Geniza Lab

Recto: One of Shelomo b. Eliyyahu's many small notes in which he orders small quantities of materia medica to be given to the bearer. In this one he orders from Abū l-Munā Shammān a half-ratl of a syrup of apple and rose preserves and a quarter-ratl of quince rob in a clay vessel for the price of (or an eighth of?) 1 dirham. "Because I am at the baḥr (Nile?)." Verso: A list, mostly in Arabic but with one word in Hebrew characters. Perhaps related to recto, since the second word appears to be سفرجل.

A faded medieval letter, mentioning the cold and Abū l-Makārim. Needs further examination.

Official letter in Hebrew. Dating: Uncertain, probably no earlier than 16th century. Addresses the members of 'the holy congregation,' exhorting them about something to do with money and halakha and a certain Zekharya. Signatures include Shem Ṭov Ḥakīm and Moshe b. Eliyya Politi (פוליטי). Needs examination.

Late letter in Judaeo-Arabic dated 1802 CE (the 17th of matmonim i.e. the omer, 5562) from Yiṣḥaq ben Naʿim to his brother Me'ir ben Naʿim. Verso has been reused for some sort of betrothal/marriage document.

Verso: Letter drafts or copies. In Judaeo-Arabic. One of them is signed by Shimʿon Frances. Needs further examination.

Late letter in Judaeo-Arabic from Avraham Dhabbāḥ probably to his sister in Fusṭāṭ/Cairo. He begs forgiveness for not yet having sent his brothers 27.5 qirsh and reminds them that he previously sent 50. He sends regards to their mother and asks for news of their nephew Ḥayyim. He mentions that he is cutting a garment (wa-aqṭaʿ qumāsh) that will be delivered soon.

Recto: Fragment of a late letter in Judaeo-Arabic from a son to a father. Verso: The page was trimmed and reused for what may be a legal record (?) in Hebrew drawn up in Fusṭāṭ/Cairo regarding the betrothal of a certain Yosef, dated 1720s CE (5480s, the last digit is unclear). The customs of Jerusalem and Eretz Yisrael are mentioned. Several other names are given, including Yehudah Masos (?) ha-Maʿaravi and a R. Yeshaʿyah. Needs further examination.

Late letter in Judaeo-Arabic from Moshe Bibas, Rashid, to Karo y Frances & Company, Fustat/Cairo. Longer than usual

Late letter in Judaeo-Arabic from Yaʿaqov Roẓano, Damietta, to Yehuda Karo, Fustat/Cairo, dated 19 January 1798 (2 Shevat 5558). The margins are filled with sums and lists. ASE. MCD.

Late letter in Judaeo-Arabic from Yaʿaqov Yuʿbaṣ to קונפראדה כומסה דינה (?).

Letter from Yishaq b. Avraham al-Mishmar (ha-Kohen?) from Fustat, to his son in Qayrawan (Ifrīqiya). The writer instructs his son to pay his debts and listen to the master of the diaspora – the Nagid” ("אדון הגולים, הנגיד"). (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 2, #165) VMR

Letter perhaps from the community of Tinnīs (mentions the synagogue of Tinnīs in the first preserved line), to the Nagid (ḥaḍrat sayyidnā al-rayyis), with about 10 signatures. Dated the end of Adar [1]480 = 1169 CE. Lower right only, reused for letter drafts in calligraphic Arabic script. ASE/MR

Recto: a few lines of a Judaeo-Arabic letter, partly having to do with commercial matters (mentioning silver and glass) and the somewhat opaque phrase "if you are intending אכראג ידך, inform me at the beginning of the year." It also quotes verses of consolation and mentions al-ʿazā' in the margin. Verso: a list of materia medica in Judaeo-Arabic. ASE.

Late letter in Judaeo-Arabic from Moshe ben Naʿim, to his father Me'ir ben Naʿim and to Se[nyor] David ben Naʿim. The letter also contains blocks of Arabic text. Needs further examination.

Late letter in Judaeo-Arabic (1807 CE) from Karo y Frances & Company to Avraham ha-Levi.

Letter in Ladino in which most of the heading has been damaged but could indicate the year [5]419CE or given that the latter two digits are clear and the ligature of "4" is present (l. 1r). A possible reading of the date is thus 1659CE. Most of the signature is also lost along the bottom tear of the fragment but the remnant of one flourish is present indicating where the author signed. The folding of this fragment also suggests that it was likely sent, and did not remain in the possession of the author as a draft. In the text itself the author mentions their brother "a mi ermano sr. Yeḥezqel / יחזקאל" (l. 13r). The name of the letter carrier is also mentioned "יאודה אטיזו" or "Yauda Atizo/Atezo" (l. 5r). The author also mentions his brother-in-law (l. 11r) and his sister (l. 15r). MCD.

Letter in Ladino to Muʿallim Ḥabīb from Simḥah de Mordukh (?). He requests money to be sent with Mordekhai Shamano. The writer's location may be named in the first line (conceivably Aleppo: it looks like חליב). The writer's uncle is in Safed. The writer's nephew Shemuel ha-Kohen sends his regards. Several people in the household and family of the recipient are named. The fragment also contains some text in Hebrew and Arabic. Damietta and Mansurah (?) are named in the address.

Letter in Judaeo-Arabic from Yosef b. Khalfa (11th century), sent from Fustat. Quite faded but could be read with effort

Late letter in Judaeo-Arabic with a few rows of writing exercises (?) in the margin. There are also a few words in Arabic.

Late letter in Judaeo-Arabic.