century. "The number of books of the shaykh [...]. The first: 15. The second: 14. Their details: The Commentary on the Mishna: 5. The Guide (Dallāla): [...]. Commentary on Nidda: [...]. Zād al-Mus[āfir]: [...]. " This fragment was not included in Allony's book. ASE

Colophon in the handwriting of Evyatar Ha-Kohen b. Eliyyahu Gaon.

Verso: Note (ruqʿa) addressed to Abū l-Ḥasan. In Judaeo-Arabic. It seems that the sender has enclosed a copy of Tehillim and wants to sell it to the addressee for 4 1/4 dinars. He should examine it and send it back if he doesn't want to buy it.

Verso: Letter addressed to a certain Abū l-Faraj. In Judaeo-Arabic. The writer has been sick ever since he last saw the addressee, and his illness has already cost him nearly 3 dinars for syrups and other things. He then reports on the books he has sent. He has sent Alfāẓ al-Miqraʾ, "and its purchase is on the one with the Rayyis, 1/2 dinar and a ḥabba." He has sent a volume of tafsīr for 10 dirhams. He apologizes in case the addressee doesn't actually need that one. He mentions ʿAyyāsh and Ḥananel.

Most of a legal query about Reuven who sold to Shimʿon a copy of the Halakhot of a certain Rav Yiṣḥaq but the book was later found to be defective, but Reuven hadn't known that it was defective.

Colophon in the handwriting of Evyatar b. Eliyyahu Gaon b. Shelomo Gaon b. Yosef ha-Kohen Av Bet Din. Evyatar was titled "the fourth" (ha-reviʿi) at the time he wrote this. Location: Fustat. Dated: 1 Av 4827 AM, which is 1067 CE. The book contains the commentary on Ḥagiga by Hayya b. Sherira Gaon, as well as Sefer ha-Dinin of the late Rabbenu Ḥananel (who was still alive in 1053 CE, fourteen years before this colophon was written) and kinnushim(?) and legal queries. There is an elaborate blessing for anyone who returns the book and a curse for anyone who does not. (Information from Gil.)

Letter from a certain Yiṣḥaq to Yosef b. Shabbetay al-Rūmī, Fustat. In Judaeo-Arabic. Very deferential, filled with language of patroange (e.g. li-l-mawlā ʿuluww al-ra'y fī dhālik).The writer has sent the copy of the book and excuses the delay by saying that he fell ill in the winter and it delayed him until now. He asks Yosef to send him the copy of Bereshit, it seems because he is ready to make a copy of it and send it back to him right away. The address is in both Judaeo-Arabic and Arabic. ASE.

List of sums promised or paid (the entries crossed out), ranging from 1/8 to 6 1/2, mostly in fractions, wherefore in cases in which exactly 1 or 2 dirhams were given the word sawa, 'exactly,' was added. The mother of the writer gives 2 dirhams, and in 3 instances the entries consist in balances owed to the contributors. The list probably represents school fees pledged or donated for needy children. On the reverse, notation of prices obtained for 4 books, e.g. Guide of the Perplexed, 30 dirhams, with 2 dirhams for brokerage (see Goitein, Kiryat Sefer 44 [1969], 125-126). In the hand of Shelomo b. Eliyyahu.