Scholarship on Letter: T-S 13J34.3

Joshua Holo, Byzantine Jewry in the Mediterranean Economy (Cambridge University Press, 2009).

Recto

…
these … have been gathered … as per the meaning of the “Refuge
and Fortress of the Children of Israel,” victory…[to] the glorious rabbi, great and hearty well-being
from God our Rock and from us, in all the holy congregations in No-Amon [Alexandria] who take heart,
and in her [i.e., Alexandria’s] two syna[gogues] therein established, dedicated to their Rock, nev[er distan]ced from the worship of Him
nor drawn away from His Unity, even as the persecutors are always agitated, and assaulting them …
their eyes grow dim, their spirits beg, they sacrifice their wealth for Him, and to the altars
they approach for the slaughter. Were it not for the One revered in the Secret of the Holies, the One who is Sanctified by the choirs of Tarshish,
they would despair and withdraw from life, as it is written, “Were it not for the Lord who took our side … , life would swallow us up … ”
… we constantly ask from God that he improve our lot with the [continued] life of our Master, the Rabbi, and to glorify
our time by means of his life; “May he see his progeny and live long; for the purpose of the Lord,” as it says, “will succeed at his hands.”
May he answer the request, in his lovingkindness and faithfulness. The aim of these lines to his magnificence is to info[rm him about]
what has occurred in the days since five captives came to us from the land of Strobilos – still
lads. They fell into the hands of cruel and violent ones [pirates], who wore us down and afflicted our spirits till they brought us
to the brink of death. However, we were helped to deal with them by the governor of the city, but this did not help until [we] bribed [him, lending him] …
100 gold pieces with interest. So we took a collection for our purpose from men, women, boys and girls, in g[old, silver]
copper, flax, both raw and spun, pillows, cushions and other such things until we accrued one hundred …
it was collected openheartedly and out of compassion, and our pr[ayers] are on behalf of those boys …
and all the gentiles are amazed by us saying “Blessed is the nation whose lot is thus, blessed is the nation [whose God] is the Lord.”
They desisted from their business and kept a vigil day and night until they rescued those captives from the hands of the cru[el ones],
and our God helped when he saw the fo[rc]e of our de[si]re to save them. We brought them to our neighborhood in j[o]y.
Still, our happiness for them was not realized, because the better part of them fell victim to harsh disease, may the Lord he[lp] …
… and now w[e] …

T-S 13J34.3 1r

Recto

T-S 13J34.3 1v