Geniza Lab

Recto: Letter fragment in the hand of Moshe b. Levi ha-Levi. Mentions antimony (rāṣakht) and asks for news, including any news of the wife of his paternal uncle ʿImrān (see Moss. IV,27.2, T-S 8J24.17, ENA NS 68.11, and possibly T-S 8J10.16). Verso: Letter in Arabic script addressed to Abū ʿImrān (presumably the same paternal uncle mentioned on recto). Likely also from Moshe b. Levi ha-Levi, but more specimens of his Arabic handwriting need to be collected. The sender informs Abū ʿImrān of the various goods that he has shipped. (Information in part from CUDL.) ASE

Letter fragment in Hebrew. In the hand of Mevorakh b. Natan? Wide space between the lines. May be an indirect join with T-S 12.238, or at least related to the cluster comprised of BL OR 5533.1, T-S 12.238, and T-S 16.9. Mentions someone titled החכם המעולה אב החכמה, likely the judge Efrayim b. Meshullam (see T-S 16.9, line 10). On verso there is a commentary on Isaiah or semantic explanations within a grammatical treatise quoting Isaiah 51:4–6. (Information in part from CUDL.) ASE

Letter addressed to Ṭoviyya b. ʿEli he-Ḥaver; Judaeo-Arabic in the margin; writing exercises in Arabic and Hebrew on verso. (Information from CUDL)

Probably part of a letter. (Information from CUDL)

Letter fragment in Judaeo-Arabic. Addressed to a dignitary named Avraham. Beginning with taqbīl and inhāʾ formulae.

Letter fragment in Judaeo-Arabic. Mentioning Muslims and the elder Zikrī. (Information from CUDL)

Letter in Judaeo-Arabic. The scribe is identical with the scribe of PER H 86, which means this is the second autograph of the famous Spanish poet Yehuda al-Ḥarizi to be discovered. Dating: ca. 1215–25 CE. The sender urges the addressee to help him in a certain matter involving al-Akram Abu l-Rabīʿ, who must not leave Fustat/Egypt before a certain business and/or legal matter is concluded to his satisfaction. The sender threatens that he fears he will have to send an even more strongly worded letter. In the margin he says that he has been estranged from 'our friends' (aṣḥābnā) in every land because when he came to them with gentleness and praise and longing, they responded with grumbling and haughtiness. The addressee of this letter is not identified; possibly Eliyyahu the Judge, the addressee of al-Ḥarizi's other known letter.. ASE

Fragment from a beginning of a letter to a notable.

Business letter from Sulaymān to Abū l-Munajjā. In Judaeo-Arabic. He reports that he has sent some items with al-Thiqa (l. 11) and wishes to know if they have arrived and how they are priced. He also wants to know if there is an ambergris (ʿanbar) in Alexandria. Mentions Abū Saʿd Ibn Nānū and a certain Hilāl. The sender intends to travel soon with Abū l-Munā. Regards from various people including from the sender's parents. (Information in part from CUDL)

Letter in Judaeo-Arabic, minute fragment. Refers to a 'big man' (shakhṣ kabīr). On verso there are jottings in Arabic script, probably writing exercises or magical. (Information in part from CUDL.)

Letter, probably. In Judaeo-Arabic. Mentions Ramla. Very faded. (Information in part from CUDL.)

End of a letter from 'your brother Avraham Perdonel.' Late. (Information in part from CUDL)

Mercantile letter in Judaeo-Arabic. The sender and addressee are unknown. Dating: Probably 11th century. Mentions people such as Abū Yaʿaqov the brother of Tamra(?); a poor old man (shaykh suʿlūk); Ibn al-Fakkāh. Mentions goods such as: pepper, cinnamon, brazilwood, wheat, oil, and Kirmānī indigo. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 4, #835.) VMR

Letter, in Judaeo-Arabic. Dating: Ca. 13th century, based on the hand, the use of the abbreviation ממ[לוך], and the typical names of the period. The sender conveys good wishes for the holidays; mentions the terms waraqa and biṭāqa; and mentions al-Shaykh al-Ṣafiyy Abū l-[...] b. Daniel. (Information in part from CUDL)

A much faded letter to the leaders of the community, but the most of the details can not be deciphered.

Recto: Letter fragment in Hebrew and Judaeo-Arabic, greeting a dignitary and his two sons, including Ḥayyim ha-Sar ha-Adir he-Ḥakham. Verso: Document in Judaeo-Arabic, mentioning something that arrived, probably to the Synagogue of Moshe (in Dammūh). (Information from CUDL)

Letter fragment in Judaeo-Arabic. Thin horizontal strip from the middle. Mentions sending things and letters. May mention someone called Ahuv in the margin. (Information in part from CUDL)

Letter rom ‘your servant Seʿadya’; mostly consisting of a long Hebrew introduction, with some Judaeo-Arabic in the margin. On verso there is Psalms 78:62–65: (Information from CUDL)

Letter from Barakāt(?) to Eliyyahu he-Ḥakham ha-Maskil. In Judaeo-Arabic. Fragment (upper part only). Greetings to Bū l-Ṭāhir Zaqen ha-ʿEda. (Information in part from CUDL)

Minute fragment containing a few words of blessings in Hebrew. Might be from a letter, but too little remains.