Geniza Lab

Verso: Account of the Qodesh: building expenditures and supplies for the Synagogue. Dating: ca. 1042 – Nov. 1043. In the hand of Yefet b. David b. Shekhanya (according to Goitein). Only the left part of the leaf is preserved. The work of a carpenter and his helpers is noted as is the supply of plastering materials, including red and white gypsum, probably for some decorative work. There is mention of stones, an item seldom met in these accounts. Candlesticks and chains are supplied to the synagogue. The record also contains some bigger money matters between the leading officials of the congregation, such as the return to one of them of a sum he had advanced for the needs of the synagogue. It must have been a huge sum, since besides dinars, the total amount of which is not preserved, 669 dir. are mentioned. (Information from Gil, Documents, pp. 204 #28)

Money order of the Qodesh. Dated: 1477 Seleucid, which is 1165/66 CE. Issued by Shemuel b. Seʿadya, for 9.5 dirhams, from the collection of the compound of the Jerusalemites, to Abū Manṣūr b. Avraham al-Dimashqī. (Information from Gil, Documents, pp. 309 #71.) See also Goitein, Med Soc II, App. A, 136. NB: Goitein cites this document as T-S NS 320.32.

Accounts in Judaeo-Arabic. Revenue from rent. Dated: Dhū l-Qaʿda [644 AH] = Nisan 1558 Seleucid, which is March/April 1247 CE. Small fragment, recording payments for one month, and containing the names of 13 tenants. (Information in part from Gil, Documents, doc. #141, pp.470f.)

Accounts of the Qodesh. In Judaeo-Arabic, some Arabic script, and Greek/Coptic numerals. Mentions a date: Tammuz 1558 Seleucid, which is 1237 CE.

Account of the Qodesh: revenue from rent, probably ca. 1043. A fragment of the right part of a leaf, the top and bottom of which are missing. A list of revenue for two months is partly preserved. All names given here have been encountered in previous documents. The handwriting is of Yefet b. David b. Shekhanya. (Information from Gil, Documents, pp. 199 #25)

Account of the Qodesh: building expenditures, ca. 1040. A badly damaged fragment of an account written by Yefet b. David b. Shekhanya. Work done at Dar al-Barqi is mentioned, and various payments for water, bricks, clay, lime, pillars, gypsum; also, repairs of doors and windows. Water carriers, masons, diggers, and helpers are paid for different periods of work, in the course of several weeks. The names of the months are preserved, Shevat and Adar. (Information from Gil, Documents, pp. 191 #21)

Account of the Qodesh: revenue from rent, ca. 1040. A very damaged leaf, in the handwriting of Yefet b. David b. Shekhanya. The revenue from several apartments and shops is listed, as collected monthly, during Rabi' al-awwal, Rabi' al-akhir, and Jumada'l-awwal. (Information from Gil, Documents, pp. 182 #15)

Court records and notes in the hand of the judge Natan b. Shemuel. Dating: Ca. 1143 CE. Entries include the estate inventory of Abū l-Barakāt Ibn al-Sharābī (including a huge library containing 200 bound codices), payment of a debt, an instruction to charge the community fund with 75 dirhams, and the sale of a house. (Information from CUDL.) Gil edited one of the entries; this is the transcription below. Record of a payment to an Amir, ca. 1143. Two payments in wheat, due the army commander (amir) Hiṣn al-Dawla, are effected through the qodesh; the account is briefly recorded among other records of the court. The date corresponding to 1143 appears on the reverse side of the document, written in the same hand. A previous PGP description erroneously called this "Rough draft of an agreement between spouses, in the hand of Hillel b. Eli."

Verso: Account of the qodesh. Dating: Ca. 1119–20 CE. Accounting written on the verso of a letter addressed to Judge Avraham b. Natan. The accounting is obviously a draft, since revenue from rent and expenditures, mainly payments to officials, are mingled indiscriminately. (Information from Gil, Documents, pp. 240 #42). A previous PGP description listed this fragment as containing a "Responsum of the Gaon Shelomo b. Yehuda," but this appears to be erroneous.

Accounting of building expenditures ca. 1230. Fragment of a leaf, of which the bottom left part is missing; it includes three columns of items on both recto and verso. The accounting refers to repairs in Dar Hayyun. Supplies of gypsum, clay, floor tiles, and lime form the majority of the items. (Information from Gil, Documents, pp. 433 #130)

Account of the qodesh, ca. 1120. Revenue from different people is listed, mostly without specifications. The sums seem to represent money of the qodesh deposited with different parnasim. Sums of rent from the compound of al-Masasa, apparently "the compound of the Jerusalemites," are explicitly mentioned, and also from "the compound of the orphan girl," mentioned in T-S NS J292 verso. (Information from Gil, Documents, pp. 242 #43)

Account of the qodesh for display ca. 1222-23. This document is the final copy of the record of which the preceding document (ENA 3824.1) is an earlier draft. (Information from Gil, Documents, pp. 431, #129). (Written by Sheolomo b. Shmuel. AA)

Account of building operations ca. 1200. Fragment of a leaf, upper left part, in a calligraphic hand. It itemizes mainly work in clay, and the work of a mason. The period covered in the account as preserved is less than a week, from Monday to Thursday. (Information from Gil, Documents, pp. 391 #104)