Geniza Lab

Letter from a woman, in New Cairo, to her brother Abū l-Ḥasan b. Wahb the brother-in-law of [...], in Malīj. In Arabic script. The sender is identified as "his sister" (karīmatuhū) in the address on verso. It was written on her behalf either by a son or a nephew, who calls the addressee "my father" in the letter itself. Ever since the addressee departed, she has been weeping copiously. They have sent him several letters with no response. The addressee's children and the children of his sister send their regards and urge him to come see them ("fa-mā baqiya fī l-ʿumr akthar mimmā maḍā," cf. PGP record for T-S NS J380). The sister urges the addressee to come celebrate the holiday with her. Greetings from Sayyid al-Ahl. There is a note in the margin stating that they have sent with the bearer 3 dirhams.

Letter. Small strip of paper, from a letter, probably by the hand of Bundār b. Ḥasan (see India Book, II12, AIU VII E35). Only little text remains. Judeo-Arabic. AA

Letter addressed to Menaḥem Mir. Features honorific titles for the addressee in Hebrew (היקר נבון ונעלה), followed by the first few lines of the body of the letter in Ladino. The letter draft opens by reporting that "we are well, peaceful, and of good health / estamos buenos de pas y de salud" (l. 3r) and goes on to mention "mazal tov" and the name Yiṣḥaq Mir de Avraham (l. 4-5r). Possibly also the beginning of the winter and sending a shipment (l. 6r). MCD. ASE.

Letter in Judaeo-Arabic. Describes a legal arrangement, probably a partnership in a store or business. Dating: 12th century, based on the typical hand. Mentions Abū l-Surūr and Ibn al-Sulamī; a period of a year and a half; a quarter of the business proceeds; "except for the verdigris" (illā l-zinjār); and the term muʿāraḍa (objection?). Ends with greetings (ajall al-salām) and a request to write back quickly (וכתבך לא תוכרהא [עני). Verso is blank. AA. ASE.

Legal document. Seven fragments joined together (by Moshe Yagur and Alan Elbaum) to form a court record. On recto (should be verso) a court record, written by Halfon b. Menashshe Halevi, in which Issac b. Shemuʾel the Spaniard and Avraham b. Shema’ya are parties in a debt settlement. Also testimony on the arrival of Barukh b. Yitsḥak from Aleppo to Egypt. On verso (should be recto) a letter sent to Yitsḥak b. Shemuʾel. Judeo-Arabic, Aramaic. AA

Letter from a woman to her brother Ḥusayn, the ghulām of Rashīd al-Dawla. In Arabic script. The sender may be complaining about the character of a woman (al-qubḥ alladhī kāna khulquhā), but this is unclear. She mentions not having an animal (mā lī bahīma). Mentions a period of time and rent. On verso there are also jottings in Judaeo-Arabic. Needs further examination.

Letter from Munajjā Muqaddasī, who has left Egypt (or Fustat), to a certain al-Shaykh al-Mukarram/Mukrim. In Judaeo-Arabic. Dating: Perhaps 13th or 14th century, but this is a guess. Much of it is formulaic, conveying profuse expressions of his longing for the addressee and a promise to spare no effort in fulfilling any of the addressee’s requests. The sender left Fustat without having any errands to fulfill on behalf of the addressee, so he asks to be honored with one. He is preoccupied on account of the female slave (? al-waṣīfa) and perhaps how much money she sold for. Regards to the addressee’s brother and to Hibat Allāh (Information in part from CUDL.)

P2 f.1 followed by P1 f. 1 and P3 f. 2: Birkat ha-Mazon. P3 f. 1, P1 f. 2 and P2 f. 2: qaddiš. P4: Judaeo-Arabic letter sent by Ismaʿīl to al-Šayḵ al-Ḥaver David ha-Kohen, mentioning the elder Abraham and Damascus. Also mentioned: עלי בן פתוח, אלשיך סבאע The letter starts on the current verso. A line of address in Arabic script is found on recto. P5: The cover page and beginning of birkat ha-mazon, copied by Mešullam b. Yefet. (cudl and AA)