Geniza Lab

The earliest document on this fragment is a legal document in the hand of Ḥalfon b. Menashshe (dates: 1100–38). Only a few letters from the beginnings of a few lines are preserved. Ḥalfon then tore up the document for scrap paper. On verso, he wrote an informal note to an unnamed court official, "I searched the shimmush [court ledger] thoroughly and found nothing. My master the Nezer (=Natan b. Shemuel, active 1128–53) said that it is to be found in the old shimmush that is in the house of Sayyidnā." Back on recto, there may be the response to Ḥalfon's request, likely written after the addressee had checked the old shimmush for the desired information: "Write for her two skullcaps and a veil worth two dinars, and a red skullcap worth half a dinar." (Information from Oded Zinger's forthcoming edition.)

Letter fragment in Judaeo-Arabic from "your brother, the diadem (al-nezer)," dated the middle of Tammuz 1155 CE (1466 Seleucid), including only the upper margin on recto and the address on verso. The address spells out the names: Natan b. Shemuel ha-Ḥaver to Netanel ha-Sar ha-Adir. The name al-Shaykh Abu l-Mufaḍḍal is written at 90 degrees. The remaining text of the letter mentions "the deceased brother (ZL)" but is mostly formulaic. Needs further examination, good candidate for a join. ASE.