Geniza Lab

Letter of recommendation sent from Ramla, presumably to Fustat. In Hebrew. On behalf of Moshe b. Shemuel. His father Shemuel died this winter, as there was a great epidemic (dever) in Ramla this winter, in which many died 'of our Jewish brethren.' Shemuel left a widow, his son Moshe, and a 7-year-old daughter.

Letter fragment in Judaeo-Arabic.

Letter from Barakāt to his father. In Judaeo-Arabic. Dating: Probably 12th or 13th century. The letter consists entirely of flowery expressions of sorrow on account of separation. "May God prolong your life... for you are our healing... I have had no peace in your absence, just as when the doctor is absent, the patient perishes. As the prophet said, 'My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof!' (2 Kings 2:12 and 13:14)." Regards to the congregation and the writer's mother and his sister and her daughter and the children.

Letter from an unknown man, in Damietta, to his mother, probably in Fustat. In Judaeo-Arabic with the address in Arabic script. Dating: Perhaps 13th–15th century. The writer assures her that he is doing even better in Damietta than he was in Fustat. He sends regards to numerous family members. He discusses payments for the capitation tax. There are several interesting colloquial forms, including: טציקי for תציקי; the phrase "māshī l-ḥal" for "it's going well" still used in modern Arabic; אלך (ilik) for אליך (ilayki); and אלסלים for אלסלאם.

Letter fragment from Shelomo ha-Kohen b. Nisan to multiple addressees. In Judaeo-Arabic. Concerns Yūsuf al-Zayyāt b. Ṣadaqa and the legal question of whether or not he divorced a certain woman and/or if he is still married. There is additional note in a different hand: "... divorced the sister of Mawhūb ṣaḥīḥ(?) Shelomo b. Yiṣḥaq"; perhaps this line was written in support of the contents of the main letter.

Letter in Judaeo-Arabic. Likely from Abū Sahl Levi to his son Moshe b. Levi ha-Levi; identification of the writer is based on handwriting and typical format of the letter. This is a brief note chastising the addressee for his delay in responding and telling him not to send anything with Abū Khalaf any more.

Informal note. In Judaeo-Arabic. Detailing the items and their colors that the writer has sent to the addressee and asking him to pass this information on to Abū l-Fatḥ.

Letter from a man, in Rashīd, to Umm Binyamin. Dealing with business matters. Dating: After 1425 CE, as the ashrafī is mentioned.

Letter in Judaeo-Arabic. The writer is recovering from illnesses and is in difficult financial straits. He asks for a loan of 62 dirhams.

Letter addressed to Aharon. In Judaeo-Arabic. Dating: Late, perhaps 14th or 15th century. Alexandria is mentioned at the bottom, but it is not immediately clear if that is the writer ot the addressee's location. Needs further examination.

Letter addressed to a dignitary, perhaps to Avraham Maimonides ("Avraham ha-Nagid ha-Gadol" seems faintly visible, line 4, and his son is named David, line 9). In Hebrew and Judaeo-Arabic. Only one line remains of the content: "The slave is broken-hearted and saddened..."; likely this is a letter of appeal for charity.

Letter in Judaeo-Arabic. Quite faded. Contains the intriguing phrase "living between Muslims and Christians (ʿarelim)." Needs further examination.

Letter from Yehosef ha-Kohen Av Bet Din b. Shelomo Gaon. In Hebrew. Dated: Shevat 1359 Seleucid, which is Jan/Feb 1048 CE. May be a fragment of a letter requesting assistance for Jerusalem. Written in the lifetime of his father Shelomo b. Yehuda. Gil says that the letters wreathing the signature are presumably the initials of a verse, but he did not locate the verse.

Letter. In Judaeo-Arabic. Urgently asking the addressee to send something that the writer had purchased from him in al-Maḥalla in the shop of [...] al-ʿAṭṭār. Also mentions the shop of Abū l-Surūr.

Letter from Yiṣḥaq (Izak) b. Avraham, in Safed, to a certain Moshe, in Fustat/Cairo. In Hebrew. Dated: 13 Heshvan 5333, which is 1572 CE. The hand is Ashkenazi, which is consistent with the writer's name אייזק. The letter has to do with the book trade. It seems that the writer has sent some books to the addressee and wants him to try to sell them rapidly, because he is in need of the proceeds. Information from Avraham David's edition via FGP. This shelfmark also includes a tiny fragment of another letter.

Informal note. In the name of the wife of Surūr al-Qalyūbī. Involving Abū l-ʿAlā' and the sale of a caldron (qidra) and a frying pan (ṭājin).

Letter addressed to Avraham b. Natan Av ha-Yeshiva. In Judaeo-Arabic. The addressee's letter arrived concerning the litigation involving Maʿālī b. Natan. The next part of the letter is torn off. The text in the upper margin mentions a dead person and 3 dinars.

Address of a letter to a dignitary. Some parts of the name may be legible. There may also be additional text on verso, which was not photographed. אמונה אומן וברית מות(?!)

Informal note. Mercantile. Dating: Probably 11th or 12th century. Asking the addressee to arrange for one of the writer's representatives or colleagues in Alexandria or Tripoli (Libya) to purchase something Shirazi either instead of or in exchange for flax.

Letter in Judaeo-Arabic. Mentions the Rīf and Alexandria. Regards to many people.