Geniza Lab

Account of the qodesh, ca. September 1201. This is an accoutning written on both sides of a single leaf, detached from a notebook. The peculiar thing about this document is that it shows the existence of two separate lists, of inhabited apartments and of empty ones. The latter have their rents listed, in order to compare the actual with the budgeted revenue. There is also a third class, of people who live in their apartments without paying rent. This is extremely unusual in the accounts of the qodesh and can only be explained by the extraordinary conditions of distress at the time. Seven apartments are listed as occupied rent-free; among them, that of R. Anatoli, whose rent was in any case reduced to five dirhams, as against 52 dirhams that he still paid three months earlier. Among the people exempt from payment are "a poor woman" and some scholars, one of them styled al-khaver. The total sum counted on as revenue was 336.5 dirhams, whereas the actual income was only 171, i.e., a little more than half. (Information from Gil, Documents, pp. 386 #102)

Account of building operations ca. 1216. Expenditures for construction materials and labor, as recorded in the course of several days. The work is done at compounds of the qodesh and the Synagogue of the Palestinians. Some other expenditures, as for captives, are also included. (Information from Gil, Documents, pp. 412 #113)

Verso: Accounts in Judaeo-Arabic. Dating: 1200–1240 CE, based on Goitein's assessment. "[Received on account of the] Food for the Poor—101 1/2 [dirhems]." Accounts for one week, headed by 115 pounds of bread costing 33 1/2 dirhems, twice as much as in B 77. A similar situation in B 43. The salaries, however, remained exactly the same. On Friday, the Nagid made special distributions in cash and wheat to a foreign scholar and to the Rūm, here meaning persons from Byzantium, "male and female." After the conquest of Constantinople by the Latins in 1204 and countless other disasters befalling the Byzantine realm, it is not surprising to again find refugees from there in the capital of Egypt. See B 85." (Goitein, Med Soc II, Appendix B, #79 pp. 462))

Account of building operations ca. 1215. A list of expenditures made at Dar b. Pinhas in the course of several days in the month of Marheshwan, using Coptic numerals. (Information from Gil, Documents, pp. 408 #110)

Account of building operations ca. 1240. Written on a sheet of paper made into a booklet of four leaves, it is a record of current payments for building materials and labor. The works going on are financed from huge sums of rent deposited with the banker al-As'ad in the course of two years. (Information from Gil, Documents, pp. 453 #136)

Fragment of a court record. Location: Cairo. Dating: Second half of the 13th century.

Letter in Judaeo-Arabic. Unknown writer, unknown addressee. Dating: Likely early 13th century. The writer asks for the copy of Seder Neziqim that has the gemara with the perush of Rav Shelomo (=Rashi?). The writer asked R. Yeḥiel (b. Elyaqim?) to 'read to him' (or teach him? yuqrīhu). "All that is delaying me is the copies." As for the rhubarb, the writer sold some pieces of it for 10 dirhams. He awaits further instructions.

Letter addressed to R. Ḥananel, who receives about 10 lines of titles. In Hebrew and Judaeo-Arabic. Dating: Likely early 13th century. Only three lines are preserved of the body of the letter. The writer alludes to a woman (or to the ḥaḍra=addressee?) who was staying with him in S[...]. The rest is missing.

Certificate of the Qodesh in Alexandria, ca. 1253. The leaders of the community of Alexandria grant Elazar b. Shelomo the right to receive bread from the qodesh as well as the sum needed for the capitation tax. The right is granted to him by reason of his poverty, old age, and membership in a family of scholars. (Information from Gil, Documents, pp. 477 #144)

Book list and a quotation from a halakhic source or a responsum. Probably in the hand of Joseph Rosh ha-Seder (late 12th and early 13th century). (Information from CUDL)

Responsum in a literary style concerning a dispute between husband and wife, written in the hand of Yeḥiʾel b. Elyaqim (active 1213-1233 CE). (Information from CUDL)

Calligraphic family letter, sent from Giza, containing many names and detailed instructions. Dated to the 13th century. (Information from Mediterranean Society, I, 423, and from Goitein's index cards.) A very rough translation is as follows: "Your letter arrived with Ibn al-Jalajuli. Najm al-Din read it with me in Giza and wrote a response in his own hand. A letter with Abu l-Ḥasan arrived with the news that you are sick, and we were pained on your account, myself and the mother. As for Tawus and Mas'udah, they did not greet us (?). The old woman and Mas'udah fought, she said to her, "You claim that I owe you something, I don't owe anything to anybody!" We went to Abu l-Khayr, I and the Hakim, as soon as Abu l-Ḥasan arrived with the letter. We fought with him. We said, "Give the ghazal (?), we will do it outside." But he didn't do it. He prepared it and he will do it. As for what you sad, my brother, that I should rise and come, you know that I am busy with the speaking (?) of Najm al-Din until matters are stable (?) with him. On Wednesday, the day after the arrival of the letter, I went to Amin al-Din the son of the founder and bought five of indigo (nīl) from him. I gave him your letter and he read it and I kissed his hand and humbled myself and cried. He was pained and said, come back another time. He is good of heart and wishes for your delivery. He promised me. Every day I await for the response from him, and every day I go to him -- may God grant that salvation is at his hands, and the next letter after this one will tell of your salvation. My brother, I cannot travel until I have a letter with news of your delivery. There is no sense in traveling like this. I can't even buy or sell things until your matter is settled and the speaking (?) of Najm al-din. As for what you said about going to to al-Shams b. al-Muzawwiq - he did not leave me in Giza after he read your letter except that he was good (of health?). Maybe we don't need any of them. You know that he does not have any influence apart from money. Until now, nothing has been settled between me and him. If you need money, send word with someone you trust, and we will give it to him. My brother, there is fire in our hearts because of you. Mother and your sister and the Hakim all want to come to you. A blond apostate (poshea') arrived after Abu l-Ḥasan's letter and said that you had departed. Someone wanted to write a letter to someone; but he searched for you and did not find you. He calmed our hearts a great deal. He told us that your leg hurts you. Their fear was calmed, and they recovered from their state...." Further people mentioned include Hajj Muhammad, Najm al-Din, the old woman, the Hakim, Hikam (?), and al-Shaykh Hilal. ASE.

Court record, fragmentary, dated 1227; see Gotein Nachlass material

Fragment of a dowry receipt of Sitt al-Kamal, written by Emmanuel b. Yehiel (ca. 1231-1279), containing details about a trousseau. (Information from Mediterranean Society, III, p. 453, and from Goitein's index cards)

Affidavit of a loan by Berakhot b. Yosef to Perahyah b. Adahay signed by Judge Eliyyahu in 1220-- see Goitein Nachlass material

Deed of sale for the sale of a female slave. Location: Fustat. Dated: Tuesday, 1 Nisan 1537 Seleucid, which is 31 March 1226 CE, under the authority of Avraham Maimonides. This is a copy of T-S 13J4.2. Yiṣḥaq b. Yehuda Ibn al-Mashshāṭ, agent (wakīl) of Yeshuʿa b. Hillel Ibn Zikr, sells to Hillel b. Barakāt the female slave Ḍiyāʾ, who was born into slavery (muwallad) and was brought (musayyara) to Fustat. Price: 25 dinars. Not signed. Seems to be a (good) copy made by Shelomo b. Eliyyahu. (Information from Mediterranean Society, I, pp. 433, 458, and from Goitein's index cards)

Statement signed in 1225 CE by Judge Eliyyahu about a sale in the bazaar of a woman's clothes-- see Goitein Nachlass material

Legal document, damaged, dated no earlier than 1289 CE (אלפא ושית מאה . . . ).

Account. Revenue of the qodesh from rent, ca. 1230. A small strip of paper, of which the upper part is missing, written on both sides. The part which is preserved lists 13 tenants. (Information from Gil, Documents, pp. 443 #133)

Legal document. Partnership agreement. Location: Cairo. Dating: 1204-1237. Partnership agreement in cloth trade between Pinhas b. Elazar ha-Kohen and Moshe ha-Levi. Both partners seem to be active. Profits are to be split evenly, and each of the partners is to be trusted (that is, without requiring the testimony of witnesses) as to partnership accounting, suggesting that the partners did not spend their time together in a single location. The term of the partnership is also specified, though not preserved. The date has not been preserved, but the incomplete titles on lines 23-24 suggest that it falls during the headship of Avraham Maimuni (active between 1204-1237). (Information from Lieberman, "A Partnership Culture", 47-49)