Letter: Moss. II,175.1
Letter Moss. II,175.1Tags
Description
Fragment (bottom half) of a letter in Judaeo-Arabic regarding a communal dispute over slaughtering. A certain person, likely a rival of the writer, came to the synagogue, took out the Torah scroll, and declared a ban against any Jew who slaughters in his place or anyone who eats the meat slaughtered by another person. Someone, perhaps the same person, believed that the entire congregation fell under this ban and required a release (hatara) from him. The writer is waiting for a letter from the addressee that will resolve the matter. They have also tried writing to R. Yiṣḥaq several times. In the meantime, the rival parades through the markets with "that which is in his hand" saying that so-and-so has been ruled against (? fulān maḥkūm) and the "slave of our master" (presumably the writer) deceived the people and let them eat unkosher meat and follow their inclinations and whims. Needs further examination.