Geniza Lab

A covenant (כתב אמנה) of the congregation of the Palestinian synagogue in Fustat, drawn up in Adar 1522 (=1211 CE), which enumerates the venerable liturgical rites they inherited from their ancestors and which they refuse to allow anyone to change. The context is the controvery over the prayer reforms that Avraham Maimonides attempted to introduce. There is an extensive literature on this controversy, and this document sheds important light on the practices that the traditionalists wished to preserve. The handwriting is that of the cantor Yedutun ha-Levi, a fact first noted by Fleischer; see 'לסדרי התפילה בבית הכנסת של בני ארץ-ישראל בפוסטאט' in his collected articles, תפילות הקבע בישראל בהתהוותן ובהתגבשותן, vol. 1, p. 827 (p. 245 in the original article); thanks to Shulamit Elizur for this information. Two lines were added in a different hand, reiterating the main point that it is forbidden to change these traditions, signed by [Nissim] b. Seʿadya ha-Kohen. Verso contains a liturgical composition in a different hand. (Ed. Fleischer, Tefilah u-minhage tefilah Erets-Yiśreʼeliyim bi-teḳufat ha-genizah, 1988, 218–57. Trans. Friedman, Teuda, vol. 10 (1996), 251–53.) ASE.

Letter probably from Yedutun ha-Levi, in Fustat, to his brother Moshe b. Levi ha-Levi, in Qalyūb. (Identification is tentative, based on handwriting and typical phrases and names.) Someone, possibly ʿImrān (but not their paternal uncle of the same name), recently died in or around the addressee's location. The 'kabīra' (old woman?) has arrived back safely. Abū Zikrī (=Sar Shalom??) is making a big fuss and swearing that he saw Moshe in Cairo on Wednesday with two baskets of apricots. Yedutun complains about how everyone repays him with ingratitude, and he seems to refer to his activities as a physician (although Goitein read יטבהם in line 9 as יכצהם). Yedutun had to swear to Abū Zikrī that he must have been mistaken about seeing Moshe in Cairo and that Moshe doesn't know Ben Shaʿya either. Abū Zikrī apparently gave an exceedingly long sermon (דראש) on Shabbat. Tāhir is asking about Moshe's news and wants him to know that the new wālī is a relative of the old wālī, and he will take revenge on people who defy him (or defied his predecessor?), so Moshe should watch out. Moshe should also pass on Yedutun's prescription to Yaḥyā al-Khuḍarī, because Yedutun owes him a favor. He is very sad about ʿImrān and can't even eat bread (a standard phrase to express grief). He asks Moshe to pass on condolencees to ʿImrān's brother. And if Moshe wants the family to come visit him at the end of the month, he should let them know with a day's notice. Previous description: Warm letter by a man in Fustat to his brother in the countryside, mentioning an old woman, probably the bearer of a message, best not confided to paper. (Information from Mediterranean Society, III, p. 338). ASE

Bill of sale dated December 481/1088 (original document), in which Khulayf b. 'Ubayd b. 'Ali sells a house to Harun b. Khulayf b. Harun, the perfumer, a Jew. There are two addenda on verso written a century after the original. Above, Abu Sahl b. Ibrahim makes a gift of the house to his son Abu l-Ḥasan the physician; below, Musa b. Abu Sahl rents part of it from his brother Abu l-Ḥasan. (Goitein, Med Soc, III:479.) ASE.

Letter addressed to Abu al-Ḥasan Yedutun ha-Levi asking for help to collect money owed the writer by his brother so he can open a store in Alexandria.

Note in Judaeo-Arabic saying "our lord" - probably the recipient - has already told R. Eliyahu (the 13th century judge) on Friday to give the rest of the alimony which is 4 dirhems to R. yedutun and he responded "Yes" - not the note is asking that this be done. On the back are arabic writings.

Legal query in the hand of Yedutun ha-Levi. In Judaeo-Arabic. Concerning prayer/liturgy.

Letter from Yedutun ha-Levi to somebody he calls 'brother.' In Hebrew and Judaeo-Arabic. The letter consists mainly of poetical greetings and blessings for the upcoming high holidays. Regards to: Abū l-Faraj and his son; Abū ʿImrān; Hilāl and his son Abū l-Faḍā'il; the addressee's mother and brother; and Abū l-Yusr.

Note from the cantor Yedutun ha-Levi, Fustat, to his brother Moshe b. Levi ha-Levi, Qalyub. Yedutun requests an update on the circumcised boy and the little one. Yedutun writes cryptically "Abu Zikri never said anything." (Referring to the Gaon Abū Zikrī Sar Shalom ha-Levi?) There is conflict between their paternal uncle ‘Imrān and his wife, somehow because of Moshe. Their mother is going to pay a visit to Sitt 'Abid, Sitt Aqran, while their father is going to pay a visit to Abu ‘Ali and al-As‘ad (family members of ‘Imrān’s wife?), and they will hopefully reach a settlement. T-S 8J24.1 is a note from Abu Sahl Levi (their father) to Moshe and may be a sequel to these events, referring to a settlement: “I met with you-know-who and we have reached a settlement thank God.” Yedutun (in Moss. IV,27.2) and Abu Sahl (in T-S 8J24.1) both send regards to al-Shaykh al-Yesod in Qalyub. ASE.

Letter from Ḥasan b. Sahl (aka Abū l-Ḥasan b. Abū l-Ḥasan aka Yedutun ha-Levi). Very deferential ("I am illuminated by the light of your opinions," etc.). Asking the addressee whether or not a certain Torah reading should be read for the benefit of the addressee—אן יקאל עליה תורה הלילי(?)—or not. (Information in part from CUDL.) ASE

Short note, probably in the hand of Yedutun ha-Levi, reporting that he has delivered certain items to the addressee. Abū l-Mufaḍḍal is mentioned. There are the remnants of a few words in Arabic on verso.

Letter from the cantor Yedutun ha-Levi, Fustat, to his brother Moshe b. Levi ha-Levi, Qalyub. Narrow strips were torn from both the left and right sides of the paper, making the contents obscure. Yedutun refers to several matters known from their other correspondence: he says that ibn al-Taffal continues to slander Moshe to Abu Zikri (the Gaon Sar Shalom ha-Levi), but Abu Zikri does not believe him (cf. T-S 13J20.18 and T-S 8J10.16). The daughter of Berakhot is suffering from a “mental illness,” with spells of relief from hour to hour; he [presumably Berakhot] consulted the brothers’ paternal uncle Imran about this. Abu l-Yusr sends his regards. ASE.

Recto: Letter from Moshe b. Levi ha-Levi to his brother Yedutun ha-Levi. Stating that he has sent with the bearer 1 3/4 dirhams, along with small quantities of other items, and he requests to borrow a notebook and copy it, and he tells him twice to come see him this very night. Verso: The response, from Yedutun to Moshe. Stating that the silver is actually 1 5/8 dirhams, perhaps a correction to what was written on recto. ASE

Fragment of a letter composed circa 1236 CE by Abu l-Ḥasan Yedutun b. Abu Sahl Levi, at one time the cantor of the Palestinian synagogue in Fustat, who signs his name Ḥasan b. Sahl. The letter is a detailed explanation of the funeral and financial arrangements following the death of his father Levi and his brother Moshe, with the aim of exonerating himself from the accusations of Abu l-Bayan and Abu l-Fadl (the sons of Moshe?) that Yedutun “took the property of their father and grandfather.” Yedutun’s father, Levi he-Ḥaver, died on the 24th of Tishrei in 1211. His brother, Moshe b. Levi ha-Levi, died on the 20th of Adar in 1212. (This is consistent with the information from T-S NS 264.98, a letter written by Moshe, indicating that both Moshe and Levi were alive in 1206.) We also learn that Abu l-Mufaddal the judge died in 1212, only a month or so following the death of Moshe. Yedutun repeatedly refers to his own illnesses, claiming that he was too ill to have had any part in the disposition of the estates, let alone steal more than his share. He notes in the postscript, again emphasizing his physical infirmities, "It has been 24 years since my brother Musa died. [If there is substance to their claims,] how have they ignored this matter for all this time? ... Every penny that falls into my or my wife/family's hands goes to [Abu l-]Bayan... and it is the same with Abu l-Fadl." This letter clarifies an ambiguity discussed by Shulamit Elizur in her article, “Individual Mourning and National Solace in Early Liturgical Poetry,” Ginzei Qedem 7 (2011), pp. 16–24, in which she presents T-S NS 135.3b (Yedutun’s elegy for his father Levi) and T-S NS 325.135 (Yedutun’s elegy for his brother Moshe). Each poem mourns multiple deaths—a father, a brother, and a judge—in addition to the main subject of the elegy, and this letter clarifies that Yedutun indeed lost a father, a brother, and a judge in rapid succession. Join: Alan Elbaum. ASE.

Letter from the thirteenth century. An Alexandrian cantor named Berakhot writes to a physician and poet named Yedutun (Psalms 39:1) in Fustat. (This Yedutun may or may not be identical with the well known poet and cantor Yedutun ha-Levi from the same time period.) The two used to belong to a circle of friends. The letter reflects the activity of such a cycle of friends which counted cantors, physicians and Parnasim (welfare officials) among its members. (Information from Frenkel; see also Goitein, Med. Soc. vol. 5, pp.285-6)

Detailed account of a kosher butcher from Fustat, specifying the various community officials and other persons to whom he had made payments of 7 dirhams week after week during a full year. Dated 1179 or 1183. (Information from Mediterranean Society, I, pp. 381, 382)

Letter likely from Yedutun ha-Levi. In Judaeo-Arabic. Containing advice concerning the domestic affairs of the recipient. "This small piece of paper contains a short letter to a husband who fought with his wife, who was also his cousin (FBD). Apparently, the wife left the home for her fatherʼs house, and the husband is told that if he desires his wife, he ought to go to her father and accept what he has to say. Then the couple should give the marriage another chance for two months, without the wifeʼs father or mother entering into their house. If this does not work, he ought to divorce her immediately." Information from Zinger's dissertation, p. 343.

Note from Moshe b. Levi ha-Levi probably to his brother Yedutun, in which he repeats five times that the recipient is urgently invited to a circumcision ceremony to be held on Friday, tomorrow, and promises to escort him back to the capital on Sunday. (S. D. Goitein, A Mediterranean Society, 5:14, 506.) EMS, ASE.

Fragmentary letter to a friend mentioning repeatedly the writer's gratitude. The hand resembles that of the cantor Yedutun ha-Levi, supported by his mention of his brother Musa. But needs further examination. ASE.

Business letter dealing with spices. In Judaeo-Arabic. The hand is likely that of Yedutun ha-Levi. (Goitein, too, flagged the script as familiar.) The letter is addressed to a 'brother' (Moshe ha-Levi?); mentions Abū Saʿd and 'your paternal uncle Bayān.' The letter is damaged but is a valuable source of information for the business of a druggist (ʿaṭṭār). Commodities mentioned include storax (mayʿa) and saffron. The writer does not know precisely the weight of the saffron; the addressee should weigh the burniyya together with the saffron in it and subtract the weight of the burniyya. The writer is suffering an attack of ophthalmia (and Isḥāq is too), but he will try to "go out" (from Fustat) if he is able to. On verso there are piyyutim (not necessarily in the same hand as recto; needs examination). ASE

Accounts of a slaughterer. Goitein dates it to 1179 or 1183 CE (Med Soc I, 381–82). This sheet was then reused for piyyutim. For further information, see Goitein's note cards on this shelfmark and on T-S 12.834.