Oxford, Bodleian MS. Heb. a. 2.21

Bodleian Library (Oxford, United Kingdom)

One leaf document

Paper

Black (carbon based)

Calamus

No ruling can be seen

18 (recto); 23 (verso)

13th Century CE

Early 13th century.

Judeo-Arabic

Letter

Letter in the hand of Berakhot b. Shemuel to his father-in-law. He complains about neglect. He mentions al-Shaykh al-Rashīd, whom he forgives for neglecting him because he is usually so generous, and Abū Manṣūr, whom he does not forgive because he cannot imagine his excuse. He concludes by asking the addressee to conciliate his daughter (the writer's wife, ṣāḥibat al-bayt), because, as a result of his pain and his illness and the meager support he receives (or "care," as in the wife being remiss in household duties, which is Zinger's suggestion), his "character became constrained" and he became irritated (ḍāqat akhlāqī wa-ḍajirtu), and they had a fight. The addressee should do this in such a way that she doesn't sense that the writer told him. Same writer as T-S 13J21.35, which is signed Abū l-Barakāt. There are many more letters in his hand.

No vowels or accents

990053386100205171

https://www.nli.org.il/en/discover/manuscripts/hebrew-manuscripts/itempage?vid=KTIV&scope=KTIV&docId=PNX_MANUSCRIPTS990053386100205171&SearchTxt=a.%202.21,AND (Date accessed: 2026-02-05)

https://genizah.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/catalog/volume_4 (Date accessed: 2026-02-05)

Available online through the Princeton Geniza Project at https://geniza.princeton.edu/documents/2508/ (accessed February 4, 2026).