Geniza Lab

Recto: Letter fragment. In Judaeo-Arabic. Rudimentary spellings. Dating: mid-12th century or later, per CUDL. Difficult to decipher any of the content.

Recto: Letter in Judaeo-Arabic. Fragment (bottom five lines). Faded, and difficult to understand any of the content. Verso: Letter in Judaeo-Arabic. The handwriting looks like one of the Mosul Nasis active in the 13th century. The sender says that he (or she?) received word suddenly that the amir is coming for some work tomorrow, which alarmed him because he has not prepared for such a visit. "By my life, if he comes, we will move our אסבת (hides? baskets?) inside, and he/it will be in the place where we are" (maybe they will give their own sleeping quarters to the amir?). He has obtained some chickens but doesn't know where to send them for them to be prepared. He asks the addressee to tell him where to send them. (Information in part from CUDL)

Letter in Judaeo-Arabic. The right side is very faded. Concerning business matters. Mentions that 'the broker came to me,' something to do with Jewish law, and 'I will not sell to a gentile except....' May also refer to a current or hypothetical partnership. (Information in part from CUDL)

Recipe and instructions, possibly part of a letter or instructions for medical or magical purposes. (Information from CUDL)

Letter in Judaeo-Arabic. Fragment (bottom part only). The sender complains that no one except the addressee helps them. The addressee should help ʿAmmār Ibn Shamshūrī with something. The addressee will receive "the book of dreams" (kitāb al-manāmāt) soon. Greetings to various people including Sitt Baghdād. (Information in part from CUDL)

Letter, explaining how the writer and the community went to visit Abū l-Munā, who had just arrived in Damīra. Ca. 13th century. (Information from CUDL)

Fragment from a letter, mentioning Sitt Mubārak. (Information from CUDL)

Letter concerning business matters. In Judaeo-Arabic. Many tantalizing details, but too fragmentary to understand. Mentions: 1000 dirhams; "whatever you wish, send it and I will sell it... [and tell me what is] in demand, and I will send it to you"; a group of people called אלכתלאניה (the Catalans??); 2200 dinars and maghribī dirhams; half of the silver is for Ibrāhīm; a Qaraite man; Bū l-Thanāʾ or Bū l-Munā; a funduq and silk; the ṣināʿa (either the main port / customs house in Fustat or the arsenal); the guard; the Franks; Ismāʿīl; the ḥujra (barracks?); Ismāʿil leaving the funduq; and "his partner Manṣūr and a lot of money." (Information in part from CUDL)

Letter in the hand of Yefet b. Menashshe. In Judaeo-Arabic. Fragment (lower left corner of recto). He complains about the lack of letters ever since he arrived in his location. Not much else is preserved. (Information in part from CUDL)

Letter from a woman, referring to a previous conversation during which the addressee had pointed out that the writer was owed money by a third party, probably from her dowry. Quite possibly written by the woman herself as the hand is slightly crude. Mentions the Nagid and a Ḥaver. (Information from CUDL)

Recto: letter from Meʾir to Ḥananʾel al-Talmid. In Judaeo-Arabic. Confirming that action in a previously raised matter will be taken, possibly on the coming Sunday. Mentions two copies of books that should be perused. Verso: document in Arabic script. Probably a commercial account. Refers to various people (al-shaykh al-ajall X), including Natan. Might mention a sum of dinars at the bottom. (Information in part from CUDL)

Fragment in a late, very crude hand, probably a letter. (Information from CUDL)

Letter/petition in Judaeo-Arabic. Recto is mostly extended expressions of deference and flattery. Starting about halfway through verso, it appears that the sender is asking for an appointment as a cantor (תגעלוני בחכם... פי מנזלה חזאניכם). The ḥaver (probably the addressee) should judge between the sender and (presumably his rival) Menashshe the musician (? al-Mizmār). He then cites the saying of Yehoshuaʿ b. Qarḥa from BM 83b, "Let the owner of the vineyard come and eradicate his thorns" (יבא בעל הכרם ויכלה את קוציו). (Information in part from CUDL.)

Begging letter asking for financial support. (Information from CUDL)

Fragment of a communal letter in the hand of Ḥalfon b. Menashshe. The middles of four lines are preserved, wide spacing between the lines. May be a letter of appointment for a muqaddam and/or cantor, or instructions to resolve a dispute about leadership: "... with your staying (or: his staying with you?) on whichever Shabbat he chooses... and he is deserving and must be honored... and helped and supported for various reasons, the first of which...." (Information in part from CUDL)

Letter in Judaeo-Arabic. Dating: 11th or 12th century. Fragment (upper right corner). The addressee is called al-shaykh al-ajall... al-muwaffaq al-ṣadīq al-kohen al-vatiq. The sender complains that this year he has perished and his flesh has been afflicted (...fī hādhihi al-sana alladhī halaktu... ilā allāh taʿālā wa-qad baliya laḥmī...). On verso there are jottings of accounts in Judaeo-Arabic. (Information in part from CUDL.)

Recto: Letter in Judaeo-Arabic. Dating: ca. 12th century. Addressed to 'my brother,' a notable given many titles and blessings (לכתר עם האלהים... תפארת בני מ.ל... וכל מנצח גם משורר לו יעידון... פאר עמו ועטרת עדתו... יחייהו ויזכהו נוטה זבולים לבנין... ויזכה בקרוב לחופה יקרה בחיי...). Headed by the verse יקימך ייי לו לעם קדוש (Deut. 28:9). The sender reports on the settlement he has reached with someone; "the evil was from Abū l-Khayr..."; my settlement was difficult to me...." Verso: Letter in Judaeo-Arabic; might be the continuation of recto, but might be in a different hand. Mentions the tax/customs of אלחמירה(?); how certain people's houses were locked up and sealed; Faḍāʾil al-Naṣrānī (the Christian) was forced to go into hiding (amr aḥwajahū ilā l-khafiyya); then mentions, "going out to you every day of the week to stay with you... on Saturday, al-Bama (? אלבָמָה) will go while he is weak(?) of eyesight(?)... write him the letter of your justice(?)... and he will not stay. Know, O my brother... the envious one(?) from the family of(?)... requires the [...] and secrecy...." (Information in part from CUDL.) ASE

Recto: letter fragment in Judaeo-Arabic. CUDL dates it to 14th–15th century probably based on the use of the verb "ארסל" for "send," but in fact this verb is used frequently in the classical Geniza period. Little of the content is preserved. Verso: dirge in Hebrew for a deceased mother. (Information in part from CUDL)

Letter of appeal for charity: the sender asks for half a dirham to buy food. The sender may blame 'the gentiles' for his distress in l. 9. Otherwise mostly formulaic. (Information in part from CUDL)

Informal note in Judaeo-Arabic. Written by Hananel b. Shemuel. He exhorts the addressee to assist al-Shaykh al-Nafīs, evidently concerning a legal query which the latter had submitted. "The illustrious Judge" will inform the addressee all the details of the case. On verso there are also Greek/Coptic numerals, possibly accounts, together with the word "the total" written in Arabic script. (Information from AA, Oded Zinger's forthcoming edition, and ASE.)