Letter: T-S Ar.18(1).33

Letter T-S Ar.18(1).33

Metadata

Shelfmark
T-S Ar.18(1).33
Primary Language
Judaeo-Arabic

What's in the PGP

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  • 1 Transcription
  • 1 Translation

Description

Letter from Moses the schoolmaster petitioning ʿAmram ha-Levi for a charitable donation. He had not earned any fees over the holiday period. He asks for a loan of wheat, or its equivalent in cash, as he had nothing to eat. He had previously written to ʿAmram describing his family’s dire financial situation, but had not received a response. He now reproaches ʿAmram ‘you should favour me without my having to turn to you’. (Information from CUDL and Mediterranean Society, II, p. 188.)

Additional metadata

Collection
Cambridge University Library, Taylor-Schechter
Input date
In PGP since 2004
Image
Transcription
Translation

T-S Ar.18(1).33 1r

°
1r
S. D. Goitein's unpublished edition (1950–85), with minor emendations by Alan Elbaum, 2020.
  1. שאכרה משה
  2. ר עמרם הלוי היקר הנכבד התלמיד
  3. ישמרו שומר נפשות חסידיו ויצליח
  4. מעבדיו מכדום באתם סלאם ואלף תחיה
  5. ואכראם מן שאכרה משה בלא שר אן
  6. כנת סירת לחצרתה כדמה תתצמן
  7. בעץ שכוא חאלי ומאצ. פיה מן אלצאדקה
  8. אלעני ימה אלדאיקה פלם יצלני ענהא
  9. גואב פשהד אליה אליום אשר צי[א]קה
  10. ואשר שדה תכון וחאשא מרוה אלמולה
  11. אלמולי אן יתנפל ען מן יקצבה והו פי
  12. הדה אלצער אלעטים ואנה מתפצל
  13. עליי וזן גיר אן אקצדר שהר אללה מא
  14. פי ביתי לא קדח? קמח ולא קמח דקיק ולא
  15. רגיף כבז ולא אמתלה שהר אללה תמנה
  16. וכנת קצדת חצרתך פי נצף ויבה קמח
  17. או תמנהא אבלג בהא אלצגאר פי הדא
  18. אלאסבוע פאנני כרגת מן בטאלה אל
Mark Cohen, The Voice of the Poor in the Middle Ages (Princeton University Press, 2005).

Recto

Moses, who thanks you 

I honor R. Amram ha-Levi, the precious, the honored, the scholar, may the Guardian of the souls of the Pious guard you and make prosper your works, with best regards and a thousand greetings and the respect of Moses, who thanks you, without intending any ill-will. I sent your excellency a petition, which includes some of my complaints about my situation and the severe and ever-increasing straits in which I stuff[er]. But I have not received an an[s]wer. As 

God is my witness, today I am in even greater straits, and facing the greatest  

adversity yet. Far be it from the virtuous generosity of my master that he  

should neglect someone in this great trouble, who turns to him for help. In fact,  

you should favor me without my having to turn to you. As God is my witness, in my house there is no [...] wheat or flour or loaf of bread or any other food, as God is witness to its (exorbitant) price. I asked your excellency for half a wayba of wheat, or money to buy it, so I can make my young ones happy this week.  

After the break for the holiday I tried to get a quarter of a dirhem, and couldn't.  

As God sees what's best, I am describing only part of my complaint to God the  

exalted [...] His name. And may your welfare increase.

 

T-S Ar.18(1).33 1v

°
1v

Verso

  1. אלמועד אטלב רבע דרהם לא
  2. אקדר עליה ושהד אללה מא אחסן
  3. אצעף בעץ מא אנא אלשכוא ללה
  4. תעאלי ב. . . . . שמו ושלומך יגדל

T-S Ar.18(1).33 2r

2r

    T-S Ar.18(1).33 2v

    2v
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      Cambridge University Library, Taylor-Schechter, T-S Ar.18(1).33. Available online through the Princeton Geniza Project at https://geniza.princeton.edu/documents/3878/ (accessed December 17, 2025).