F 1908.44L

תיאור

מכתב מאת מרדוך בן מוסא באלכסנדריה אל נהראי בן נסים בפוסטאט, בערבית-יהודית. התאריך, על פי הערכת גיל, הוא 26 בינואר 1048. הכותב מאשר את קבלת שני מכתבים מנהראי ומוסר הוראות בענייני מסחר, ובכלל זה שכאשר יגיע אדם בשם אבו עמר, על נהראי לקבל ממנו 16 דינרים. בנוסף, הכותב מבקש מנהראי לרכוש עבורו שני ספרים עם נייר באיכות גבוהה, ומציין שכבר כתב לחלפון לקנות עבורו גלימה (כסאא'). ברכות שלום נשלחות לאבו אסחאק ברהון ולאבו עלי חסון.

Princeton Geniza Project description: Letter from Mardūk b. Mūsā, in Alexandria, to Nahray b. Nissim, in Fustat. In Judaeo-Arabic. Dating: 7 Shevat, possibly January 26, 1048 (Gil). The writer confirms receipt of two letters from Nahray and gives directions on business matters, including that when a certain Abu ‘Amr arrives, Nahray should take 16 dinars from him. The writer also requests that Nahray purchase two books with high-quality paper for him, remarking that he has already written to Ḥalfon to buy a cloak (kisā'). He sends good wishes to Abū Isḥāq Barhūn and Abū ʿAlī Ḥassūn. Information from Gil. EMS. Expanded description: Mardūkh opens by confirming receipt of two letters from Nahray, one delivered by Abū Ibrāhīm Ismāʿīl b. Faraḥ and a second by a courier, the latter concerning the sale of gold. He reports that shābarī dinars are trading at 17 to 18½ and expresses surprise at the rate. He instructs Nahray to make purchases specified in a previous letter without delay, pack everything in a barqalu together with cowrie shells, and place it all in a khīṭī. He also asks Nahray to exert himself in selling certain merchandise, resigning himself to the outcome with a fatalistic remark. Regarding a transaction with one ʿUqbān, Mardūkh reports having delivered all goods owed to him and having sold three raṭls on his behalf at 20 per ten without reduction, noting ʿUqbān's patience. He complains of difficulty collecting payment for ʿūd (an aromatic), recovering only a dirham at a time, netting approximately 3 dinars in total. He notes that a fiscal (?) overseer (mushrif) is currently in Tarūja and has not yet arrived. Regarding a shipment to Tripoli: Mardūkh asks Nahray to pack it in a barqalu and forward it to Ḥalfon for sale. He instructs Nahray to collect 16 dinars from Abū ʿAmr b. Safrawī upon his arrival, representing payment for merchandise sold on behalf of al-Ḥanān, and to remit this sum to the latter. Mardūkh says he is anxious about this until he hears back. The letter closes with a request to purchase two dasts of high-quality paper (waraq jayyid), greetings to Abū Isḥāq Barhūn and Abū ʿAlī Ḥassūn — with the note that if Nahray is writing to Būṣīr, he should convey greetings to both men there — and the information that Mardūkh has already written to Ḥalfon to buy Nahray a robe (kisāʾ). MR