Geniza Lab

Letter from Yeshua b. Ismaʿīl al-Makhmūrī from Alexandria, probably to Nahray b. Nissim, Fustat. Around 1056. In the handwriting of Yeshua b. Isma’il, with an addition in the handwriting of Musa b. Abi al-Hayy Khalila. Information about transferring money, including money that was hidden in a book cover. Also mentions different goods: lead, almonds, cloth, wood, camphor, cheese, Bible codices, flax, and incense. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 3, #311)

Verses from the Book of Genesis on Adam and Eve – undated – Museum of Islamic Art (number 273) – in Hebrew. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 33). MCD.

Image from an announcement for the press and publishing house of Samuel Levi Ṣukīsermān regarding the publishing of the "Torah from Zion" and the bottom of the announcment is about the receipt of an amount of money payment for a copy of the book "Ve-Yitsbor Yosef" in Hebrew and some German – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 53) – undated. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 36). MCD.

Questions particularly on an excerpt from the Book of Numbers – undated – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 87) – in Arabic. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 35). MCD.

Inventory of books. Dating: Likely 13th century. Mentions a book in the handwriting of al-Shaykh Abū l-ʿIzz, whom Frenkel identifies as possibly identical with Abū l-ʿIzz the brother of Sitt Ghazāl, the wife of Shelomo b. Eliyyahu; possibly identical with the Abu l-ʿIzz who inherited books from Avraham ha-Ḥasid (T-S 20.44); and possibly identical with the physician Abū l-ʿIzz whose books were sold after his death (ENA 1290.16). (Information from CUDL and Allony et al.)

Recto: Poem. Long Hebrew poem, congratulating Shelomo on being elevated, like a second Yosef, from prison to the rank of the "Deputy of the king" and "scribe" (משנה וסופר). He used his position to feed the poor and to do other works of mercy. Verso: Bible translation of Proverbs 1:4-7. (Information from S. D. Goitein, Mediterranean Society, 2:353, 604, and CUDL) VMR

Court record. Dated: 1408 Seleucid, which is 1096/97 CE. Of a dispute between Abū ʿImrān Moshe b. Moshe Ibn Majjān and Abū l-Faḍl Yosef b. Yoshiyya al-Dhahabi, which arose when the former claimed from the latter a complete bible codex he had bought from him some time before. The resolution is that Abū l-Faḍl gives the codex to Abū Sahl Menashshe to give to Abū ʿImrān (because he had taken a vow that he would never give it himself). (Information in part from Goitein's index cards). Join: Oded Zinger

Recto: Letter opening to Joseph the Nagid (יהוסף, probably the Nagid Joseph b. Samuel, from the second half of the 11th century CE). Only extensive opening greetings are preserved. Verso: Commentary in Judeao-Arabic on Psalms. The text on verso is in a different hand and much less neatly written. Information from 2018 Genizah Research Unit catalog. The text on verso appears to be instructions for when to invoke certain Psalms for various needs: against an enemy (Psalm 2), for example, or for a headache. ASE.

Recto: Letter in Arabic, probably the end. Verso: Commentary, heavily philosophical, on biblical verses. ASE.

Letter in which Shelomo b. Elazar from a town in the Fayyum expresses the thanks of the congregation to one Shelomo for sending a parchment scroll of the Pentateuch, which arrived two days before the New Year, and asks for a scroll of the readings from the Prophets for the day of Atonement. Beautifully written. Information from Goitein's note card.

Recto: Very faded document, appears to be a fragment of a late ketubba. Verso: Calligraphic biblical text in two columns.

Recto: Extract from Ruth 1. Verso: Fragment of a deed signed by Moshe ben Maymun, Damascus, late tenth century. The document includes a description of a piece of property that appears to have been part of a Palestinian-style ketubba and dowry. (Friedman, Jewish Marriage, vol. 2, 370-1 and CUDL) EMS

Recto: Letter, written on red paper by Daniel b. Azarya's assistant (According to Goitein). Verso: Draft of poetry, with a citation from Psalms 33:11. VMR

Letter to Tamim he-haver composed mostly of titles and formulaics. EMS Verso: Hebrew text of Leviticus 7:34-35 and 37 and 8:11-12. (Information from CUDL)

Recto: Letter opening with phrases in Hebrew rhyme. Psalms 119:165 is written in a smaller script in two short lines preceding the letter proper. No names are preserved, but the recipient (addressed in the third person) is referred to with various ostentatious titles, including ‘crown of the Jews’. Verso: List of about forty bible verses, not all suitable for laudatory introduction; perhaps for wall decoration only. (information from Goitein's index card). VMR and EMS

5 pages of a late Hebrew literary composition that seems mostly about biblical subjects. For example, "Why was the name of Avraham changed as well as the name of Ya'aqov, but the name of Yizhaq was not changed?" (page 2). May belong with T-S Ar.30.50. ASE.

Letter from Eliyyahu the Judge. He is prepared to give a refresher course in the reading of the Torah to Abū l-ʿAlā ha-Kohen and his father the Segan (ha-Kohanim) and is prepared to come to his house if he is ashamed to attend classes at Eliyyahu's place. Information from Goitein's note card. Verso: 2 lists of contributions, see PGPID 4594.

Letter fragment (upper right of recto). Only the opening biblical quotations (shalom rav le-ohavei toratekha) and the last few words of the text in the right margin have survived. ASE.

Letter referring to the synagogue and quoting extensively from the Hebrew Bible. (Information from CUDL)

70 minute fragments (6 vellum; 64 paper) 47 of which are unidentified texts in Judaeo-Arabic (row 1, nos 1-2, 4, 6-8; row 2, nos 2- 4, 6; row 3, nos 1, 4; row 3, no. 6; row 3, no. 9; row 4, nos 1-10; row 5, nos 1-2, 5-6; row 6, nos 1-4, 6-11, 13; row 7, nos 1-6, 10-13); one is probably part of a legal document in Judaeo-Arabic, mentioning the name [...] b. Darmā (row 1, no. 5); one is probably part of a rabbinical work, mentioning the Mishna (row 2, no. 1); one is probably a medical text, mentioning the veins (אלערוק) (row 2, no. 5); four are part of a Bible commentary, quoting Job 36:15; Jeremiah 7:29; Ezra 9:3 (row 2, no. 7; row 4, no. 11; row 5, no. 7; row 7, no. 8); four are possibly Bible translations (row 2, no. 8; row 3, no. 5; row 6, nos 5, 12); one is Saʿadya’s translation of Job 36:6-9 and Job 36:20-23 (row 2, no. 9); one is probably a rabbinical work on nidda (row 3, no. 7); one is possibly a letter in Judaeo-Arabic (row 3, no. 8); one is a translation of Psalms 104:27-28 and 105:12 with Hebrew incipits and commentary, quoting Psalms 142:6 (row 5, no. 3); one is possibly a fragment from a grammatical work (row 7, no. 7); one is part of a Bible commentary (row 7, no. 9). (Information from CUDL)