Geniza Lab

Letter from Ṭayyib Ibn al-Majjānī to Abū l-Ḥasan ʿEzra b. Ismāʿīl (or ʿAwda b. Ismāʿīl according to Sabih Aodeh), in Fustat. In Arabic script. Same cluster: CUL Or.1080 5.5, T-S NS 327.11, and T-S Ar.38.91 (the latter two were published by Aodeh, who did not know about CUL Or.1080 5.5.) On verso there is also literary text in Hebrew. Needs further examination.

ENA 1822a.82: Accounts in Ladino and western Arabic numerals that can be dated as c.1732CE through the joins ENA NS 39.2 and ENA NS 27.7. Some of the verso's listed entries begin with the Judeo-Arabic word "wuṣūl / ווצול" which may be listed with a Ladino plural ending as "wuṣūles de" and may indicate incoming payments (l. 5-6v). The verso also lists names, such as: Abd Raḥman and Khalīl Effendi. MCD.

ENA 1822a.83: Accounts in Ladino and western Arabic numerals dated as 21 Shvat [54]92 or 17 February 1732CE. The same name Moshe Ḥason "חסון" listed here (l. 5r) appears in the join ENA NS 27.7. On the recto, a variety of Ottoman coinage types are mentioned such as funduqli, medin, and cinzirli. On the verso, the lower entry includes Shabtai Alpalas in the heading which is followed by a variety of numerical figures. MCD.

ENA 1822a.83a: Accounts in Ladino and western Arabic numerals dated in one recto entry as 8 Tevet [54]92 or 6 January 1732CE. On the recto one Moshe Ḥason is mentioned, who can be traced through this fragment's joins, and another name Martin Tersela[?] appears in the third line up from the bottom of the scan. The latter surname also appears in l. 2r as part of another entry where funduqli coinage is in use. The same accounting format continues onto this fragment's verso. MCD.

Ledger of accounts and letter drafts/copies. Perhaps some writing exercises, too. In Judaeo-Arabic with at least one Spanish word thrown in (אלסלאם עלה גמיע אלפאמילייה). One of the letters copied out at least twice refers to several months in the latter part of the year '32 and Rosh Hashana of '33. Presumably the century is either 55 (5532 AM = 1772 CE) or 56 (5632 AM = 1872 CE). Needs further examination.

Engagement deed. In Hebrew and Judaeo-Persian. Groom: Yaʿaqov b. Agha Yiṣḥaq. Bride; Jawhar Khanom bt. Aharon. Currencies: toman and maybe mithqal (מתקליס).

Letter from an unknown writer, in Skopje (אישקופייה), to Sha'ul b. David, in Salonika. In Ladino. Needs examination for content.

Letter in Judaeo-Arabic. Um Surur is mentioned, and also various shipments.

Torn and damaged letter in Judaeo-Arabic (FGP). Addressed to [Hemdat] ha-Nesiut. Mentions Pinḥas and al-Rayyis Abū Isḥāq.

Letter in Judaeo-Arabic with the address in Arabic script. Dating: 11th century. From Salāma(?) and Shūʿa(?) and Maḥfūẓ b. Būlus(??) to Abū Sahl [...]. Rudimentary handwriting. Mentions Syria, Latakia, and Antioch and several people's names. Merits further examination.

Letter from a physician in Arabic script giving detailed instructions for the care of a sick man, especially about diet, baths, and regimen. It concludes in the margin, "By God! Take care of him... [do not let him eat?] chicken until he becomes stronger, God willing, praise be to God alone." Excerpts of the surviving text: "[he must not be excessive?] in anything, not air, not food, not drink, and not bathing. As for his food.... pomegranate syrup and bread and sugar. And he should be cautious in the bathhouse and not tarry there too long, rather he should enter for one hour and not.... shave his hair and pamper him and serve him and wash his hands in pomegranate blossom(?)...." ASE

Recto: Letter from a son, in Qūṣ, to his mother, presumably in Fustat. Written in Judaeo-Arabic and a cipher (lines 7-12; noticed by OZ; probably this is also in Judaeo-Arabic). The portion of the letter not in cipher mostly consists of regards, and a complaint that the addressee had sent no letter ever since Abū Manṣūr had left her, and he is angry at her. Verso: Another letter, in Arabic script mixed with Judaeo-Arabic (e.g., الכתאב, وשלום רב والسلام), possibly written by the same pen, but not by the same hand. Needs examination/decipherment.

Letter, draft, very cursve and hard to decipher. Mentions an illness, a ghulām. Telling a narrative. Verso contains few words in large Arabic script. Also the name Yiṣḥaq ha-Melammed b. Ḥayyim.

ENA NS 39.2: Accounts in Ladino in western Arabic numerals dated on the verso most likely as 28 Nisan [54]92 or 23 April 1732. The accounting format on the recto is orderly and may be a fragment from a broader commercial ledger. The dated passage on the verso might not be directly associated with the recto yet is in the same hand and offers useful information on the coinage involved: "mayedes / מאיידיס" or Ottoman silver medin. The last two lines of the verso also mention an unknown commodity related to cloth that can be transliterated as "crisales de panyo" or alternatively "carisales de panyo." MCD.

Fragment of a bussines Letter. Unusual hand, probably Italian. Venice is mentioned.

Letter from Moshe b. Levi ha-Levi (identification based on handwriting). In Judaeo-Arabic. Asks the addressee to obtain a responsum (fatwā) and mentions a competing cantor who prays badly. Needs further examination. ASE.

Popular literature in Judaeo-Arabic. Set in the time of Muḥammad. Involving ʿĀmir ibn al-Ṭufayl, Zayd, and a female slave. Needs further examination.

Poem, of documentary interest. In Judaeo-Arabic. Mentioning al-Sayyid Musa b. al-Mumajjid, and the communities of Alexandria, Malij, Damayir and Jawjar. Information from GRU via FGP.

Letter from Moshe [...] to Avraham. In Ladino.

Letter written in a mixture of Hebrew and Arabic script. Various blessings and Bible citations are rendered in Hebrew script, whereas the main part is written in Arabic script. Seems to be an elaborate letter of appeal for charity. Mentions Ibn ʿAwkal, Ibn al-Madhāmīrī(?), and Ibn Qarīṭa(?) (v3–4). (Information in part from CUDL.) Needs further examination.