Geniza Lab

Letter by Sherira Gaon and Hayye Gaon in the hand of a professional scribe. Originally written in ca. 1005. Sent to Fustat to an aluf, probably Avraham b. Sahlān. Mentions Shemarya b. Elḥanan and his son Elḥanan. Mentions “the son of the deceased ruler,” probably al-Ḥākim. Refers to distress and persecutions that the writers suffered, and hints at a controversy in Fustat. Expresses thanks for a delivery of parcels (probably containing halakhic queries and money) that had reached the yeshiva with the assistance of Yaʿaqov b. ʿAwkal. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 2, p. 96.)

Letter to the community of Jerusalem from Elhanan b. Shemarya, 1013 CE.

Letter in the hand of Elḥanan b. Shemarya (who refers to himself as "Head of the Row / Rosh ha-Seder") addressed to a cantor named Avraham. In Hebrew. Elḥanan invites Avraham to lead the mourning prayers on the following day for a deceased man. (Information from Bareket and from Goitein's index card.)

Legal document. Record of release. Dated: September 1016. Location: Fustat. ‘Ammār b. Joseph the Dyer releases Samuel ha-Kohen b. Moses b. Ṣemaḥ from all claims, and relinquishes any claim to funds owed by a number of named individuals in Malīj. These debts may have been accounts receivable, or may have been partnership investments made by ‘Ammār and Samuel. Goitein suggests that the document was written on 9 Tishri (Erev Yom Kippur) "because people from Malīj, where the workshop was operated, had come to Fusṭāṭ for [the holiday] and were able to witness the release", though Lieberman says there is no evidence that any of the witnesses came from Malīj. Still, the court in Fusṭāṭ may have been busy just before Yom Kippur, with litigants wanting to set their affairs in order before the holiday began – this could explain the number of witnesses. It may be no coincidence that this release from partnership obligations is written just before the festival which marks divine release from transgressions in the year which has just ended. Goitein characterizes this as an "industrial" partnership centered around a workshop, because ‘Ammār is identified as a dyer. But there are no details concerning the object and nature of the partnership itself, and ‘Ammār leaves all claims to Samuel, leaving open the possibility that he was not the principal, but was instead working for Samuel. There are nine signatures, including that of Elhanan b. Shemarya. (Information from Lieberman, "A Partnership Culture," 212)

The activity of Elḥanan b. Shemarya as a judge, a holograph warning someone that he wouldl be banished unless he appears in court the following Monday. For another letter on this, see CUL 1080 J48.

Letter of the cantor Yefet b. Shekhanya to Egypt. The transcribed portion of the letter describes how he came to Acre but did not take any donations from the community, for he learned that they already collected donations for Elhanan b. Shemarya, the rabbinic leader of Egyptian Jewry in early 11th century. MY (Finkel Jubilee Volume, p. 134)