Letter: CUL Or.1080 J33
Letter CUL Or.1080 J33Tags
Description
Letter sent by the cantor Sheerith to Maimonides, in which the writer excuses himself for being unable to do a certain service for the recipient, since he had to officiate at a circumcision ceremony for a poor man. (Information from Mediterranean Society, II, pp. 89, 541)
Edition: Goitein, S. D.
Translation: Kraemer, J. (in English)
CUL Or.1080 J33 1r
Transcription
S. D. Goitein, unpublished editions.- ממלוך חצרתה
- שארית החזן
- הדרת מר ור השר הרופא החכם והנבון
- משה שצ
- ממלוכהא שארית יקבל קדמיהא
- חרס אללה מעאליהא אן בעד חצורי
- בין ידיך ותקרר אלחאל אלדי תעלמה
- ביני ובינך גא אליי רגל וטלבני
- אצלי לה פי מילה גדא בכרה פי אלערא
- אלעראקיין אלמעמורה בבקא ישר
- פתנעם אלחצרה עליי אמא באלמהלה
- אלי בעד אלסבת או תדבר בחסן ראיך
- לאילא(!) יקולו לאגל אנה עני תרכה
- ולו כאן עשיר אלגא וכדמה ואנת
- תערף אצחאבנא ואלממלוך הו קבוע
- באלעראקיין פי מתל הדא ואמתאלה
- ואן לם תקדר עלי אלמהלה פתאכד
- חזאן אן תשא ואכון אקצי חקך
- פי שי אכר וקד ערפתך
- ואנא מתוקע מן חצרתך אלגואב
- ואלפסחה ואלאדן פלא עדמוך
- כדמך ומחביך
- ואן כאן הדא אלאמר בכרה פי אלכניסה
- ולאגל שגל קלב אלממלוך בולדה וספרה
- סהית אן אערפך(!) ואלאן קד טלעת באלחאל
- פלא יטן אן כאן לי ניה אלא כדמתך
- קסאמה
Translation
J. Kraemer, "Six Unpublished Maimonides Letters from the Cairo Geniza," in Maimonidean Studies (New York: Yeshiva University Press, 1992), 2:61-94.Recto
- The servant of his honor
- She’erit the cantor
- To his honor, our master and teacher, the prince, the wise and discerning physician,
- Moses, may God preserve him.
- His servant She'erit kisses his feet,
- may God safeguard his excellency. After I visited you,
- and the matter you know was decided
- between us, a man came to me requesting
- that I conduct a circumcision ceremony tomorrow morning in the
- (synagogue of the) Iraqians, may it flourish as long as Israel lasts.
- Would his honor kindly give me a stay
- until after the Sabbath, or else do as he sees fit, so that (people)
- not say that because (the man) is poor (She’erit) slighted him,
- and were he rich he would have come and performed the ceremony for him. You
- know our colleagues! Your servant is steadily engaged
- in (the synagogue of) the Iraqians in this and like matters.
- If you cannot give me a postponement, take
- a(nother) cantor if you wish, and I shall compensate you
- in some other way. I inform you,
- and await a reply
- from your honor, with your unstinting indulgence. May you never lack
- those you serve and love you.
- Whereas this matter came up this morning in the synagogue,
- I neglected informing you on account of your servant’s concern with his son and his journey.
- Now I inform you about the matter.
- Let it not be though that I had any intention but to serve you,
- on my oath.
CUL Or.1080 J33 1v
Verso (address in Arabic)
- حضرة المجلس السامي الاجلي السيدي موسى
- شمس الحكما ادام الله عزه
Verso
- To his honor, the sublime, most majestic, and lordly court, Moses,
- the sun of sages, may God perpetuate his glory.
