Cairo Genizah : Letter

Elijah

Cairo Genizah

<p style='text-align: justify;'>11th-century letter from Elijah (probably in Salonika) to his brother, a scholar (probably in Fusṭāṭ). The letter mentions Elijah’s compatriot, Abū ʿAlī, who had visited Fusṭāṭ and brought back letters from Elijah's brother, and letters for a community leader, Elijah b. Šabbetay, dealing with the case of a Jewish man in prison. Elijah’s brother had sent him a gift of a scroll of Esther on parchment, and in return Elijah sent his brother a collection of piyyuṭim. Elijah describes friction between the Karaites and Rabbanites in Byzantium and requests his brother’s help in championing the Karaite cause.</p>