Geniza Lab

Letter in Hebrew. Crossed out with vertical strokes. Possibly also containing accounts. Late. "And also tell them. . . between you and her, because she has only 20 peraḥim."

Letter fragment (vertical strip from the left side of recto). In Hebrew. Dating: Late, perhaps ca. 16th century. Regarding communal matters and evildoers.

Letter in Hebrew. Preserving copious praises for the addressee.

Document in Arabic script. Possibly the upper left corner of a letter from Abū Saʿd. The phrases "arjū an" and "ṣaḥīḥ" appear.

Letter. Small strip of paper, from a letter, probably by the hand of Bundār b. Ḥasan (see India Book, II12, AIU VII E35). Only little text remains. Judeo-Arabic. AA

Letter fragment. In Judaeo-Arabic. Addressed to [...] Abū ʿImrān. Mentions the intercalation of the calendar and something the sender intended to do before he fell sick. He asks for a favor. This letter is stuck to an unrelated fragment (see separate record).

Letter from (Abū Saʿd) Ibrāhīm b. Sahl al-Tustarī (d. 1048) to [...] b. ʿAzarya. In Arabic script. The most common [...] b. ʿAzarya in the Geniza is Daniel b. ʿAzarya, but there are also attestations of Yosef b. ʿAzarya, Efrayim b. ʿAzarya, and Shemuel b. ʿAzarya. The last of these, Shemuel b. ʿAzarya b. Mevasser, is known to have been a Qaraite leader in Fustat (he is the addressee of Bodl. MS heb. b 11/10), so he may be the best candidate here. Only the address on verso and the first two lines on recto have been preserved. Reused for something that is probably a Hebrew literary text, but could potentially be a communal letter or a copy of one. Needs examination. ASE

Pen trials*

Pen trials*

Letter from Shalom ben Jacob of Damascus to Nathan Sholal

Copies of letter(s) in Judaeo-Arabic, mentioning Abū Manṣūr and al-Rayyis Abū Isḥāq.

Possibly a letter (FGP). Late fragment filled with Hebrew text on both sides, most of which consists of praises for somebody. Sherira Gaon is mentioned.

Letter in Judaeo-Arabic. Late. Quite long. Mentions the wife of a certain Meir. Needs examination.

Fragment of a letter in Judaeo-Arabic. Same hand as T-S 12.271. Needs examination. On recto (secondary use): Hebrew poetry.

Letter or letters. Dating: Probably 19th century. The first page is entirely in Hebrew. Mentions Alexandria, a certain Pinkerli, and includes the line, "If you wish to 'plant the tents of your palace' [Daniel 11:45] in Trieste, inform me... I'll find you a wife." Also mentions a school and dealings in books. The second page is in Italian, with Hebrew phrases mixed in. One of the Hebrew phrases is a masculine noun, perhaps דבר האינות (a book about nothingness?). Another of the Hebrew phrases is the line about settling down in Trieste from the first page (prefaced 'con tale parole...'). The Italian portion also mentions an affectionate reprimand (amoroso rimprovero) (information kindly provided by Laura Ingallinella).The Italian page may be the draft of a response to the Hebrew page; there are many lines crossed out. ASE

Torn and damaged letter in Judaeo-Arabic (FGP). Addressed to [Hemdat] ha-Nesiut. Mentions Pinḥas and al-Rayyis Abū Isḥāq.

Damaged copies of two letter in Judaeo-Arabic ome titled Abu Ishaq b. Shiftal(?) and the other Abu al-Fadl b. Shemuel.

Letter from the Yeshiva in Egypt to Khalaf b. Yiṣḥaq and Yosef b. Avraham in Aden. Cairo, ca. 1132.

Letters of thanks, drafts, mostly in rhymed prose, to Khalaf b. Yiṣḥaq and his cousin Yosef b. Avraham, Aden, for their gifts and loyalty to the Palestinian Academy (Yeshiva), then located in Cairo, Egypt. The letters are issued in the name of the Gaon. VMR

Letter of condolence