Geniza Lab

Fragment from the opening of a deferential letter. On verso the writer mentions 'the tax' (? al-mās) and 'your promise'—perhaps he is requesting charity.

Letter (beginning only) from Muṣā b. Yosef to Yoshiyyahu Gaon. Dating: ca. 1020. Conveys extensive greetings. Information from CUDL.

Letter in beautiful Arabic script. The sender/petitioner says that despite his best efforts he was unable to get a dinar from that man, and now he is in difficult straits. He humbly asks the addressee for help.

Letter from Yeshuʿa b. al-Ṭabīb ('son of the physician') Ibn al-ʿAmmānī. Dating: late 11th or early 12th century, if this is the father of the well-known poet Aharon b. Yeshuʿa ha-Rofe Ibn al-ʿAmmānī (1109–43). The letter concerns 10 dinars, the sending of other letters, and a legal deed (sheṭar). I my opinion the hand is much later, 13th century (AA)

Letter from Saʿdān to ʿEli. In Hebrew and Judaeo-Arabic. The sender reports that he is prostrated in his house (maṭrūḥ fī l-bayt) and the doctor comes twice a day and "cuts his flesh with scissors" (wa-yaqṣuṣ laḥmahu bi-l-miqaṣṣ). Even worse is the poverty. The sender seems to be asking for money -- perhaps some of the money owed him by Abū Saʿīd -- in order to pay the doctor's fees. ASE

Fragment from a letter, possibly mentioning a deed(?) and the Talmud. Approximately 5 lines are preserved. Wide space between the lines. It is not clear if the paper originally extended farther to the left. If it did not and this was a narrow vertical rotulus, the format resembles formal letters such as T-S 20.145 + T-S AS 153.176 + T-S AS 153.177. This was written on a reused Arabic-script document, probably a state document, of which less than one word is still preserved. (Information in part from CUDL.)

A begging letter addressed to Yeshuʿa. The writer hasn’t eaten and requests bread. (Information from CUDL)

Letter to a traveling companion, who was accompanied by his wife or a servant, stating that he is sending him chickens and quails as provisions on his way. Script of early thirteenth century. (Information from Goitein.) There are the remnants of a few words in Arabic script on verso, from a prior document that the writer reused.

Family letter addressed to a certain Ibrāhīm. In Judaeo-Arabic. Rudimentary handwriting and orthography. The spellings are so unusual that the letter is hard to understand. It seems that the addressee is being chastised for his prolonged absence and the meager sums of money he sends home to support his wife ("even if you earned a dinar a day in your absence, the money wouldn't be enough"). The addressee is greeted by his wife and by Rivqa {and?} Abū Saʿīd. On verso the addressee is told to send a number of items for Passover, especially wheat. May mention "the one who beat your son." (Information in part from CUDL.)

Letter fragment (upper right corner). In the hand of Ḥalfon b. Menashshe. He says that the Nagid had issued a letter/document probably addressed to the judge Avraham b. Shabbetay (of Minyat Ziftā, active ca. 1091–1135). It concerned Ḥasan al-Qudsī and another man, the legal opponents of Abu l-[...]. Someone (Avraham?) should report to Fustat quickly. (Information in part from CUDL.)

Part of the address from a letter to Shemuʾel b. Sid (probably 16th or 17th century). (Information from CUDL)

Draft openings of letters in different hands and different directions, numerals, jottings and an elaborately decorated שין. (Information from CUDL)

Letter from Ṣemaḥ b. Yiṣḥaq, gaon of Sura, to Elḥanan b. Shemarya, ca. 990. Contains information about Ṣemaḥ b. Yiṣḥaq and about the academy of Sura. The gaon expresses his wish that Elḥanan b. Shemarya would come to Baghdad, the new location of the academy of Sura. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 2, p. 133.)

Letter from Ṣemaḥ b. Yiṣḥaq, gaon of Sura, to Elḥanan b. Shemarya, ca. 990. Contains information about Ṣemaḥ b. Yiṣḥaq and about the academy of Sura. The gaon expresses his wish that Elḥanan b. Shemarya would come to Baghdad, the new location of the academy of Sura. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 2, p. 133.)

Letter fragment in Arabic script in the margin of a Coptic New Testament. "اعملوا/تعملوا معروفكم الى اورشليم وان كان ينبغي ان امضي انا ايضا الى ها هناك اذهبوا معي فاني . . . عليكم." Planning a trip to Jerusalem? Needs further examination.

Letter fragment in Arabic script. Needs examination.

Business letter in Spanish. Mentions Samuel. Perhaps 16th or 17th century.

Letter of appeal for charity. Dating: Possibly 16th century.

Business letter from David b. Abi Zimra. In Hebrew. Dating: 16th century. Needs furthe rexamination.

Autograph letter by Isaac Luria, sent either from Egypt or Safed (probably the latter), concerning various matters, but principally the payment of monies. Dated only according to the day of the week, Tuesday (יום ג׳), and the parasha (Genesis 35:11) (Information from CUDL)