Geniza Lab

Letter from Jerusalem to Avraham ben Yiṣḥaq Sholal in Egypt. edited by Avraham David in Ḥayyim Beinart Festschrift

Letter from Abū l-Faraj b. Manṣūr al-Shammāʿ (the candlemaker/seller) to Eliyyahu the Judge. In Judaeo-Arabic. First he deals with a monetary matter of 104 wariq (silver dirhams) involving Bū Saʿd, Bū Saʿīd, and al-Kohen. The sender and others are very distressed (iltahaba fī qulūbihim al-nār) regarding the daughter of Barakāt b. Abū Sahl the crier in the moneychangers' market (al-munādī fī sūq al-ṣarf, the same profession as Bishr b. Yeḥezqel in T-S Ar.30.30). Barakāt begs Eliyyahu (via the sender) to investigate her condition and make sure she is well. On verso the letter returns to some monetary affairs involving Banīn (who is also mentioned on recto), and ends with greetings to Mufaddal b. Abu al-[...] and Abū l-Majd the cantor (=Meir b. Yakhin). AA. ASE.

Letter in the hand of Ḥalfon b. Menashshe to Abū l-Ḥasan ʿAlī b. Hilāl al-Baghdādī (=Ḥalfon's brother-in-law ʿEli b. Hillel). In Judaeo-Arabic. Fragment (left side of recto). Al-Maghribī arrived from the addressee's location. There are references to various family and business matters, but all are quite vague without the join.

Letter from Avraham Kolon (קולון). Probably addressed to Yosef Ardiʿa (ארדיעה) like his other two letters. Dated: Monday, 17 Ḥeshvan [5318 AM], which is 1557 CE (see A. David's article for explanation of the date). Deals with commercial matters like trade in feathers (ostrich, peacock?). Mentions traders who have Italian names (e.g., Nicoletta) and the ship ʿArīsa that is soon to depart for Venice. Published by Avraham David, Peʿamim 51 (1992), 117–18.

Letter from Avraham b. Yehuda ha-Kohen, in Malīj, to the cantor Elʿazar b. Yehuda, in Fustat (c/o the shop of Ṭarfon ha-Zaqen). In Judaeo-Arabic, with some interesting spellings (e.g., many extraneous alefs, some missing alefs, יתפע for ידפע, and תקתע for תקטע, and אלאלה for God). Dating: Uncertain. The letter was cut up into at least two pendant shapes—one hexagon and one pentagon—and perforated to be hung up. It is difficult to extract much of the content. Mainly dealing with small business transactions, e.g., a kerchief (mandīl) for 20 qirats. On verso, greetings to 'his son Yaʿqūb'; Muʿammar; Abū ʿAlī Muḥsin; Abū l-Ghayth Mufarraj; Hillel; and Yaḥyā.

Letter by Yehuda ha-kohen (b. Tuvya according to the distinctive hand) to the two brothers Avraham and Yishaq/Ishaq b. al-hakim (i.e. the physician). The first part of the letter is filled with greetings and blessings. Then yehuda informs the brothers that he had sent with the carried of the letter (a certain Asad) 25 dirhems and asks them to buy him with it yarn (ghazl) "because the small ones are naked". On the back there is an account in Arabic letters mentioning flax, ghazl, mandil and weights and prices?

Business letter from Avraham Naḥum, perhaps in Manzala, to a certain Shemuel, in Cairo. In Hebrew. Dating: First half of the 16th century. The sender informs the addressee that he has sent a sum of money (23 gold coins, peraḥim) with the messenger Khalīfa (ll. 9–10, 14) in order to pay various debts in Cairo (specified in ll. 6–7, 9, and 12–13). He has also sent פייסאס לולואיש (=piezas lulues), apparently a Ladino-Arabic term for pearls, which are also to be sold and the proceeds used to defray some of the sender's debts (ll. 10–14). Names mentioned include Shemuel Rashīdī, Avraham Maymūn (the sender's brother-in-law), Shemuel Bahlūl (the addressee's relative, also mentioned in T-S AS 153.214 together Avraham Naḥum, the sender of the present letter). The currency medin/muʾayyadi is also cited. There is also another commodity with a Spanish name: ha-escribanía (a writing-desk?). (Information in part from A. David via FGP.)

Mercantile letter in Judaeo-Arabic. Mentions people such as Abū ʿAlī; [...] al-Bukhtaj; Abū Isḥāq Ibrāhīm b. Pinḥas; [...] al-Sharābī; Abū l-Faraj; a parnas; and Aharon. Mentions goods such as a 30-cubit Maghribī sūsiyya. Also mentions the government and the capitation tax. (Information in part from Goitein’s index card.)

Letter. A Hebrew letter reporting of a terrible tragedy in which a thousand people died. Ed. Ben Sasson in his article in Gil's Festschrift. Transcription awaiting digitization on PGP.

Letter addressed to Abū ʿAlī Yeḥezqel b. Yiṣḥaq. In Judaeo-Arabic. Sent from (or to?) Alexandria. Dating: Mentions the year "499" as a year recently past, so this letter was probably written early in the year 1500 Seleucid, which would be 1189 CE. (But note that Goitein's index card translates "499" as 1088 CE.) 499 could also be a hijrī date (1105/06 CE), which is made less likely—but not impossible—by the use of the Hebrew month Ṭevet in the same sentence. The writer discusses numerous business matters, complains at length about his poor state, including commodities that were damaged by worms), and the general economic depression: "the times are bilious (al-zamān ṣafrāwī), and their representative here who used to work wonders—there is no business for him or for anyone else, and everything is infinite darkness (חשכות) with all manner of hardship, and most of this is on account of the water (מאים=מים)." He brings up his falling out with Abū l-Ḥasan Bishāra, who is currently shunning him because of how the sender behaved toward him int he past. Other people mentioned include Abū l-Ḥasan Ibn al-Bukhtaj and Ismāʿīl Ibn al-Taherti (spelled אלתאהתי, maybe read אלתאהרתי?), perhaps referring to Shemuel b. Barhūn (but this would not fit with the suggested dating of 1189 CE). AA. ASE

Letter mentioning Elijah the judge and his son Abu Zikri. On the back is an account. possibly in the hand of Shelomo ha-melammed.

Letter from Shelomo b. Eliyyahu, apparently addressed to Makārim, who is probably the same as Abū l-Makārim b. al-Talmid Abū l-Riḍā. In Judaeo-Arabic. The letter opens "may God judge between Barakāt b. al-Dayyān [=me] and Makārim [=you]." He goes on to chastise Makārim for quarrelling with Shelomo's brother Abū Zikrī. Several more people are mentioned, including Shelomo's cousin (ibn khāla) Abū l-ʿIzz, Fayrūz, Ḥananel, and Surūr. ASE

Letter from Avraham b. Moshe b. Avraham b. Yosef b. Avraham to a dignitary called Avraham b. Abū l-Faḍl. In Judaeo-Arabic. The overall appearance and style is unusual, and it is unclear where it was sent from—evidently somewhere connected by caravan to Egypt. The sender is pained at the lack of letters "to our council" (li-majlisnā). The community is in distress over somebody named [...] b. Qalīl(?) known as Ibn Sīdū(?) and a sum of money. Also mentions a gift and business deals. The addressee should send his response with Ḥusayn or [...] with "this caravan when it returns." Greetings to "all of the scholars (al-ʿulamāʾ) and cantors and teachers, and the whole community. The fragment is very crumpled and more text will probably be legible if the creases are straightened out. On the back there looks like there are two legal entries with signatures, dealing with monetary matters. The first involves Abū ʿAlī b. Manṣūr Ibn ʿUwayja (בן עויגה) who had some dealing with the same Avraham b. Abū l-Faḍl the Aluf "mentioned inside of this letter." Signed by Shemuel b. Yeshuʿa and Yeshuʿa b. Abū [...] [known as] בן נאכויה. This is followed by another entry which is hard to read. Mentions 4 dinars and is signed by Moshe b. Abū l-Ḥasan, ʿIwaḍ b. ʿEli, and Yaʿaqov b. ʿEli.

Letter in Judaeo-Arabic from a man to a business associate and/or family member. Mentions "your father" and "your paternal uncle Abū l-Faḍl." The overall tone of the letter is reflected in this passage: "When you were (or: will be) in the city, I did (or: will do) for you everything you wanted (or: want). Do not be rebellious more than what is needed, for I know you regret the whole story. You are like a perplexed person." The addressee had the idea of liquidating his shop, which the sender says is a ludicrous idea, his creditors would then demand twice what they are actually owed. Handwriting of the same scribe: ENA NS 39.22. The sender may be Abū l-Hajjāj b. Abū l-Faraj al-Ṭabīb (see ENA NS I.2 and T-S 10J13.10), and the addressee may be Abū l-Najm, the son of Manṣūr b. Sālim. The story, the points of contention, and even some of the exact phrases are nearly identical to those in Manṣūr's letters of exhortation.

Letter from Yeshuʿa b. Ismāʿīl al-Makhmūrī. Dating: May 12, 1052 CE. Business letter with many details about ships going west. The sender reports on the sinking of two ships, including that of the sultan al-Muʿizz b. Badīs. Al-Fāriqī is also mentioned. (Information from Gil and Goitein’s index card)

Letter sent to Abu al-Hasun Zedaqa b. Nissim from [...] b. Musa

Letter from Aharon ha-Levi, Yosef ha-Borsaqī ("the tanner") to Abu'l-Ma'ali, ca. 1120. A certificate regarding the Estate of the Jerusalemites. The bearer of the letter informs Abu'l-Ma'ali that he is entitled to a share in the revenues of the houses "of the Jerusalemites." Since the man is in great distress, an advance is requested. The writer asks that a note be delivered to Shelomo ha-Melammed, regarding the sum that Abu'l-Ma'ali considers proper. (Information from Gil, Documents, pp. 244 #44) | Court record, written by Hillel b. Eli, regarding a property in Qasr al-Sham'. One of the parties is a convert to Islam.

Letter from Khalaf b. Yiṣḥaq to Avraham b. Yiju. Salutation to Avraham b. Yiju and acknowledgment of receipt of his letter. After 1138, c. 1138-1150 (Goitein and Friedman estimation). VMR

Letter, probably 11th century. Few faded lines in Arabic on verso

Letter from a certain Asad to a certain Avraham. In Hebrew and Judaeo-Arabic. Dating: Probably 13th century. He conveys his longing (including kissing the addressee's letter). He explains that he sent the quires (karārīs) for Sayyidnā with his father, and they were only delayed because he could not find a messenger. He wants al-Shaykh al-Makīn ('my teacher') to send the recipe for the collyrium (ashyāfa) known as al-maktūma (or al-makhtūma). On verso there are also some adages in Arabic script (also attested in literary sources), including "He who knows that he will be forgotten when he dies, let him act well and not be forgotten."