Geniza Lab

Letter fragment in Judaeo-Arabic. Mentions Abū l-Munā al-Rayyis; something that happened with the Rayyis and the Amir [...] al-Ẓāhiriyya(?) at the gate of Alexandria, and everyone rejoiced greatly; and Shemuel ha-Sofer. On verso there is a halakhic discussion of Yom Kippur, possibly in the hand of Nathan b. Samuel, followed by a piyyuṭ. Information in part from CUDL. ASE

Letter from Mūsā b. Labrāṭ, in al-Mahdiyya, to his nephew Efrayim b. Dā'ūd, probably in Fustat. In Judaeo-Arabic. Dating: 11th century. Comforting the addressee (upon a death?) and reporting that he received the capital invested. Information from Goitein's note card.

Fragment of a letter from Musa b. Abi al-Hayy from Alexandria, to Barhun b. Musa ha-Tahirti, Fustat. Around 1045. The writer lists the goods that he wants to be bought for him in Fustat. Also writes information about ships, including the news about one ship that was attacked and forced to stop in Djerba Island. )Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 3, #461) VMR

Letter fragment, mercantile, including the lower half of recto and the main text (but no address) on verso. Quite faded, but should be mostly legible. Mentioned in Med Soc IV, 384, n. 133: "Two pairs of mats ordered: T-S 12.4014, bottom." ASE.

Letter from a father to his son, a young man who had entered government service recently, advising him concerning some officials whose friendship should be sought out and others who show friendly faces but behind your back 'cut you to pieces.' (Information from Mediterranean Society, V, p. 296)

Letter fragment. Only a small part of the first few lines of recto are preserved—addressing Sayyidnā al-Rayyis al-Ajall Ra's al-Kull (Rosh Kallah)—along with 4 full lines of upside down text in the upper margin. The writer quotes Micah 5:8 to the effect that Sayyidnā should vanquish his enemies. Someone has told the writer "many things, and he is among those who are pure in their love for you. Likewise, I inform you that I have many people from Gaza who have become pure in their love for you." The Arabic address is mostly preserved. The writer is located in Cairo but is not named. The recipient is given all the same titles as on recto ("حضرة سيدنا الرئيس الاجل راس الكل") and is then named, but the name is difficult to read. ASE.

Letter sent from the Maghreb by the Judayla family to Ismail b. Barhun al-Tahirti, asking him to obtain flax from Sha'ya in return for the five dinars he had been given. Dated ca. 1010. (Information from Gil)

Letter in Hebrew, calligraphic. Not much remains beyond the poetic praises ("our master, you have distanced your glory from us. . . .") except "you mentioned in your letter, Rabbenu. . . ." The word medicine/cure (refu'ah) also appears. ASE.

Letter from an unknown person to Nahray b. Nissim. Around 1060 (Gil). The fragment contains several details about shipments of goods and money as well as a complaint about Abū Zikrī that he acted in an indecent manner toward the writer when they were business partners. It seems like the writer is from Sicily. Mentions that lbn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān (Ibn al-Baʿbāʿ) was transporting a pouch full of dirhams. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 4, #817)

Fragment of a letter sent to the nasi Shelomo b. Jesse with complaints about Yosef and Yehuda of Cairo who did not answer the writer's letter but instead wrote to his adversaries. Akko (Acre) and Damascus are mentioned. Dated 1237. (Information from Goitein's index cards)

Letter from Moshe b. Levi ha-Levi, Qalyub, to a family member in Fustat, dealing with sundry small business matters. He orders walnuts, sugar, and Sinnārī cheese (this last to be sent with Salāma). Ibn al-Nuʿmān is to be paid 42 dirhams. Ibn al-Dajānī will receive some as well. Moshe refers to the pressing of the grapes. He is anxious to know about the capitation tax and how much remains to be paid so that he can send some money to help. Abū Khalaf is mentioned in the margin. Verso is more faded and difficult to understand. He writes that Farruj's name is Furrayj b. Ishaq (?), and the agent's name is Ma'ani b. Abu l-Khayr. He asks for medicine and/or medical advice regarding the boy who was circumcised on Friday and who 'chafed' his 'leg' and has a bit of blood at the opening. In a postscript Moshe says he has sent with the bearer a copper vessel (qumqum) that is either filled with or to be filled with rose water. Mentioned in Ashtor, Histoire des prix, 1969, p. 136. ASE.

Letter sent from Alexandria by a father to his son, who had run away to the army, trying to bring him back. (Information from Goitein's index cards)

Letter from a certain Simḥa, who was in charge of a building. In Judaeo-Arabic. Dating: ca. 1200 CE. He reports that the upper floor (the one adjacent to the house of some Christians in a Jewish communal building) was restored for a cost of 30 dinars, while the ground floor beneath it was completely occupied, bringing revenue. He briefly reports on somebody who was housebound with a sickness, but who returned to week this week (v17–18). Information in part from Med Soc, IV, pp. 101, 375)

Letter fragment (far right of recto). The writer filled the entirety of the main text with praises and conventional phrases, leaving the business for the (faded) margin. He may be offering an excuse for failing to come to Fustat to study with the addressee. ASE.

Letter from Yaʿaqov Ibn ha-Nagid to a notable named Shelomo. In Hebrew and Judaeo-Arabic. Goitein's index card identifies the sender as "Yaʿaqov b. David Maimonides" but it is not clear how he knows this. Dating: Probably 14th or 15th century, based on the hand and style. Apart from numerous greetings, the purpose of the letter is to urge the addressee to send a previously discussed sum of money for the sender and his father. Not mentioned in the literature (except perhaps Ashtor, I, p. 232).

Letter from the cantor Yosef b. Yaʿaqov, in a provincial town (Benhā is mentioned), to Abū l-Ḥasan Yefet b. Eli, in Malīj. In Judaeo-Arabic. Dating: The writer signed another document in 1133 CE (NLI 5?). The writer asks the addressee whether he would agree to sharing one half of his functions in the synagogue with the son of another cantor. Information from Goitein's note card.

Poem in Hebrew. 17 lines in praise of a dignitary, then 2 lines of blessing in Judaeo-Arabic, then it ends. "From your grateful slave, Shemuel." ASE.

Letter from David b. Amar Madini. Around 1040. The addressee and place are missing. The writer expect deliveries from the addressee and suggests he would send them (but not the gold) with one of three people, including two Muslims with the name “Hajj” (that made a pilgrimage to Mecca in the past). Mentions trading of pearls (or corals), cloths, silk, and more. Dated between 1038 and 1045. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 4, #655) VMR

Letter from Menashshe the teacher, to Elazar b. Yehuda b. Elazar ha-Kohen, known as Sa'd al-Mulk, and to his wife, informing them that their boy pleased his grandfather with his knowledge and thereby implying that the writer, as the boy's teacher, expected a bonus in addition to his normal fee. (Information from Mediterranean Society, II, pp. 187-188, 356, V, 82, and a full translation in Goitein, Education, pp. 48-51)

Letter from Ya'qub to his mother (שקר בנת מבחל?) in Cairo, mainly assuring her that everyone is doing well. Isḥāq recently arrived from the writer's brother, and he and Furayj are doing well. Shemuel the son of the merchant and the writer's wife have also arrived. He asks his mother to assure Shemuel's wife that Shemuel is doing well, and Shemuel's wife's sister (Marḥaba or Muraḥḥaba) that her husband Faraj Allāh is doing well. He says to show this letter to Hārūn the teacher. The bottom of recto and the top of verso are torn off. He sends regards to his cousin (bint khālatī). The name ʿAfifa is written a few lines below the end of the letter. ASE.