Geniza Lab

Letter from Barhūn b. Yisḥaq al-Tāhirti to Nahray b. Nissim. Dating: 1045–96 CE. The sons of the late Nagid, who are owed favors, have asked Barhūn to help their cousin (ibn khāl) travel to Alexandria. Barhūn wonders if Nahray might take him along when he travels. Barhūn has already asked a certain Abū Isḥāq (apparently another Barhūn) to give the cousin 50 dirhams. Nahray should make sure Abū Isḥāq has done that, and perhaps he can also contribute some money of his own. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 3, pp. 303-304.)

Communal letter from the Iraqi Gaʾon Shemuel b. ʿEli (active last third of the 12th century). In the hand of Yosef b. Yaʿaqov Rosh ha-Seder? (Information in part from Goitein’s index card.)

Beginning fragment of letter from Yeshu'a Gaon to communities in Fustat ca. 1010.

Form letter from the community of Safed, for the shaliaḥ Yaʿaqov b. Avraham to carry with him in his fundraising. Bewails the destruction of synagogues and Torah scrolls. Dating: Late, probably 18th or 19th century.

Note to Seʿadya the cantor. Dating: Probably 12th or 13th century. In Hebrew and Judaeo-Arabic. Asking him to list the contributors to a collection (pesiqa) made the day before and to cash in the sums promised. (Information from Goitein’s index card.)

Letter from Ismaʿīl b. Faraḥ (Alexandria) to Nahray b. Nissim (Fustat), 9 September 1056. Confirms the arrival of goods and letters and sends information about the arrival of ships from Palermo and about some terrifying events in the Maghreb, especially in Susa (see details in Goitein notes linked below). Includes orders for goods that are expected in Alexandria, where many foreign traders are present, as well as details of money transfers. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 3, p. 628.)

Letter from a Spanish community to Egypt concerning an impoverished and aging man from Rhodez, France, who appraoched the ruler of his land for redress after his son was murdered; the ruler instead expropriated his possessions. Wants to go to Jerusalem to spend the rest of his life there. Recto after a long alphabetical exordium.

Letter from Saʿīd Bardaʿ, possibly in Safed, to Daniel Cafsuto (דניאל קאפסוטו) and perhaps his son (? the word looks like ומשרתו) Shemuel Cafsuto. In Hebrew. Dating: Probably 16th or 17th century; the writer is The writer complains about the lack of letters. He seems to mention (line 6) a sum of money to be brought to the writer in Safed, and then a sum of 100 reals (line 8). He mentions several people including Natan b. Efrayim; Levi [...]; She'eltiel Canpaton (שאלתיאל קאנפטון). On verso there is the address and remnants of a red wax seal.

Letter from Yosef קוכו and Shelomo Amarilio, in Salonica, to the judge Yiṣḥaq b. Ẓahal, presumably in Egypt. In Hebrew. Dated: 5480 AM (שנת אקים את סֿכֿתֿ דוד), which is 1719/20 CE. The writers heard that David Miranda (דוד מיראנדה) of Salonica recently died and that the addressee had taken custody of his estate. They inform the addressee that David left impoverished orphans, so they ask him to send the money with a trustworthy merchant of Salonica in the form of a polisa (פוליסה) as soon as possible. They have also heard that Avraham Barukh and a certain Sarsūr owed money to the deceased (the latter because he was selling garments (? רופאש) on commission/consignment for the deceased), so they ask the addressee to investigate. On verso there is a lovely illustration of two birds.

Letter from Yosef [...] and Moshe [...]. In Hebrew. Location: Probably Tripoli, Greece (טראפוליצא = Τριπολιτσά). Dated: Wednesday 8 Tammuz 5510 AM, which is 1750 CE. This is a fundraising letter for the redemption of Yaʿaqov of פיש (Fez?) and his wife and two Jews, who had embarked on a Turkish ship in Crete (קאנדייה) when Maltese pirates attacked and took them captive. God moved the Maltese captain (הקברניט המלטיז) to have mercy, and he brought them to land on מאנייה (the Mani peninsula?) and left them in the charge of a local rich man, setting the ransom at 1500 gasim/גסים ("big" coins—a common term for coinage in this period). ASE. MCD.

Letter from Yosef Yuʿbaṣ to Yaʿaqov Yuʿbaṣ. In Judaeo-Arabic. Dating: 18th or 19th century. Needs examination.

Letter from Avraham Hamān and Gavriel Ḥefeẓ to Karo y Frances & Company. In Judaeo-Arabic. Dated: 5568 AM, which is 1807/08 CE. Needs examination for content.

Letter from Avraham Hamān and Gavriel Ḥefeẓ to Karo y Frances & Company. In Judaeo-Arabic. Dated: Elul (Raḥamim) 5569 AM, which is 1809 CE. Needs examination for content.

Letter from Avraham Hamān and Gavriel Ḥefeẓ to Karo y Frances & Company. In Judaeo-Arabic. Dated: 5568 AM, which is 1807/08 CE. Needs examination for content.

Letter of recommendation from the office of Yehoshua Mamonides, to be read in the synagogue, on behalf of an elderly, poor man Yiṣḥaq who wishes to travel to Jerusalem. Whatever money comes from the pesiqa is to be forwarded to the Nagid. Bibliography: Mentioned in Goitein, "The Twilight of the House of Maimonides," Tarbiz 54 (1984), 67–104.

Form letter from the community of Safed to the community of Izmir concerning sheliḥim and fundraising. In Hebrew. Dated: Elul 5611 AM, which is 1851 CE. There are 7 signatures and several names mentioned in the body (where the blanks are filled in), including Ḥayyim Shelomo Franco (ZL) and Saʿīd ha-Levi Alqabeẓ and Moshe שוראקי.

Form letter from the community of Safed to the communities of 'everywhere.' In Hebrew. Dated: Tammuz 5611 AM, which is 1851 CE. It seems to be a letter of recommendation on behalf of David מויאל.

Form letter from the community of Safed to the communities of 'everywhere.' In Hebrew. Dated: Tammuz 5619 AM, which is 1859 CE. Recommendation for Yaʿaqov ha-Levi. There are five signatures. There is also an addendum from the Ashkenazi congregation of Safed seconding the recommendation, with three signatures and a seal imprint: Siegel der Grosrabinat Israelitische Gemeinde Aschkenasim Safed.

Business letter from Yiṣḥaq [...], in Istanbul, to Efrayim ʿAdda (עדה) and Eliyyahu Aylion (אאיליון), in Fustat/Cairo. In Ladino. There is an "AI" in Latin script on verso, along with sums/accounts. Dated: 26 Shevat 5566 AM, Which is 14 February 1806 CE. Mentions (line 8) having written something in Turkish (escribí detrás de la carta en turquesco). Mentions Izmir in the next line, and then what the writer has sent in the ship of the captain Ibrahim. He has sent a very fine [...] "that is called çiçek, which is to say, flower"; and some ginger. Later, the letter mentions leather (cuero). Needs further examination.

Letter from Natan Ha-Kohen b. Mevorakh, Ascalon, to Eli Ha-Kohen b. Hayyim, Fustat, approximately 1090.