Geniza Lab

Late letter in Judaeo-Arabic, mentioning Marseilles (? מרסליה).

Legal document in Judaeo-Arabic. Concerning a quarter-dār. Mentions "in the land of Marseilles" (מרשיל[יא), but the context is missing. Likely in the hand of Eliyyahu the Judge (this information provided by Amir Ashur).

Letter from Yehuda b. Aharon Ibn al-ʿAmmānī, in Alexandria, to Abū l-Majd Meir b. Yakhin ("the Glory of the Cantors and their strength"), in Fustat. Dated: 22 Shevat 1525 Seleucid, which is early 1214 CE. In the letter are found the repercussions of the arrival of French rabbis to Alexandria. The community seems to be in a serious crisis due to the lack of leadership. (Information from Frenkel.) Yehuda additionally congratulates Abū l-Majd on his recovery (r.7-12) and agrees that his illness is primarily caused by drinking too much wine and that he should moderate his drinking (r.22-24). He refers to a frail woman (r.14-15). He reports that Abū l-Majd's brother Abu l-Najm Hilal is ill: he never fully recovered since a nail entered his leg months ago, and he does not or cannot open his mouth (r.15-19). He only reports this because it is said that Hilāl may be on his deathbed. (Cf. INA D-55 f.4, also known as IOM D 55.4, summarized in Med Soc II, 220 and V, 155, in which Yehuda writes to Eliyyahu the Judge that “[Hilāl] went to rest in the evening and did not awake in the morning. It was the first day of the holiday, and he was buried on the same day; he left a fine boy of sixteen, who studies with me.” However, Hilāl's fatal illness was different than the one mentioned in this letter, as Hilāl was still alive in December 1214 when he wrote T-S 13J21.27, having recently traveled from Alexandria to Fustat and back.) Yehuda devotes much space to discussing piyyutim that these two cantors have sent or will send each other (r.25-v.9); rebukes Abū l-Majd for failing to date his letters (v.1-4); mentions the financial difficulties in his household (v.9-10); mentions Abū l-Faraj b. al-Rayyis (=Eliyyahu the Judge) and his fundraising for Jerusalem (v.10-13); and ends with a recommendation for R. Shemuel who approached him as he was writing this letter and seems to intend to travel to Fustat. R. Shemuel does not speak Arabic and is dependent on the community's aid (v.13-21). ASE

Letter concering the apperance of a prophet, and inauguration of the messianic age in 1226 with the appearance of Elijah, of the messiah in 1233, and of the kingdom of God in 1240 (5000 of the creation). Original letter was sent from Marseilles to Qabes; this copy went to Alexandria. The letter mentions that Elazar of Worms believed in this prophet. (Information from Goitein's index cards)

Letter fragment in Judaeo-Arabic. Dated (v2–3): 16th of the ʿOmer '195, meaning 4800+195=4935 AM, which corresponds to 15 May 1235 CE. (Not 1595 Seleucid, corresponding to 1284 CE, as Ashtor thought.) Mentions a sea-voyage from Marseilles that lasted 25 days (verso, ll.3–8). Same sender as T-S Ar.53.67, which may even be the last folio of the same letter.