Letter: T-S 10J12.24

Letter T-S 10J12.24

Shelfmark: T-S 10J12.24

Primary Language: Judaeo-Arabic
Secondary Languages: Arabic; Hebrew

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Letter in which a physician, probably named Abū l-Baqā', writes from somewhere outside of the capital to his son-in-law (?) Abū ʿImrān, probably in Fustat, who shared living quarters with him (?), complaining that a Christian physician is ruining his livelihood, writing: 'he behaves like a charlatan.' The letter also touches on several small business matters. The letter starts with two biblical quotations (line 2, Prov. 3:26, line 3, Dt. 7:15). (Information from Mediterranean Society, III, pp. 164, 462, Goitein's index cards, and CUDL.) Further interesting elements: The writer is upset about the lack of letters ("is this anger? why this great hostility?"). He supplies the addressee with a potential excuse by saying that he is very worried on account of his eye illness, and became still more worried when the messenger Raḥmān b. Ḥaydara returned with no news. "He who is absent imagines the worst. . . . If only the lady of the house [my wife] were with you. She is in the most dreadful state, fasting and weeping day and night. After describing the charlatanry of the new Christian physician, he asks the addressee to find out if the head physicians in Fusṭāṭ will do anything about it: "Go to al-Shaykh al-Sadīd al-Ṭabīb. . . so that he will tell our lord ʿAlam al-Dīn, who will not approve of this, for he is against their (charlatans'?) purposes. If you hear anything from our lord ʿAlam al-Dīn, write to me." Apparently moving on to the matter of grain that has yet to be "released" (already mentioned earlier in the letter), "The judge Jalāl al-Dīn, the fiscal adminstrator (ṣāḥib al-dīwān), has arrived and seen the situation for himself. I have explained this matter to him, and al-Faqīh al-Mudarris has also met with him regarding this. He wished to release the grain, but had to travel suddenly. May God make the end good." Umm Sulaymān sends her regards and rebukes. The writer sends regards to Sitt Misk and inquires about her daughter and about R. Menaḥem. Goitein does not explain why he identifies the addressee as the writer's son-in-law or when/where they would have shared living quarters. It also seems possible that this is his actual son, particularly with the description of his wife's heartsickness on account of what they fear about the addressee's illness. ASE.

Collection: Cambridge University Library, Taylor-Schechter
Historical shelfmarks: TS Box 10 J 12, f. 24; TS 10 J 12, fol. 24; TS 10 J 12, f. 24; TS Box 10 J 12, fol. 24
Input date: In PGP since 2004

How to cite this record:: Cambridge University Library, Taylor-Schechter, T-S 10J12.24. Available online through the Princeton Geniza Project at https://geniza.princeton.edu/documents/2814/, accessed November 21, 2024.
Link to this document:: https://geniza.princeton.edu/documents/2814/

What's in the PGP

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T-S 10J12.24 1r

Recto

Recto - right margin

T-S 10J12.24 1v

Verso.

Bottom margin, straight lines written upside down. Address.

Letter: T-S 10J12.24

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T-S 10J12.24 1r

Recto

Recto - right margin

T-S 10J12.24 1v

Verso.

Bottom margin, straight lines written upside down. Address.