Geniza Lab

Letter from Avraham b. Shemuel Ha-Shlishi (third), Ramla, to Avraham Ha-Kohen b. Yiṣḥaq b. Furat, approximately 1035.

Letter from an unknown writer to Abu Zikri Yehuda ha-Kohen b. Yosef. The main purpose of the letter is to ask Abū Zikrī to send 50 dinars to the writer, "because my lack of employment has killed me" (ll.12–22). The writer prefaces this request with describing how he was saddened to hear from Abū l-Ḥasan al-Dimashqī that Abū Zikrī had been ill (mutakassil) and how he rejoiced to hear that Abū Zikrī had recovered (ll.6–12). There seems to be an epidemic in Abū Zikrī's location. "May God protect you from this year and these illneses and protect your children for your sake" (ll.11–12). Goitein interpreted Abū Zikrī's illness as dysentery, reading "mutarassil" (index card 27123), but see T-S 13J22.28 and ENA 1822a.12 for similar instances of "mutakassil" (the exact meaning of which is not clear). ASE.

Letter from Zakkay b. Moshe to the ḍāmin (tax-farmer) Abu al-Bishr Mevasser ha-Kohen b. Salman. The writer, a scribe in al-Mahalla, describes his work of copying a commentary on the Torah onto vellum in big letters. He asks whether the book should be bound in that town. Dated ca. 1145. (Information from Mediterranean Society, I, p. 112; II, pp. 239, 605; Goitein's index cards)

Letter from Tamīm to his two brothers. In Judaeo-Arabic (for the body) and Hebrew (for the learned blessings). Dating: Unknown. Goitein identifies the handwriting with that of Tamīm b. Yosef, who gave a legal testimony in Qalyūb in 1231 CE (GW Plate XII corresponds to the current shelfmark F 1908.44H). He also wrote a letter addressed to Maimonides, TS Misc. 28.98 (See Ashur, 'A new letter to Maimonides', Fragment of the Month October 2010 Cambridge University Library) . In this letter, Tamīm informs his brothers of his terrible misfortune this winter. The family had amassed a substantial store of wheat from the earnings of Tamīm's wife, which they had chosen to buy in lieu of warm clothing, saying, "this will be a support behind us." They then hosted foreigners in their upper room (ghurfa) despite the fact that Tamīm, his wife, and their little children were seriously ill. When he began to recover, he found that all the wheat stored in the upper room had been stolen except for 3.5 waybas and two qadaḥs, along with their sleeping carpet (waṭa'). "I emerged from the ranks of the sick as a beggar." On top of all this, he still has to pay the capitation tax. He asks his brother to urgently send him 'Qedoshim' (the tractate?) and to inform him of when sixty days have passed from the autumnal equinox ('ha-tequfa') so that he knows when to begin saying 've-ten ṭal u-maṭar.' Information in part from Goitein's index cards. See also Med Soc IV, p. 370, n. 164. ASE.

Letter from Yosef b. Eliyyahu to Efrayim b. Shemarya. The writer describes his journey to Ṣahrajt.

Letter written in Hebrew by a European to R. Shemuel. It mentions a birth date: Wednesday, 26 of Shevat. (Information from Goitein's index cards)

Letter from Ṭoviya b. ʿEli ha-Kohen to his cousin the Judge Natan b. Shelomo ha-Kohen regarding alleged arrears in a compound of the Qodesh, ca. 1130. The two overseers of the qodesh who were in charge of an unnamed compound complained about arrears of two months owed by one of the tenants, Abu'l-Ḥasan b. al-Hazzan. The tenant in the meantime has left the apartment. The complaint was addressed to the gaon, the head of the yeshiva, himself. He asked one of the parnasim of the qodesh to inquire about the matter. The writer brings the results of his inquiry to the knowledge of the Judge. The inquiry has shown that there were no real arrears, but to make the matter totally right, a copper lid left by the tenant was to be handed over to Abu'l-Bayan, apparently one of the prominent leaders of the congregation of the Palestinians, in order to spare the parnasim his reproaches. (Information from Gil, Documents, pp. 251 #46)

Letter from Yaʿaqov b. Isḥāq to his son Isḥāq describing in detail his severe illness, but emphasizing that he had recovered. He sends holiday greetings to Isḥāq and their relatives, and he urges Isḥāq to take care of his old mother if worse should happen to the author. (Information from Goitein's index cards.) Goitein's partial translation: "I need not describe to you my present state after the grave illness experienced by me, so that I despaired of life. My body became completely bloated, then the disease eased a bit; then the blisters covered me even more malignantly than before, and became permanent. I had to lie down, unable to sit up when I wished so. I hated life. Then the Creator chose to grant me health, and a complete turn occurred. Then the pockmarks became apparent on me so that the improvement was not beneficial. But you [plural] should not think that I am already dead. Do not give me up. So, if the Creator chooses to grant me health, you will see me. Otherwise, nothing can be done." Med Soc V, p. 107.

Letter to Eli b. Amram from a junior colleague, as court scribe, specifying the fees received for writing documents (marriage contracts, divorce documents, a power of attorney) during Eli's absence; also mentioning a power of attorney made out on behalf of an agunah to a welfare official who was going to Spain, where her husband was located.

Letter from Moshe b. Levi ha-Levi, in Qalyub, to Gaon Sar Shalom ha-Levi, in Fustat. In Hebrew. After a poem in praise in the Gaon and lengthy salutations, Moshe tells the story of a certain Yefet b. Shelomo the physician, known as Ibn al-Ṭaffāl (“son of the fuller”), who arrived in Qalyub bearing a letter from Sar Shalom supposedly appointing him as the exclusive mohel for “all the villages.” Moshe could not find Sar Shalom’s distinctive mark in the letter, so he announced that the letter was counterfeit. The poor man Ma‘ani’s son was circumcised by Yefet ha-Qatzar instead, pro bono. Moshe now gets to the point of the letter: he has heard that Ibn al-Ṭaffāl slandered him to Sar Shalom, claiming that he said things against the Gaon that he never said. Moshe concludes by begging for mercy: he insists that has not done anything wrong, Sar Shalom must not believe anything without witnesses and proofs, and, finally, who is he that Sar Shalom should be angry at him? “After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea” (1 Samuel 24:14). On verso, he apologizes for the poor quality of the paper, stating that it was the best he could find, and for the poor quality of his writing. He would have presented himself in person, but it was all he could do to even write a letter. He wrote it lying down, prostrated by illness of his intestines and eyes. See S. D. Goitein, Mediterranean Society, 2:232, 573; 3:503; 4:407. EMS. ASE.

Letter from Barhun b. Musa ha-Tāhartī, probably from Alexandria, to Nahray b. Nissim, Fustat. Around 1060. Mentions trade business with Sicily, an event with the authorities and different shipments. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 3, #349) VMR

Letter from a tax farmer in the Fayyum, who was cheated of his share by his partners, was unable to pay his debts, and was therefore taken into custody. He has been in prison for four days. He is sick with ophthalmia and his dependents are perishing. He asks help getting released before the Sabbath. (Information from Mediterranean Society, II, pp. 35, 362 and from Goitein's index cards )

Letter addressed to the writer's father, Shelomo (Abu al-Rabi Sulayman), and his father-in-law, Yeshua ha-Kohen, in Qalyub. The writer invites both the addressees and his mother-in-law, Umm Ibrahim, to pass the coming holidays, during which the wedding of Abu al-Khayr will be celebrated, with his family. He also recommends a poor man for charitable assistance. The copyist adds his greetings. (Information from Mediterranean Society, V, pp. 15, 596; Goitein's index cards)

Letter from Ḥalfon b. Menashshe's wife, in Fustat, to her brother Abū l-Ḥasan ʿEli b. Hillel, probably in Bahnasa (based on T-S 13J21.18). In the hand of Ḥalfon b. Menashshe. In Judaeo-Arabic. Dating: 1121–25 CE. She reports that the young son of Sitt al-Jamāl died immediately after ʿEli departed. They buried him in the 'desert' early on Friday, and when they returned, they found Sitt al-Jamāl's son Abū l-Mufaḍḍal sick as well, and he remains in a difficult condition (r6–11). She reports that later the same day, Abū l-Faḍl b. al-Ne'eman was fired from his post by the vizier al-Ma'mūn (1121–25) and was commanded to leave Cairo and take up residence in Fustat. Abū l-Faḍl cannot show his face now, and the rest cannot be explained in a letter (r11–14). "These things came to me upon emptiness of heart (farāgh qalb)" (cf. Quran 28:10)—perhaps she means that she could spare no attention for this matter, because she was so preoccupied on account of her children, who are still sick, as the addressee knows. "My heart became split, rising and falling, and if it weren't for your rebuke, I wouldn't have written you a single letter of all this" (r14–16). Abū ʿImrān is in the same state (probably of illness) that the addressee knows about (r16–17). She here describes the weaving of a shuqqa cloth and a complex deal involving al-Qazzāz and the addressee and money to be sent (r19–25). Goitein writes that the letter contains information about wages for silk weaving. (Information in part from Goitein's index cards; also Mediterranean Society, I, pp. 90, 404, 412; II, pp. 183, 345, 558; V, pp. 243, 574.) ASE.

Letter from a certain Shelomo to Abū Zikrī Kohen. In Judaeo-Arabic. Containing blessings for the Gaon Maṣliaḥ and the India trader Abū l-Barakāt Ibn al-Lebdī. Reused on verso for an elegy for a young man. (Information from Goitein's notes linked below.)

Letter from an unknown writer in Bilbays to Judge Eliyyahu, dated 1237. The writer complains about the meagre salary of public officials there.

Letter in which negotiations with pirates for the release of captives are described.

Letter from Natan b. Nahray, Alexandria, to Nahray b. Nissim, Fustat. Dating: Ca. 1062 CE (Gil). Topics: trade in oil, cumin, paper, books; the serious illness of ʿIwāḍ b. Ḥananel; and the dire situation in al-Mahdiyya. Nahray was very worried about ʿIwāḍ, but he ended up improving (lines 6–7). Cf. T-S 10J10.27, from 1060 CE, in which ʿIwāḍ himself writes to Nahray about his intestinal bloating and how he is scared and does not know what will happen.

Letter from the widow of a physician, a distant relative of the Nagid Shemuel b. Hananya (ca. 1140-1159), implying that she will be compelled to marry a man (apparently of lower status) unless the Nagid helps her redeem the half of her house that has been mortgaged against a debt. (Information from Goitein's index cards; also Mediterranean Society, III, p. 275)

Letter from Nethanel b. Ḥalfon to the Cairene notable ʿOvadya b. Benayahu. He asks for help for a learned man from Europe who has traveled to Cairo solely because he had heard of the generosity of the addressee's father. The request is urgent since the foreigner wishes to be on the high seas by Passover. On the verso, a similar letter by the foreigner himself to another notable, Maymun, in the Egyptian capital. Nethanel's letter obviously was returned to the foreigner by the addressee and was then used by him for a draft which, after having been copied, was thrown into the Geniza. Dated ca. 1170's. (Information from Mediterranean Society, II, p. 499)