Letter: T-S 16.281

Description

Letter from Safed, Palestine, written by a man from Cairo to his cousin (ibn ʿamm). He had traveled to Safed, mainly, it seems, to settle a family affair. The writer is concerned with the problem of suicide and tries to solve it both by traditional belief and rational proof. (Information from Mediterranean Society, V, p. 245.) He mentions his lack of health among the host of reasons, including poverty and distance from loved ones, for why he would kill himself, were it not for his certain belief in the Truth and for the additional sin that he would incur by becoming a topic of gossip of all the family members. "I send every letter and read every letter with tears in my eyes." Interesting that this is not stated much more strongly than the usual convention for expressing longing. He urges his sister to come visit from Fusṭāṭ. He is contemplating going to Jerusalem. ASE