Cairo Genizah : Letter

Araḥ b. Nathan

Cairo Genizah

<p style='text-align: justify;'>Part of a letter of Araḥ b. Nathan (= Musāfir b. Wahb) to his brother Abraham b. Nathan (Seventh in the Academy) in Cairo. Abraham was an associate of Mevoraḵ b. Saʿadya, the Nagid. In the letter, Arah reports serious riots in Alexandria and a drunken brawl that was ended only with the Wali’s intervention. He praises the local Muqaddam who managed to free those involved with the brawl. He also complains of the inappropriate use of the Nagid’s letters by common people - one letter was tossed around in the markets instead of being read out in the synagogue. He also complains about the mistreatment of Jews by Ismaʿilis. Mentions Faḵr al-Mulk, and Abū l-Ḥasan. Ca. 1100 CE.</p>