Geniza Lab

Letter from a man, probably in al-Maḥalla, to a friend or family member, probably in Fustat. In Judaeo-Arabic. He asks if a certain commodity sold in Fustat. The sender greets his father and mother; his brother ʿImrān and his family; Sitt al-Bayt; the wife of his paternal uncle; the addressee and his family; and Aharon. They must not tell the sender's father that he might be traveling to Alexandria, since that would make him worry. The addressee is to convey a complaint to the "[R]aʾīs" about a group of misers (qawm shiḥāḥ) who can barely be made to pay. The sender complains that the money he can make in al-Maḥalla does not even suffice to hire a riding animal. He is not sure if he should travel next to Alexandria or to Sammanūd and Damīra. ASE

Fragment of a letter from Ṭoviyya b. ʿEli ha-Kohen to his cousin and/or brother-in-law the judge Natan b. Shelomo ha-Kohen. Mentions the upcoming holiday of Shavuʿot; the Gaon; Abū l-Faḍl b. ʿUmayr. Very little else is preserved. ASE

Letter, probably. In Judaeo-Arabic. Very faded.

Informal note from Bū Naṣr. In Judaeo-Arabic. Mentions something that happened yesterday at the clinic (dukkān al-ḥakīm); the sender may be expressing remorse for what happened; and he wants to meet with the addressee or perhaps somebody else immediately.

Letter addressed to a 'father.' In Judaeo-Arabic. Fragment (upper right corner). The addressee is a physician: al-ḥakīm al-sadīd... [...] al-ʿulamāʾ sayyid al-fuhamāʾ... None of the substance of the letter is preserved. On verso there are a few words in Arabic script and pen trials in Hebrew script.

Tiny fragment from the beginning of a letter addressed to multiple people. There are only three words (אטאל אללה בקאהם).

Verso: Letter addressed to a certain Abū l-Faraj. In Judaeo-Arabic. The writer has been sick ever since he last saw the addressee, and his illness has already cost him nearly 3 dinars for syrups and other things. He then reports on the books he has sent. He has sent Alfāẓ al-Miqraʾ, "and its purchase is on the one with the Rayyis, 1/2 dinar and a ḥabba." He has sent a volume of tafsīr for 10 dirhams. He apologizes in case the addressee doesn't actually need that one. He mentions ʿAyyāsh and Ḥananel.

Letter from a certain Esther to her son. In Hebrew. Dating: Likely 16th century. Regards to and from various people, including Doña Miryam. Mentions wine from Crete. Possibly with Esther's own signature.

Business letter in Judaeo-Arabic. Fragment (right side). Dating: Probably 11th or 12th century. Some phrases include: "...to Fustat... bring me with you... the two dinars and the two rubāʿīs... the rotten ones(?), and sell them... and send me the price, and say... the elder Abu l-Mufaḍḍal...," and then the letter closes with greetings (תכתץ אגל אלסלם...).

Letter fragment in Judaeo-Arabic. Mentions lāsīn silk and Fustat.

Letter, probably. In Judaeo-Arabic. Small fragment, very faded.

Business letter. In Hebrew. Beginning only. Dating: Late, perhaps 16th century. Mentions someone named David Ibn al-Khayr as well as the goods אפלמור (lime or linden?) and חאיר (=khiyār/cassia fistula?). Information from A. David via FGP.

Letter, probably. In Judaeo-Arabic. With a lot of deferential phrases.

Letter from Moshe b. Abidirham. In Hebrew. Dating: Second half of the 16th century. Concerning philanthropic activities for the benefit of the rabbis of Egypt. Mentions R. Yiṣḥaq Saruq, R. Yiṣḥaq Karo, R. Yaʿaqov b. Tibbon, R. Yaʿaqov Kastro, and Avraham Kolon (the sender of ENA 2727.45, Moss. IV,93, and HUC 1034). See Avraham David's edition on FGP for identifications of several of these men.

Family letter in Judaeo-Arabic. Mentions completion of a muṣḥaf. The sender and the old woman want the addressee to come back (or at least respond with a letter). "I am greatly perplexed" - asks for instructions about whether to sell or pawn something. Same hand as Moss. II,103.2.

Letter in Judaeo-Arabic. Fragment. Mentions the death of a woman (penultimate line).

Letter in Judaeo-Arabic. Fragment.

Fragment of a letter from a mother from Alexandria, to her son in Fustat. Second half of 11th century. The mother expresses her interest in the family and deals with money and shipment of goods. (Information from Gil, Kingdom, Vol. 4, #840) VMR

Verso: Letter from Efrayim b. Shemarya to Natan b. Avraham. Quotes Psalms 45:16 as a greeting. Mentions a deceased Abū l-Surūr.

Letter fragment. in Judaeo-Arabic. qazzāza... Ismāʿīl... ḥattā tabrud...