Geniza Lab

Letter from an unknown writer, perhaps a provincial muqaddam, to an unknown distinguished person, presumably in Fustat. In Judaeo-Arabic with interspersed biblical verses. The writer is defending himself against accusations of high-handedness and perhaps even having his name invoked in the reshut clause of documents and marriage contracts under his jurisdiction. He defends himself at some length and appears to mention Ibn al-Ṭaffāl, conceivably identical with the rival of Moshe b. Levi ha-Levi in the 1190s CE (see FOTM April 2020); however, the hand of this letter does not resemble that of Moshe or his brother Yedutun.

Recto: Part of an Arabic letter very likely from Moshe b. Levi ha-Levi, Qalyub, to a family member in Fustat. He mentions Abu l-Surur and asks for something to be sent and says that al-Shaykh al-Ra’is thanks the addressee. From lines 5-10, he discusses the affair of Ibn al-Taffal (presumably identical with his nemesis Yefet b. Shelomo the physician known as ‘the son of the fuller’; cf. the other fragments tagged with ‘Ibn al-Taffal’). Moshe appears to be gloating over how Ibn al-Taffal had to leave Qalyub with his tail between his feet, but he is also anxious to hear the news of how Ibn al-Taffal has fared in Fustat, “as if I were present.” But the addressee is not to speak of the matter to other people. (Perhaps Moshe wrote this part of the letter in Arabic to make it harder for snoops to read?) Moshe had had a pair of shoes made for the addressee and sent them with the bearer; the price is 4 dirhams. He neglected some of his other work because he has had so many troubles recently. The remainder is obscure, and the transcription would benefit from further revisions. Verso The tail end of a letter in Judaeo-Arabic, also by Moshe b. Levi ha-Levi, perhaps to the same addressee. It mostly consists of small commercial matters. He wants his garment to be given to his sister Fakhr. He asks about the wife of his paternal uncle. ASE.

Letter from Moshe b. Levi ha-Levi, in Qalyub, to Gaon Sar Shalom ha-Levi, in Fustat. In Hebrew. After a poem in praise in the Gaon and lengthy salutations, Moshe tells the story of a certain Yefet b. Shelomo the physician, known as Ibn al-Ṭaffāl (“son of the fuller”), who arrived in Qalyub bearing a letter from Sar Shalom supposedly appointing him as the exclusive mohel for “all the villages.” Moshe could not find Sar Shalom’s distinctive mark in the letter, so he announced that the letter was counterfeit. The poor man Ma‘ani’s son was circumcised by Yefet ha-Qatzar instead, pro bono. Moshe now gets to the point of the letter: he has heard that Ibn al-Ṭaffāl slandered him to Sar Shalom, claiming that he said things against the Gaon that he never said. Moshe concludes by begging for mercy: he insists that has not done anything wrong, Sar Shalom must not believe anything without witnesses and proofs, and, finally, who is he that Sar Shalom should be angry at him? “After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea” (1 Samuel 24:14). On verso, he apologizes for the poor quality of the paper, stating that it was the best he could find, and for the poor quality of his writing. He would have presented himself in person, but it was all he could do to even write a letter. He wrote it lying down, prostrated by illness of his intestines and eyes. See S. D. Goitein, Mediterranean Society, 2:232, 573; 3:503; 4:407. EMS. ASE.