Geniza Lab

Two double pages. Copy of a letter from Se’adya b. Yosef to Eli b. Tavnai’s sons in Fustat. Original letter was written in January 3, 923. Se’adya asks the addresses to act against Aaron b. Meir’s directions regarding the calendar. (Information from Gil, Kingdom. Vol. 2, #7). VMR

Partially preserved 11th century copy of second of three letters written by Saadya in the course of the 921-922 calendar controversy between Palestinians and Babylonians. There is an address in Arabic script. The letters are addressed to Saadya’s disciples Shelomo, Ezra and ʿEli in Fustat and recount the events of the Palestinian calendar declaration by Ben Meir and the Babylonian’s reaction to it. Saadya urges his addressees to uphold the dates of the Babylonians, and ensure that Jews do not eat leaven on Passover and desecrate the Day of Atonement. (Information from Rustow, Stern, The Jewish Calendar Controversy of 921-22, in Stern, S and Burnett, C, (eds.) Time, Astronomy, and Calendars in the Jewish Tradition. (pp. 79-95). Brill: Leiden, 2013. See also Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 2, p. 17 and Goitein notes linked below, and the Penn Catalog.)

Partially preserved 11th century copy of one of three letters written by Saadya in the course of the 921-922 calendar controversy between Palestinians and Babylonians. There is an address in Arabic script. The letters are addressed to Saadya’s disciples Shelomo, Ezra and ʿEli in Fustat and recount the events of the Palestinian calendar declaration by Ben Meir and the Babylonian’s reaction to it. Saadya urges his addressees to uphold the dates of the Babylonians, and ensure that Jews do not eat leaven on Passover and desecrate the Day of Atonement. (Information from Rustow, Stern, The Jewish Calendar Controversy of 921-22, in Stern, S and Burnett, C, (eds.) Time, Astronomy, and Calendars in the Jewish Tradition. (pp. 79-95). Brill: Leiden, 2013. See also Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 2, p. 17 and Goitein notes linked below, and the Penn Catalog.)

Calligraphic letter sent to the judge Efrayim by a scribe requesting high-quality ink so that he can finish a certain project.

Letter from a Damascene Karaite to a Karaite leader in Fustat, approximately 1040.

Letter from the muqaddam of Malij, congratulating R. Aharon ha-Qarawi (or: "who is called") Abu l-Ḥasan on God's miracles and Aharon's deliverance from wicked people. Contains at least 10 lines of wishes for the recovery of Aharon's son Yefet from his illness, citing numerous biblical verses. In the address on verso, al-Rayyis Rabbenu Avraham is mentioned. "Magnificent script and Hebrew style of 29 lines, then in (Judaeo-)Arabic 8 lines." Information from Goitein's note cards.

Letter from Faraj, the emancipated slave of Barhun Tahirti, Qayrawan, to Yosef b. Awkal and his two sons.

Letter fragment from the Jewish community of Palermo to the Jewish community of Alexandria. Dating: ca. 1030 CE. May mention [Ḥayyim b.] Yaʿaqov ha-Sef[aradi] (who also appears in T-S 24.6). Concerning the appointment of a guardian for the orphan Moshe b. Eliyya, whose father Eliyya was like Ḥayyim’s son(?). The guardian was supposed to collect money—800 טריים—which belonged to the dead father in Alexandria. There is one line of Arabic script in the margin, probably blessings for the addressee. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 2, #237.) VMR

Letter by Menashshe b. Moses referring to a legal query sent to the Nagid. (Information from CUDL)

Perhaps a letter of introduction or appeal on behalf of Joseph b. Ḥalfon, written by a community or Bet Din and addressed to similar (לכבודכם). Reference is made to witnesses testifying, to a man’s death and the fact that he (Joseph?) had chosen not to get married. Barely legible. (Information from CUDL)

Barely legible letter in Judaeo-Arabic. (Information from CUDL)

Note accompanying a shipment (risala) sent by Avraham b. Abu Yusuf to Mansur the son of Yefet Abu al-Ḥasan al-Dimashqi. (Information from Goitein's index cards)

Recto: possibly the rhymed opening of a letter, mostly consisting of praises directed towards ‘ha-Rav’. Verso: small amount of partly illegible Arabic text. (Information from CUDL)

Letter in Judaeo-Arabic. Middle part of a long letter concerning the rent of one-fourth of a house belonging to a woman. The sender explains that it is not worthwhile going to court, as it would only lead to fines and financial ruin, and the 'ruler' (Heb. shaliṭ, corresponding to Arabic qāḍī? or perhaps wālī?) might turn out to be wicked, and in these parts there is a lot of ḥamas (oppression by the government). There follows a convoluted discussion of the rent of this property. The sender asked the landlady to come, but she said that she couldn't come, and the female slave couldn't come, and they would split the losses. In the closing greetings, the sender reports that the children are all well. Abū l-Mufaḍḍal intends to travel but delayed his departure until after the holidays. The sender conveys his congratulations to Abū l-Maʿālī and perhaps a woman and her son (or father?) Abū l-Najm. In the margin there is the beginning of a report about something that the wife of Abu l-Barakāt heard from the wife of Zikrī. Potentially the same handwriting as T-S 12.417, JRL SERIES B 2601, and/or ENA NS 2.40. (Information in part from Goitein’s index card.) ASE

Fragment of a letter from Natan b. Nahray, from Alexandria, to Nahray b. Nissim, Fustat. Probably 1063. Mentions several types of goods as almonds and gems. Mentions “ha-Nasi” (the leader) and his letter. Also mentions the disagreement with Abu Zikri b. Menashshe as well as the illness of Nissim, the son of Nahray b. Nissim. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 3, #427) VMR

Letter from Nissim b. Ḥalfon, from Tinnis, to Nahray b. Nissim, Fustat. 1046. The writer describes his conflict with an Iraqi named Ibn al-Wasiti. The writer asks that Sahlan b. Avraham, the leader of the Iraqi community in Fustat, will intervene. Mentions details about selling goods that Nahray had sent: flax and lacquer. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 3, #582) VMR

Letter sent to Abū ʿImrān al-Kohen b. Abū l-Faraj al-Kohen, from the time of Maimonides (it refers to ‘our Rabbi Moses’). The letter also mentions Makārim Ibn al-Amshātị̄. (Information from CUDL)

Recto: Letter of recommendation written by Shelomo b. Yehuda Gaon on a Friday, late in the afternoon, 4 Sivan, probably 1048. Verso: His son Avraham and (Sahlan) Segan ha-Yeshiva b. Avraham Beḥir ha-Yeshiva testify that this was really written by the Gaon. Information from Goitein's note card.

Letter from Shemuʾel b. Avraham to Efrayim b. Shemarya (ca. 1007–55 CE). Address on verso. (Information from CUDL)

Letter regarding business from Mūsā b. Nissim b. Surrī to Abū ʿImrān. On verso another, unidentified text is written. May have been sent from Qayrawān, as the writer mentions Funduq al-Maṭmūrī, also known from T-S 13J25.1. Information in part from CUDL.