Geniza Lab

Two copies of a poem by Avraham ben Yiju, praising Maḍmūn and cursing his enemies. T-S 8J16.23 is written in the hand of Ben Yiju himself, while the AIU fragment is written in the calligraphic square hand of a scribe. The poet signs his name in an acrostic: ABRHM ḤZQ YJW. The poem is about how Maḍmūn's enemies requited his kindness with treachery. But these enemies were ultimately compelled to acknowledge Maḍmūn's titles Sar and Nagid. Dating: ca. 1140–44 CE. (Information from Goitein and Friedman, India Book II.)

Letter from Madmun b. Ḥasan to Avraham Ibn Yiju: first pick of merchandise for Bilal b. Jarir. Aden, between 1136-1138 or 1145-1149.

Part of a copy of the same letter that is preserved in full in T-S 16.345, a letter from Mahruz to Sulayman b. Abu Zikri Kohen before sailing back to India. Aden, ca. 1137-1147.

Letter of thanks from Ḥalfon ha-Levi b. Menashshe to Khalaf b. Yiṣḥaq. Fustat, ca. 1120s.

Letter from Madmun b. Ḥasan to Abu Zikri Kohen. Aden, 1130s.

Letter from Mahruz to Abu Zikri Kohen in Broach, Mangalore, India ca. 1145-48.

Letter from Amram b. Yosef to Nahray b. Nissim inquiring about a letter sent to Aden Alexandria. Dating: 1094–97. ʿAmram has suffered from ophthalmia for one year and cannot find anyone to cure it. He excuses himself from coming in person to pay his respects to the Nagid and asks Nahray to represent him. ASE.

Letter from Khalaf b. Yiṣḥaq to Egypt. Aden, ca. 1130-39.

Letter from the scribe of the yeshiva to Yosef b. Avraham b. Bundar. Cairo, ca. 1128-39.

Letter from Madmun b. Ḥasan to Avraham Ibn Yiju: safe conduct and assistance for brother. Aden, ca. 1145. (8) [I shall take care of] sending it, if someone departs this [year for] (9) Egypt, since no one arrived last year or [so far this year] (10) from Egypt, because of the [death?] (11) and epidemic prevailing there, for two years in a row.

Letter from Shemarya b. David to a prominent Egyptian Jew. Aden, late twelfth century.

Letter from ʿAmram b. Yosef to Netanel b. Yefet regarding goods sent by Ḥasan b. Bundār. Location: Alexandria. Dating: 1094–97 CE. ʿAmram mentions his ophthalmia ('it seems as if I have found slight relief') and the wretched woman (ʿaguna for ʿaguma, as in CUL Or.1080 J24) who suffers pain in the joints of her hands and feet (this woman and her arthritis also appear in T-S 13J23.10). ʿAmram excuses himself from paying his respects to the Nagid on account of his ophthalmia, so he asks Netanel to represent him. ʿAmram makes the same request of Mūsā b. Abī l-Ḥayy in Halper 394 and of Nahray b. Nissim in Bodl. MS heb. d.75/19. ASE. See Med. Society II, 478, Section 18. (Information from Goitein’s index card)

Panegyric in Honor of Madmun II Cairo, after 1186.

Panegyric in Honor of Madmun II Cairo, after 1186.

Letter from Madmun b. Ḥasan to Avraham Ibn Yiju: mutual assistance. Aden, ca. 1136.

List of the honorary titles of the Bundar family of Aden, ca. 1120. Written by Halfon b. Menashshe Halevi.

Letter from Amram b. Yosef to Nahray b. Nissim requesting to forward a letter to Hassan b. Bundar. Location: Alexandria. Dating: 1094–97 CE. ʿAmram congratulates Nissim (Nahray's son) on his recovery (r4–8). He gives Nahray advice about taking good care of his son following his recovery, because "the relapse is worse than the illness" (r25–30).

Letter from the Yeshiva in Egypt to Khalaf b. Yiṣḥaq and Yosef b. Avraham in Aden. Cairo, ca. 1132.

Letter from Maḍmūn b. Ḥasan to Avraham Ibn Yiju: two fragments. Aden, 1134.

Letter from Yosef b. Avraham b. Bundar to Sulayman b. Abu Zikri Kohen denying misappropriation of a deposit. Aden, 1152.