Geniza Lab

Letter from Isma’il b. Farah, Alexandria, to his son Farah, Fustat. Dating: November 1056. The writer describes the terrible famine in Egypt, which even leads to cases of eating people. The writer also describes the epidemic in the area. Despite all that, business continues. He writes about pepper, linen, and oil. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 3, #495) VMR. The part about the epidemic begins in line 14 of recto. "There is a great epidemic (wabā') in the cities of the coast. As for Qayrawān, no one remains there [alive? or who has not fled?]—may God preserve you in health. Do not go roaming about the villages, for these are difficult times. [Or, if you read mā instead of lā, "Difficult times have recurred in the villages."] By God, by God, be vigilant for yourself. 'Who is called wise? He who sees the consequences' [Tamid 32a]. Be vigilant in all things before you enter into them." The next sentence is difficult; Gil marks his translation as doubtful and suggests that Ismāʿīl is exhorting his son to be careful about whom he puts his trust in. But perhaps it reads instead, "wa-lā taṭam'an man yabqa li-yabqa wa-lā lī hūwa waqt yūjibuhu bihi lā ḥīla," meaning "do not trust in [the belief that] 'he who [is destined to] survive, will survive,' for in my view this time does not call for a 'nothing can be done.'" This would be an unusual use of "lā ḥīla," since usually the writer means to say, "nothing can be done [except trust in God]." But it would fit the preceding exhortation to be exceedingly vigilant and to consider the consequences of his actions instead of simply trusting in God. ASE. On verso in line 2, he mentions the arrival of some letters ḍabāratan, in a bundle or a file, possibly one pierced and loosely bound with string (on which see this short lecture by Marina Rustow https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1nMtoEDbmc).

Letter (petition) asking for help to free the writer’s brother who apparently had been incarcerated for failing to pay the capitation tax (here, called kharāj). Dating: 11th century. The spelling is phonetic and possibly somewhat archaic: the definite article lacks lām before sun-letters, and many of the short vowels are written plene. (Information from CUDL and Goitein's index cards)

Letter from Yisrael B. Natan, Jerusalem, to Nahray B. Nissim, Fustat. Includes details about the agreement between Daniel B. Azarya and the brothers Yosef and Eliya the Cohanim, sons of Shelomo Gaon. December 20, 1051. VMR

Letter from Daniel b. Aharon in Jerusalem to Shemuʾel (Shemuel) b. Aharon, 11th century.

Letter from Nahray b. Nissim, Fustat, to Abu al-Faraj Yeshu'a b. Ismail, Upper Egypt. The recipient is buying goods. Nahray writes with the news of Abu Imran's death, to confirm that Abu al-Faraj has the money from previous trades, and to discuss future ones.

Letter from Yahya b. Musa al-Majjani, al-Mahdiyya, to Barhun b. Salih al-Tahirti, Cairo, asking him to intervene on his behalf against Ibn Farah al-Fasi and Abu l-Husayn al-Mubarak b. Ishaq regarding the estate of al-Shiraji. Dated 1045. (Information from Goitein's index cards)

Letter from Isma’il b. Farah, Alexandria, to Nahray b. Nissim, Fustat. September 23, 1056. The letter contains details about shipments of money and goods, and several requests to send letters, as well as requests related to buying goods (mainly sugar) and selling goods (mainly silk) in Fustat. Also mentions a large shipment of wax that was sent to the government. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 3, #490) VMR

Letter from Yosef b. Sahl ha-Bardani in Tripoli, Lebanon, to Nahray b. Nissim in Fustat, ca. 1060.

Letter from Yisrael B. Natan, Jerusalem, to Nahray B. Nissim, Fustat. Israel suggests Nahariya to get out of a deal he made and asks for money to buy clothes. The letter includes the news that the "Rosh" - Daniel B. Azarya is coming to Jerusalem, via Nablus, and about his meeting with Eliya HaCohen, son of Shelomo Gaon. August 24, 1052. VMR

Letter from Shela bar Mevasser to 'The Rabbi' Yehuda ha-Kohen b. Yosef, Rosh ha-Seder ('Head of the Row'). The letter was written before Shela's appointment as a judge. The letter starts with four lines of Hebrew Poetry. (Information from Frenkel. For additional information see Med. Soc. 3:431). On verso there are also the opening lines from a legal document, probably a draft. (Information from CUDL)

Letter from Avraham b. Yitzhak al-Andalusi, Jerusalem, to Nahray b. Nissim, Fustat, ca. 1065.

Letter in calligraphic style from a community written by Sahlān b. Avraham. (Information from Goitein's index cards and CUDL)

Letter from an unknown writer to the brothers Mevorakh b. Saadya (in office 1078-1082 and 1094-1111) and Yehuda b. Saadya (in office ca. 1065-1078) recommending a man bringing merchandise in which the sender of the letter has great interest. Dated between 1065-1078. (Information from Goitein's index cards)

Letter from Natan b. Nahray, Alexandria, to his father, Nahray b. Nissim, in Fustat, concerning the arrival of ships, ca. 1045-1096.

Letter from Natan b. Nissim in Alexandria to Nahray b. Nissim, in Fustat, from 1080s. Natan sends his regards to Avraham b. R. Yaʿaqov Darʿi. (Information from Frenkel)

Letter from Amram b. Yosef, probably from Alexandria, to Nahray b. Nissim, Fustat. Around 1075. Regarding a shipment of palm leaves that arrived from outside of Egypt. In addition, mentions purchase of wheat and a disagreement about packaging cloth that belongs to the writer but another person named Muslim (probably his Jewish name is Meshulam) denies that is his. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 4, #679) VMR

Letter, apparently written by ʿEli he-Ḥaver b. ʿAmram, introduced with two poems in honour of Elḥanan b. Shemarya, and mentioning Joseph b. Abraham. (Information from CUDL) Four pages of a letter (a, b, c, d) beginning with verses in Hebrew and expressing admiration and congratulations. (Information from Goitein's index cards)

Letter from Awad b. Hanan'el in Alexandria to Nahray b. Nissim in Fustat, in which the writer complains of hardships he has endured, and asks for details about prices of goods in Fustat, ca. 1045-1096.

Legal testimony. In the hand of Sahlān b. Avraham. Dating: Ca. 1030 CE. Concerning orphans and large sums of money in an estate. Mentions Efrayim the Ḥaver (probably Efrayim b. Shemarya). (Information in part from CUDL.) The join is not continuous, so there is no direct proof, but it seems very likely. ASE

Secondary use: Letter from ʿIwāḍ b. Ḥananʾel to Nahray b. Nissim. Dating: 1045–96. Dealing with numerous business matters. He reports that Shemuel dropped a vessel or gourd (fuqqāʿa) full of honey into the Nile.