Geniza Lab

Letter fragment in Judaeo-Arabic, discussing various garments and textiles.

Business letter from Nissim b. Ḥalfon b. Benaya (Alexandria) to Nahray b. Nissim (Fustat), ca. 1050. Nissim b. Ḥalfon left two money poaches in Tinnīs, to be sent to Fustat. He asks Nahray b. Nissim to pass on to Tinnīs a letter enveloped in the present letter, and to pass on to him any letters that may have arrived for him from Tinnīs. Nissim b. Ḥalfon, together with his partner Abū Saʿīd b. al-Tahirtī, sent two loads of tin and he asks Nahray b. Nissim to supervise their sale. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 3, p. 956.)

Letter from a scribe to a certain Yosef. (The names Yosef and Avraham appear in the address on verso, but the surrounding text is very faded; the letter opens with a verse from Genesis about Yosef and his two sons, and the letter itself blesses the addressee and his two sons.) In Hebrew and Judaeo-Arabic. Written on vellum. Dating: Probably no earlier than 14th century, based on the hand and the names. The letter mentions R. Muvḥar and R. Shemuel b. al-Gati and discusses the copying of a muṣḥaf on parchment. On verso there is a piyyut in the hand of the writer. There is also a second letter in a different hand, in Judaeo-Arabic.

Letter of appeal for charity from Manṣūr b. Ibrāhīm Ibn Naḥum to the Nagid Shemuel b. Ḥananya. In Judaeo-Arabic. The sender opens by mentioning that he is the brother of the wife of the cantor from al-Raḥba. He then reminds the Nagid that he actually helped him once, "in the time of al-Maʾmūn" (unclear who this could refer to), by giving or loaning him 10 dinars to get out of a guarantee or tax farm (ḍamān) which Shemuel was being held accountable for. The term "imāra" (something to do with the state?) is mentioned. Parts of these lines are crossed out. Now, fate has caught up with the sender. His wife has died, he has three children to support, and his vision is weak (ḍarra baṣruh). (Information in part from CUDL)

Recto: Letter fragment in Judaeo-Arabic. Mentions a sick woman. Verso: A few words in Arabic script.

Recto: Legal query for a qāḍī in Arabic script regarding a man "known for ḥujaj" (unpaid promissory notes?), and there are several testimonies against him, and he served a man. . . (the fragment ends here). Verso: Letter in Judaeo-Arabic. Rudimentary spellings, especially the use of י in place of א. Sitt Ṣawāb sends a message to the addressee regarding money.

Note reporting on commercial activities. In Judaeo-Arabic. Mentions oil (zayt) and spices (? asqāṭ) and three ships soon to set sail for Sicily, "and you know best about the spices of Sicily." Some commodity was deposited with a distinguished man (rajul jalīl al-qadr), "and when he opened it for the buyer and it came out in this shape, he was embarrassed... and I was embarrassed even more... He said, 'I will not buy this from you(?), this is only fit for the Jews'... I said to him that I purchased it from a Persian/foreigner...." Needs further examination.

Letter fragment in Judaeo-Arabic (for the body) and Arabic script (for the closing greetings).

Letter of greetings written and signed by Abraham Maimonides, to Anatoli b. Joseph. (Information from CUDL)

Letter in Judaeo-Arabic. Very faded. Mentioning karārīs. The address may appear in Arabic script on verso. Verso: Another letter in Judaeo-Arabic, in rudimentary script, sending good wishes and asking the addressee to erase the letter with water after reading it. The handwriting resembles that of Abū Sahl Levi

Letter in Hebrew, late. Needs examination.

Part of a letter from a man to his son, Abū l-Ḥasan, who requests that next time he should write in Hebrew. Abū Surūr is also mentioned. The address is on verso. (Information from CUDL)

Recto: part of a Hebrew letter mentioning Shimʿon and [Maṣ]liaḥ ha-Kohen, and referring to bringing a letter of appointment (המינוי). Verso: Arabic and Hebrew jottings, along with much mirrored Hebrew text. (Information from CUDL)

Letter fragment. In Judaeo-Arabic. Little of the content remains. The writer mentions the addressee's forgiving nature; his own good intentions; a power of attorney (wikāla/wakāla). On verso there is a biblical commentary in Judaeo-Arabic.

Mercantile letter from Nissim b. Ismāʿīl, unknown location, to an unknown addressee, in Jerusalem. Fragment (upper right corner of recto) In Judaeo-Arabic, with the address in Arabic script. There is additional Arabic script underneath the address (a postscript? instructions for the mail carriers?) which ends, "quickly, if God wills." The letter mentions Mūsā(?) b. Qūqū al-Bahnasī (or perhaps al-Nafūsī). Not much more is preserved. (Information in part from CUDL)

Recto: Letter in Hebrew. Mentions expenses for the holidays. Strikes an accusatory tone: "Why do you not do what is incumbent on you to do?" Verso: Probably the response, signed by Ḥananel. In Hebrew. He explains that he is looking after his father (העבד מתעסק בעניינים לזקן שלי), and that is why he has not come to the addressee.

A torn fragment probably from a letter in Hebrew, only few words remained on each line. AA

Recto: Instructions perhaps regarding a bolt of cloth (יריעה). In Hebrew. Verso: Two lines of Arabic script mentioning al-shaykh al-ajall Abū l-Ṭāhir. Needs examination

Letter formularies, including a template for a son in Jerusalem writing to his mother. In Judaeo-Arabic.

Petition of a widow to a communal leader. She asks him to help her with her late husband's orphans, as he helped her husband in the past.