Geniza Lab

Fragment of the draft of a document in support of a man (the bearer?) who is in danger of being reduced again to captivity if not ransomed. Written in hand of the scribe Ḥalfon b. Menashshe ha-Levi, in his early career (dated docs: 1100-1138). He (or, as Goitein thinks, the messenger) has come to Egypt to collect the inflated ransom (more than 80 dinars) being demanded by the captor. (Information from Goitein's index cards)

Formal letter in the hand of Ḥalfon b. Menashshe, addressed to an unidentified community. Written on behalf of a captive who has been granted a short period of time to travel (accompanied by a Christian) and raise money for his own ransom. The congregation of Fustat has already raised most of the funds, and now the new congregation is asked to make up the remainder. (Information in part from CUDL.)

Notes for a marriage contract between Abu al-Karim Shabbetay b. Avraham and the divorcee Mudallala bat Yehuda ha-Levi involving a dowry of 102 dinars plus a house. Drafted in Cairo ca. 1140. (Information from Mediterranean Society, III, pp. 387 and 403)

Legal document containing directions to the scribe, in which the Rav Elazar b. Jasbi gives 25 dinars to Abu al-Rida to buy him "200 mann" of sal ammoniac in the course of one and one-half months. Dated May 1152. (Information from Goitein's index cards)

Order of payment by Abū Zikrī Kohen to Abū l-Khayr Khiyyār to pay the bearer of the note one dinar and a carat. Dated Adar 14[.]1 Seleucid era, probably 1451 (= 1140 CE). (Information from CUDL)

Order of payment by Abū Zikrī Kohen to Abū l-Khayr Khiyyār to pay 10 dinars to the family of Rayḥān. Dated Sivan 1452 Seleucid era (= 1141 CE). (Information from CUDL)

Order of payment by Abū Zikrī Kohen to Abū l-Khayr Khiyyār to pay to the leader (‘al-raʾīs’) 2 dinars. Circa 1141 CE. (Information from CUDL)

Deed of sale of a house. Dated 1483/1171-72. The 'Ha-rav ha-gadol be-yisrael' in line 2 is doubtless Moses Maimonides, who was at that time head of the Jews. (Information from Goitein's index cards)

Exact account of expenses for a distinguished, sick foreigner, showing also how these expenses were covered. Written by Natan b. Shelomo ha-Kohen (active in Fustat 1125–50 CE). "Various medical prescriptions conclude with the note: "Meal—cooked chickens." How this worked out in practice is seen in the daily accounts listing the sums expended for a sick foreigner and the sums showing how they were collected, as summarized here. The list is in the unmistakable hand of the judge Nathan b. Solomon ha-Kohen, who was active in the Egyptian capital in the years 1125 - 1150, but who signed (as first signatory) a document in Tyre, Lebanon, as early as 1102. (Tyre was conquered by the Cru­ saders in 1124.) At the writing of this account he seems to have been an old man and was probably retired.4 9 The account refers to the first twelve days of the month Shevat (Jan.-Feb.). The sums refer to the silver coin dirhem. Expenditures: Daily: Bread—3/4; on Saturday a larger amount: 7/8 or 1. A chicken—2 1/8, or (mostly) 2 1/2. (Medical) potion—1. Weekly: Hot oil —1. Listed only once: Rose water—3/4. Creme—1/2. Honey—1/2. Lentils—1/4. Saffron—1/4. Nile water—1/4. Larger sums were spent on bandages, cotton, laundry, and a new cloak. The patient was probably treated gratuitously by a physician of the community. The expenditure was covered by (a) income from a house belong­ ing to the community; (b) six donations, in one case a husband and his wife—referred to as "his house"—contributed separately; (c) a collection made in the two rabbinical synagogues of Fustat (which brought only 7 dirhems); (d) 1 dinar less 1/24 (qirat), worth at that time 35 1/2 dirhems, donated by "our lord," meaning the Head of the Jewish community, probably the court physician Samuel b. Hananiah (1140-1159)." Mediterranean Society, II, p. 458; IV, pp. 232, 233.

Two lists similar to T-S K15, fols. 5, 15, 39, 50, written by the same scribe and having mostly same names; one of the lists dated Friday Marheshvan 14. Has a special section for the Rum (Europeans) (42 persons). The second total at the bottom of col. II represents the addition of 4 loaves resulting from changes in three allocations in the list. Ca. 1107. (Information from Mediterranean Society, II, p. 443, App. B 23)

Account for Nisan and Iyyar 1493 sel. ca. 1182. The usual items for accounts from Abu'l-Bayan are included in this one. There are 22 apartments and compounds listed, yielding revenue of 543 dirhams for two months. The second part of the account contains a list of ordinary expenditures which total 385.75 dirhams. A third part lists additional revenue and charges, At the same time, Ab'l-Bayan presents a further account, for two later months. The total revenue of these two additional months, a sum of 533 dirhams, is added to the balance of the former ones, then the total expenditures of the two additional months, a sum of 427.75 dirhams, is deducted, and so are his collection fees, which come to 60 dirhams. (Information from Gil, Documents, pp. 334 #83)

Account for Av and Elul 1494, and Tishri 1495 sel. ca. 1183. A double leaf, taken from the notebook of Judge Shemuel b. Saadya, this document contains two accoutns of revenue from rent, for the period Av 1494-Tishri 1495 sel., in which Elul 1494 appears twice, each time with different items. Each list of revenues is followed by one of expenditures for the same period. The first list of revenues includes 26 items, totaling 373.5 dirhams, and the second 20 items, totaling 367.5 dirhams. (Information from Gil, Documents, pp. 343 #87)

Account of building operations ca. 1199. An accounting of repairs in the tabaqa of the compound called shirkat al-Dayyan R. Menashshe. The accounting, as prederved, covers a period of four days, Thursday, Friday, Monday, Tuesday, and refers mainly to the preparation of mortar, and carpentry work. It is written on a leaf of a notebook, of which two fragments are preserved, this one being the smaller one. (Information from Gil, Documents, pp.376 #100)

Account of revenue from rent, ca. 1165. Written by Judge Hiyya b. Yitzhak. The total sum, written in Coptic, is 561 dirhams, but details of only 319.25 are preserved. (Information from Gil, Documents, pp. 304 #68)

Account for Shevat and Adar 1495 sel. ca. 1184. This is a single leaf from the notebook of Shemuel b. Saadya, written in two columns. A revenue list beginning in the first column continues in the upper part of the second one, and is followed by a list of expenditures. There are 19 items of revenue preserved, with a total for the two months of 441.5. (Information from Gil, Documents, pp. 359 #91)

Account for Marheshwan and Kislev 1495 sel. ca. 1183. This is a double leaf of the notebook of Shemuel b. Saadya. The first part is a list of the revenue from 25 apartments and compounds for two months, which totals 346.5 dirhams. Then a list of expenditures follows, mostly, it appears, for charitable purposes. (Information from Gil, Documents, pp. 357 #90)

Part of a booklet, with section beginning, like a title page, 'List of the Poor of Fustat--may God in his mercy make them rich and help them in his grace and kindness' (in K 15.5). Date is preserved here, on fol. 39, as, 11th of Marheshvan, October 30, 1107 (in App. B 21 Goitein wrote Tuesday, Marheshvan 18 [Nov. 5], but dated is correctly in Mediterranean Society, I, p. 56). The date is written in such a way that it could be tyt or tnt, 1107 or 1147, but the reading 1107 is made sure not only by the handwriting of the clerk [=Hillel ben Eli] but also by the names of various people listed, who are known from other Geniza papers. see ibid, I, p. 405 note 89. '490 pounds, amounting to 539 (loaves of bread), from the baker Ma'ali. Ten (pounds) were added, making a total of 500, namely ten loaves of old bread.' Other leaves from this notebook = fols. 5, 15, and 50. Notice the conspicuous presence of the Rum, Jews probably from Byzantium. In several places the names of the baker Ma'ali and that of another baker, Sadaqa, appear, interrupting the list of names of beneficiaries. The handwriting is that of Avraham b. Aharon, who also wrote App. B 23, 24. (Information from Mediterranean Society, II, p. 443, App. B 21, and from Cohen).

Part of a booklet of alms lists (fols. 15.5, 15, 39, 50), titled here: 'List of the poor of Fustat.' Inside (col. II, line 5ff.): ˜Available 600 [loaves] weighing 600 pounds. Price 3 dinars, which I have received from the Prince of Princes [i.e., the Nagid Mevorakh]--may he live forever.' Date is preserved on fol. 39, Tuesday, Marheshvan 18 (Nov. 5), 1107. Fol. 15 was written on the Friday of the same week and notes 500 pounds yielding 567 loaves. Fol. 50 contains the distribution of the following Tuesday [Nov. 12] again comprising 500 pounds, but only 547 loaves. The handwriting is that of Avraham b. Aharon. (Information from Mediterranean Society, II, p. 443, App. B 19).

Part of a booklet of alms lists (fols. 15.5, 15, 39, 50). Date is preserved on fol. 39, Tuesday, Marheshvan 18 (Nov. 5), 1107. Fol. 50 contains the distribution of the following Tuesday [Nov. 12] again comprising 500 pounds, but only 547 loaves. The handwriting is that of Avraham b. Aharon. (Information from Mediterranean Society, II, p. 443, App. B 22).

List of about sixty recipients of charity, some identical with those in T-S NS J293. One section is superscribed 'In the Tujib' (a quarter of Fustat). No numerals or other indications of the charity involved. Like T-S K15.102 (Appendix B 31), it is written in very large characters, but in poor script and with bad spelling. (Information from Mediterranean Society, II, p. 448, App. B 34, dated 1100-1140).