Geniza Lab

Long Hebrew letter of condolence to Seʿadya ha-Ḥaver upon the death of somebody (his father?). The writer describes the physicial and emotional agony that came upon him when he heard the news, and how the whole congregation cried out and donned black "and the garb of the Ishmaelites" (ולבשו הכל שחורים ויתעטפו בעטיפת ישמעאלים). Some parts of the letter are rhymed, and others are filled with biblical citations.

Sermon in Judaeo-Arabic based on a narrative of real events. Dated: shortly after Kislev 1460 Seleucid, which is 1148 CE. The writer may be Mevorakh b. Natan (or may be named Zakkay, as written between lines 1 and 2 of recto). On recto he writes "this is a drash (sermon) that I recorded/composed while in mourning for my son Moshe. I heard this on Friday, 13 Kislev 1460..." There are further details here about the date and the day of the week (he notes in the margin that it is a good sign to die on erev shabbat) and the Torah portion that coincided with the shiva in both Fustat and al-Maḥalla (parashat Vayishlaḥ). The sermon begins on verso. "One Friday, 13 Kislev 1460, I was sitting in al-Maḥalla copying books as is my custom, with the boys studying Torah before me. I heard them talking about an ugly business. I said to them, 'What's this that you're talking about?' They said, "Just what we heard." I said, "Who did you hear it from, and on what authority?" They said, "from the family of the cantor" ['bayt' can also mean wife, but here it is marked as a mixed/masculine plural]. I said, "And where did the family of the cantor hear it from?" They said, 'From their relative Maʿānī in Fustat." I sent for Maʿānī, and as God knows, I was present but absent, estranged, alone, and lonely due to the remnants of an illness and [due to being] surrounded by enemies who await my public downfall..."

Letter in the hand of Elḥanan b. Shemarya (who refers to himself as "Head of the Row / Rosh ha-Seder") addressed to a cantor named Avraham. In Hebrew. Elḥanan invites Avraham to lead the mourning prayers on the following day for a deceased man. (Information from Bareket and from Goitein's index card.)

Literary treatise in Judaeo-Arabic on the laws of mourning in various special cases. when the deceased is the father of a bride; if he was executed by the court; if he committed suicide; if he rejected rabbinic authority (al-madhhab al-rabbānīyya, sunanuhum) (in this case there is no mourning, but rather celebration); if he has no one to mourn for him; and how there is no mourning on shabbat (verso). Also on verso are several lines in Judaeo-Arabic giving formulaic opening phrases for a letter. ASE.

Hebrew blessings for bereavement and funerals; on verso the name Isaac b. Saʿadya is mentioned. CUDL