Geniza Lab

Account of the qodesh, ca. September 1201. This is an accoutning written on both sides of a single leaf, detached from a notebook. The peculiar thing about this document is that it shows the existence of two separate lists, of inhabited apartments and of empty ones. The latter have their rents listed, in order to compare the actual with the budgeted revenue. There is also a third class, of people who live in their apartments without paying rent. This is extremely unusual in the accounts of the qodesh and can only be explained by the extraordinary conditions of distress at the time. Seven apartments are listed as occupied rent-free; among them, that of R. Anatoli, whose rent was in any case reduced to five dirhams, as against 52 dirhams that he still paid three months earlier. Among the people exempt from payment are "a poor woman" and some scholars, one of them styled al-khaver. The total sum counted on as revenue was 336.5 dirhams, whereas the actual income was only 171, i.e., a little more than half. (Information from Gil, Documents, pp. 386 #102)

Lease of an apartment to a parnas as settlement of a debt, AD 1029-1031. The qodesh owes Yaʿaqov b. Mevasser (whom we shall find six years later in charge of the properties of the qodesh) 10 dinars, apparently the balance of money borrowes from him to carry out repairs in the arba, the estates, belonging to the qodesh. The parnasim do not find any way to pay him this sum, and therefore it is decided to lease him the compound of the qodesh in the b. Khabisa lane for two years, for 5 dinars a year. The four parnasim receive permission to do this from Isaac ha-Kohen b. Haggay, who was apparently a member of the court, the whole community being witness to the act of lease. The compound seems to be Dar Sumana. Some special stipulation was added regarding the hikr, probably stating which of the two parties had to pay it. The verso, which was probably written two years later, includes a declaration, which apparently definitively absolves the qodesh from payment of the last five dinars still due to Yaʿaqov b. Mevasser. The recipient of the declaration, Isaac ha-Kohen b. Haggay, transfers the deed to Husayn b. Hillel (probably identical with Husayn al-Dhahabi). Samuel ha-Kohen b. Avtalyon, one of the leaders of the Palestinian congregation, is the signatory at the bottom of the deed. Written by Yefet b. David b. Shekhanya. (Information from Gil, Documents, pp. 144 #4)

Account of building operations ca. 1216. Expenditures for construction materials and labor, as recorded in the course of several days. The work is done at compounds of the qodesh and the Synagogue of the Palestinians. Some other expenditures, as for captives, are also included. (Information from Gil, Documents, pp. 412 #113)

Legal document. Deed of dedication of a house in Damascus to the Great Synagogue, ca. 1090. A certain Meshullam, known as Ibn Shurayq al-Dimashqi, i.e. "the Damascene," dedicates his house to the Great Synagogue of Damascus, to which it is adjacent. The document is a draft written in the hand of Avraham b. Natan, one of the prominent members of the courts in Fustat and Cairo; it is unsigned, and as the name of the donor's father was not yet known, a space was left so it could be inserted later. (Information from Gil, Documents, pp. 214-215 #33)

Account of the Qodesh: building expenditures, ca. 1041. Most items in this account refer to building operations at the synagogue. Some other synagogue expenditures, such as oil, are also listed. Further details refer to a number of compounds belonging to the qodesh. It is written in a calligraphic handwriting and the account was probably intended ofr public display in the synagogue. The handwriting of Yefet b. David b. Shekhanya can be recognized. Since the document refers to oil used in the synagogue to the end of Elul 1351 Sel. (10 Sept. 1040), it was probably written in 1041. The verso of the document was used at the end of 1041 for an account written in Arabic characters. (Information from Gil, Documents, pp. 175 #12)

Account of the Qodesh: computation of total yearly revenue from rent, ca. 1041. A draft, written in Arabic characters apparently by Yefet b. David b. Shekhanya on the verso, probably after the recto had been display in the synagogue for several months. The parnas records the total yearly revenues, in gold and wariq (cash/silver). The revenue in gold was smaller than expected, and that in wariq bigger. Several additional revenue items and debts are listed. The account ended on 30 August 1041. (Gil, Documents, 179 #13) VMR

Account of building operations ca. 1215. A list of expenditures made at Dar b. Pinhas in the course of several days in the month of Marheshwan, using Coptic numerals. (Information from Gil, Documents, pp. 408 #110)

Account of building operations ca. 1240. Written on a sheet of paper made into a booklet of four leaves, it is a record of current payments for building materials and labor. The works going on are financed from huge sums of rent deposited with the banker al-As'ad in the course of two years. (Information from Gil, Documents, pp. 453 #136)

Account and agreement between the Qodesh and a partner, ca. 1156. A certain al-Nadiv, otherwise known as the perfume maker, tenant of a compound partly owned by the qodesh known as al-Burj, carried out repairs (probably in that compound) for which the qodesh owes him 19.5 dinars. He had previously received 9.75 dinars from the qodesh and owes 3 dinars representing his rent for four months. Thus, the qodesh still owes him 6.75 dinars. His expenditure of an additional sum of 10.5 dinars is approved, for repairs to be made in his brewery. As the qodesh will pay half of this, its total debt will come to 12 dinars. Also, some minor improvements in the compound will be made jointly. The debt of 12 dinars will be returned to him by counting it as his rent for 16 months. For this purpose, a deed of lease will be written in a Muslim court also. This arrangement is made toward the end of January 1156, one month before the former lease expires on the 24th of February. The new lease will start on the 25th. Coptic numerals are used. Mentions a wind catcher (bādhanj). (Information from Gil, Documents, pp. 287 #59)

Certificate of the Qodesh in Alexandria, ca. 1253. The leaders of the community of Alexandria grant Elazar b. Shelomo the right to receive bread from the qodesh as well as the sum needed for the capitation tax. The right is granted to him by reason of his poverty, old age, and membership in a family of scholars. (Information from Gil, Documents, pp. 477 #144)

Report on a compound dedicated to the Qodesh ca. after 1127. A fragment of a report, or memorandum, about the compound known as Dar Naqa that figures in several documents of the qodesh. The history of the dedication of one quarter of this compound to the qodesh is briefly reviewed. It appears that it had been dedicated in the 11th century, for the purpose of charity for both the Rabbanite and Karaite needy. During a period of persecution and confiscation that occurred in the year 1127, a sum of money was kept by an official of the qodesh; in order to prevent its confiscation, the money was registered as having already been spent on the purchase of the half of that compound. The purpose of the memorandum is to justify that fictitious record, and probably also to make clear what part of Dar Naqa actually belonged to the qodesh. (Information from Gil, Documents, pp. 246 #45)

Accounts of the qodesh. Gil edited 12 lists of revenue and expenditure pertaining to Abū l-Bayān al-Jābī b. Abu Naṣr Elʿazar ha-Levi al-Ḥalabī spanning the years 1181–84 CE. All except for #81 are written in the hand of the judge Shemuel b. Seʿadya. Account for Elul and Tishri 1492-1493 sel. ca. 1181. The accounting lists 21 apartments and compounds of the qodesh. The total revenue is 632.25 dirhams, including a 26 dirham balance from a previous account. The expenditures include khikr, nightwatch, oil for the synagogues, payments to scholars and to the poor, maintenance and repairs. The total expenditure is 472 dirhams, so there is a surplus of 134.25 dirhams, after the deduction of a collection fee of 60 dirhams. The former balance of 26 dirhams was not included in the final calculation; otherwise the surplus would have been 160.25 dirhams. (Information from Gil, Documents, pp. 327 #80.)

Accounting of a single foundation ca. 1186.

Account of revenue and expenditure for Tishrei, Ḥeshvan, and Ṭevet. Dated: 1495 Seleucid, which is 1183–84 CE. This extensive accounting is written on two and a half leaves of the notebook of Shemuel b. Seʿadya. It lists the last expenditures for Tishri, and then the account of revenues for Heshvan, Kislev, and Tevet. It contains details of the rent from 22 apartments and compounds, which totals 715 dirhams. Several payments do not cover the whole period of three months, and refer to shorter periods. Then comes a very large list of expenditures reflecting large-scale reconstruction and repair operations. Involves Abū l-Bayān the collector. (Information from Gil, Documents, pp. 350 #89.)

Accounts of the qodesh, probably. In Judaeo-Arabic. Including many construction expenses as well as oil for the holiday and the names of various people and workers and officials (e.g. ṣāḥib al-rabʿ).

Lease of an apartment of the Qodesh ca. 1180. Abu'l-Bayan, one of the prominent parnasim of this period, leases an apartment, which is in a tabaqa, i.e. an upper floor, to a certain Abu'l-Fadl. The apartment is in Dar al-Zajjaj, one of the compounds owned by the qodesh. The lessee is himself a parnas. The tabaqa is described as the apartment, sukn, of Makarim Ibn Sahlan. In fact, this must be understood as Makarim and Ibn Sahlan, since they are listed separately in accounts of rent, where they pay five dirhams a month each, the same sum of rent that Abu'l-Fadl, the new tenant, will have to pay. Abu'l-Bayan, the representative of the qodesh, cannot be one of the parties in the concluding formula which says "from each of the two," since he represents the court. The most plausible explanation is that the two tenants rented the tabaqa of the qodesh inhabited by them, to a third party, with the knowlesge and active participation of the qodesh. This would represent a subletting of an apartment of the qodesh. (Information from Gil, Documents, pp. 313 #73)

Account of the Qodesh: payments to building workers, ca. 1045. Two fragments written in Arabic script, on vellum, the verso of a letter. Apparently, this was an intiial record of the names of the people and the itemized list for the day on which work was done, to serve as a basis for payment and the final recording. The names seem to be of both Muslims and Copts. The record covers a period of about five months, from the beginning of July to the end of November, 1045. Gil's interpretation is that the work was done at the compound of al-rayis, by which a notable of the congregation was mean. The sums due aare not mentioned since there were set rates according to professional grade. Some of the workers are sani'in, which seems to mean here the more skilled masons; some banna'in masons; there is also a sabi, an apprentice. The only payment recorded is of one dinar, which was probably an advance. The handwriting seems to be of Yefet b. David b. Shekhanya. (Information from Gil, Documents, pp.208 #30)

Account of the Qodesh: personal account of a parnas, ca. 1040. Small fragment, the right part of a leaf, in which Yefet b. David b. Shekhanya listed his current pecuniary operations, on the 24th day of Tammuz. Revenues and expenditures were listed together as they developed. (Informtion from Gil, Documents, pp. 189 #19)

Verso: Record of the activities of the qodesh in the late 10th and early 11th century up until 1034 CE, written ca.1040 CE. Join was identified by Moshe Yagur, who writes, "CUL Or.1081 J66 is a fragment of the upper part of a manuscript, whose lower part is ENA 2738.1. They are both a draft of T-S Ar.18(1).35 + T-S 20.96. T-S Ar.18(1).35 + T-S 20.96 and ENA 2738.1 were published by Gil, Pious Foundations, no. 3. The right side of the first lines in T-S 20.96 is missing, and can now be partially reconstructed from CUL Or.1081J66, which matches lines 3-11 of T-S 20.96." Gil writes that Yefet b. David b. Shekhanya was the scribe for both ENA 2738.1 and T-S Ar.18(1).35 + T-S 20.96, but it seems that the document of the qodesh in CUL Or.1081 J66 + ENA 2738.1 is actually in the hand of Efrayim b. Shemarya. The transcription for ENA 2738.1 is currently listed under PGPID 1251, section [c].

Legal document. Dating: probably ca.1185. This is the only known document that refers to the majlis of Maimonides. It is a draft of a statement (tiqrār) to be signed by Maimonides, the Judges and the Elders, to the effect that Avraham b. Yaḥyā ha-Levi, called al-Najīb, should get the payment of his capitation tax (jizya) to the amount of 1 2/3 dinars out of the revenue from the rents of a "block" (rabʿ) which was a pious foundation earmarked for poor people. Thus Avraham's capitation tax will be paid from the revenue of the qodesh, not as charity, but as compensation for fees which he once renounced for supervising repairs in the funduq. The text stresses the great benefit which would accrue from his continued presence at such repairs. This payment was to be in the place of a daily salary of 1/2 dirham to which al-Najīb was entitled for his supervision of the building of the Funduq ('hotel' or caravenserai), erected by Abū ʿImran Beḥir ha-Kohanim, certainly also a public building. The remuneration of 1/2 dirham normally was paid out of a daily emolument of 2 dirhams which the Wakīl or administrator of the building received. The statement is not signed, perhaps because Maimonides objected to such a vague agreement made in respect of the spending of money destined for the poor. (Information from Goitein's notes and from Gil, Documents, pp. 323 #77.) On verso there are 6 lines of verses in Arabic script.