Geniza Lab

Fragment (left side) of a late illuminated ketubba.

Legal declaration from Fustat/Cairo, dated 1802 CE. Several people are named in the opening lines.

A few lines of a late document (letter?) in Hebrew. Several names are mentioned.

Late partnership agreement. Needs further examination for date, place, content.

Letter from Daniel ha-Levi, in Damascus, to someone important named Natan. Late. In Hebrew. The letter has to do with a man named Binyamin Fā'ina (? פאינה) who moved to Egypt some years ago. Rumors returned that he had converted to Christianity (or were Muslims also referred to as 'arelim?). His parents were very worried until he wrote to assure them that he was living in peace and tranquility. Daniel asks Natan to send this Binyamin back home to his parents so that they can be even more reassured. Binyamin's parents are related to the writer; the mother is the daughter of the late rabbi Yosef Kannawi (? כנאוי). BL OR 5561B.23 is the envelope/address. ASE.

Letter of recommendation. Late. In Hebrew, with some Aramaic and Judaeo-Arabic. The bearer Saʿīd b. Manṣūr the Yemeni is from a good family and has had to abandon his wife and children, traveling in search of charity and a living.

Letter from an unidentified Nagid to R. Aהraham regarding an insubordinate cantor. Given this shelfmark's prior identification as late and Dotan Arad's attribution of the letter to a Nagid, it likely dates to the 14th-early 16th centuries (no later than 1517CE). Date: 14th c, 15th c, 16th c. MCD.

Late Hebrew letter from Jerusalem, from a pious man who recently settled there and does not like what he sees. He opens with describing how much he was upset by not having the recipient with him—possibly on the journey, possibly when he gave a sermon and the people didn't like it. He heard that the recipient was in trouble with a debtor who falsified the sum that was owed, but thankfully the king came to the aid of the recipient. He then describes how joyful it was to finally arrive in the Holy Land. Except that due to our sins, there are a lot of evils to report. There is no justice and the laws of Israel are scorned. Furthermore, people have wicked tongues, "they bend their tongue, their bow of falsehood" (Jeremiah 9:2). Furthermore, Jews charge each other interest, which will be the reason for the destruction of the wealth of all of Israel. Furthermore, in line 19, he may refer to the people's use of impious amulets and healing charms. ASE.

Formulary for a letter to an important person, probably late.

An interesting Qaraite legal testimony (zikhron ʿedut) dated 20 Adar 5442 (1682 CE), scribed and signed by Avraham ha-Rofe ben Ṣaʿīr, one of the messengers sent from Jerusalem with news of the barley crop (aviv), together with Mordechai b. Ḥayyim ha-Kohen. As the barley was fully mature, the coming year, a leap year for the Rabbanites, will not be intercalated for the Qaraites. Messengers have been sent both to Damascus and to Fustat. The writer notes that, for the first time "in a long time," this means that the calendars of the Rabbanites and the ʿarelim (western Christians? Muslims?) have coincided, while the calendars of the Qaraites and the Franks and Maronites have coincided. The term ʿarelim, or uncircumcised, normally refers to Christians in earlier Geniza documents. However, in this context, the ʿarelim are being contrasted with the Franks and Maronites, so the writer is either drawing a distinction between western and eastern Christians, or between Christians and Muslims. ASE

Very faded, seems like a late literary piece

Letter from somebody to his brother-in-law Avraham ha-Levi. In Judaeo-Arabic. Of note, the script uses ק for כ and vice versa. Dating: Late. Reused for accounts. Contains regards to and from various family members.

Letter signed by the members of the Ismaʿilīya Synagogue to the members of the Jewish community of Cairo complaining about the worsening condition of the seating in [the synagogue] – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 220) – in Arabic. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 41). MCD.

Appeal concerning a warning to youth about the thoughts of some outsiders in the teachings of religious law and the appeal is from the Aḥbāb al-Hayā society of Jerusalem – undated Museum of Islamic Art (number 24) – in Hebrew. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 35). MCD.

Personal letter from Jerusalem – undated – Museum of Islamic Art – (number 269) – in Hebrew. (information from Ḥassanein Muḥammad Rabīʿa, ed., Dalīl Wathā'iq al-Janīza al-Jadīda / Catalogue of the Documents of the New Geniza, 56). MCD.

The first page from a letter in three languages requesting aid and assistance coming from the compensation of "Raḥov ha-Nahār" in Jerusalem – the second page is an assessment of the rabbis' compensated traveled, and the changes that occurred with it regarding the collectors and the lighting – undated – (number 295) – in Hebrew, Yiddish, and English.

Letter sent to ha-Talmid ha-Baḥur Nissim Agostaro (אגושתארו) in Alexandria from his father Shelomo Agostaro, including a warning that he should not come to Cairo before the epidemic has finished, because every day one or two people die. There are greetings to many people, among them Mordechai, Esther, Shabbetay and Shemuʾel. (Information from CUDL)

A draft of a legal claim issued by Avraham b. Hayyim to the Jewish court in Cairo against his partner, whose name is not mentioned, regarding a debt owed by him in a transaction involving export of a rubin gemstone. This kind of stone was manufactured in the far east and was in a very high demand in Europe. 3 persons were involved in this partnership - the writer, the defendant and a person addressed as Itstafnin. Published by Avraham David in Ginzey Qedem 16. See image there. (Data from A. David publication). AA

A legal ruling concerning a 'chained' wife (ʿaguna). Published by Glick, Seride Teshuvot: A Descriptive Catalogue of Responsa. Fragments from the Jacques Mosseri Collection at CUL, p. 386-391.

A court record concerning a prozbol ( A write technically changed the status of individual private loans into the public administration, allowing the poor to receive interest-free loans before the Sabbatical year while protecting the investments of the lenders)- needs examination. Image not available