‘flw Revista de Ciencias de las Religiones 2004, Anejo IX. Pp. 95-106
The “Contribution” ofMaimonides to t.be Cairo Genizah
AVIHAI SHIVTIEL Cambridge University
Infroduction a. Maimonides Moses the son of Maimon, who is known to Jewish scholars in bis acronym Ha- Rambam and to non-Jewish scholars as Maimonides, is regarded as the greatest Jewish scholar of the Mlddle Ages’. Bom in Cordova in 1135 into a family of dayyanim, that is to say, Jewish court judges, Maimonides began bis education at the age of threee. However, bis childhood was marked by emigrations and wanderings with bis family, first to Fez in Morocco in 1148, then to Palestine in 1165, and, a few months later, to Cairo. During bis wanderings, Maimonides proceeded with his studies, leaming nearly alí ‘academic’ subjects known at the time, such as: medicine, pharmacology, philosophy, theology and astronomy, so that when finally his family settled down in Egypt, Mainionides began to write important treatises in alí these flelds of knowledge, gradually gaining fame as a scholar and an authority in Jewish law (Halacha). In addition he began to practise medicine, becoming one of the private physicians of the famous Ayyubi Sultan Saláh al-Din ((1138-1 193) and bis son al-Malik al-’Aziz (di 198)2. In 1177 Maimonides became the official spiritual leaderof the Jewish community inFustat, holding thetitle of Nagid. However, owing to bis reputation as a scholar and codifier, questions concerning the Jewish lax were regularily addressed to him not oniy by the Cairo community but ftom many otber Jewish communities. Maimonides’ literary crop and research includes 464 responsa, wbich are referred to in Jewish religious courts even in our time; commentary on the Mishna; Fourteen-volume work called Mishned Torah (Aiso known as Ha-Yad Ha—Hazagah); Sefer ha-Mitzvol (the Book of Precepts); a philosophical treatise called Da/dial al- lid ‘irñz (Guide for the perpíexed); a book about asthma; a treatise on the calendar and several letters and epistíes which he sent to individuals or to different Jewish communities, such as Jggeret Teinian (the Epistle for the Yemen) and lggeret Tek¡)’yal ha-Metím (The Epistle on Resurrection). Maimonides died on 13 December 1204 and was buried, according to the Jewish tradition, in Tiberias, Palestine
The asaertion Íhat Maimonidesand bis famnily converted to Islam, as made by sorne historians, has never been attested Cf. Hitti, p584. 2 Op.cit
95 Avihal Shivtjel TJ,e “Coniribution “o/A-Iaimonides to lije Cairo Genizal, b. The Cairo Genizáh The background story of the Cairo Genizah (Genizah in Hebrew means ‘depository’, usually for wom out holy books and documents which carry God’s name, and therefore are not meant to be disposed oIT as garbage) has been toid and re-told by scholars innumerable times during the last two centuries>, especially if we take into consideration accounts written by travellers, such as Jacob Sapir (1822-1885), who vis’ted the Ben Ezra Synagogue in Cairo and relates bis experience in his published diary Even Sappir. But it was not before Solomon Schechter’s removal of the Genizah fragments from Cairo to Cambridge in - 1897 that scholars began to apprecíate the real value of this incredible treasure Out of more than two-hundred thousand documents found in the Genizah, about 140,000 are now at Cambridge tiniversity Library, where scholars from alí over the world have been engaged in studying them sínce their arrival
Mañnonídes ¡u ¡he Genizah
The documents relating to Maimonides found in the Genizah may be divided into uve types’: a. Parts of works written by Hm b Some ofbis responsa c Letters wriíten by bim d. Letters addressed to him e- Letters and other materials written by other people mentioning him or referring to his works
a. Examples for parts of works written by Maimonides and found hitherto is fragment Ni 0Ka4. 1 which contaíns a draft of the first page of his famous work Dala/al a/-lid ‘¡rl» with corrections in bis own hand, and bis HI/chol ha-Yerushalrni (T-S Ar.34 169). The number of amendments made by Maimonides indicate bis meticulous character and at the same time bis keeness on the simpliflication of complicated issues b. The Genizah has about a dozen of responsa by Maimonides out of 464 responsa by Hm known tu us from other sources. However, the most striking characteristic feature of Maimonides’ responsa is their conc,seness. That is tu say, bis replies usually sate bis opinion in brief, using no argument or explanation which should indicate how he had reached bis decision. Fragnient N0 T-S12202 is no doubt a good example. The document telís us about a person who wished to marry his nephew’s widow,
See the bcok by SC. Reif, A .Iewish Archive...
Cf Kraemer, Six Unpublishe& -- p. 61, whose division is only s!ightly different from mine. For infonnation about the publication of thc documents, see SC. Reifs Published Material --
96 Avihai Shi~1ie1 Tite ‘Contribution ofMal»>onides lo ¡he Cairo Geniza.h
but was denied permission by the rabbinic caurt, who referred the case to Maimonides. llis Iaconic reply was simply: Yes. He may marxy her. Fragments T-S 10 K 8.3 and T-S 8 K 13.8 contain a question addressed to Maimonides about azi oíd widow who clairned that a member of the community had approached her, expressing his desire to bave sexual íntercourse whit her. The woman liad no witnesses, ami since the man was a respected teacher and well-known for bis integrity, it was clear to the court that she was attempting to tarnish bis reputation. The question was, therefore, whether the man could use bis right to denimid her excommunication on the grounds of defemation or not. Maimonides’ reply was that a man may demand the excommunication of another person wlio smeared him, but not a person who levels an accusation against bu. The court should therefore reject both the accusation and the demand for excommuxucation. c. The Oenizali and other sources sliow that Maimonides was engaged in a wide correspondence with communities and índividuals. Letters to comniunities, usually known as ¡ggrot (epistíes), were sent with the purpose of consolation asid encouragement, whíle letters to private people mainiy involved requests for financial lielp for the needy or for payment of ransoms. The first example (T-S 12203) is Maimonides’ last ínter to bis brother, David, who was on a business trip to India in 1169, and, unfortunately, drowned when bis ship was wrecked near the Indian coast. The ínter expresses Maimonides’ great concern about bis brother’s voyage and hope to meet in Egypt soon. Another example is a ínter (T-S 12192) which he probably sent to bis father-in-law who lived in Minyat Zifia, south to Cairo, requestíng financial help ftom the local comrnunity for the bearer of the letter, Yitshaq al-Dar’i, who owed the community poll-tax for himself and bus son. Tbis letter and other indicate yet another facet of Maimonides’ personality: his great interest in the welfare of other people mid his readiness to leave no stone unturned in his endeavours to help them. d. The Genizah provides us with a number of letters, usually ftom common people who approached Maimonides for medical or financial help, or for expressing their gratitude asid admiration for him. However, there is no doubt that in the case of sorne correspondents it was trust in him that motivated them to write to the great man to share their feelings and thoughts. It seems that wbile Maimonides was dealing effciently with genuine requests, he was not ready to waste bis time on ‘naggers’. He therefore used to delay bis reply or politely used bis heavy communal commitments, and later, bus illness as an excuse for not responding earlier or for bis reflisal to meet them Document N0 T-S IOKS.14 in wbich the writer apologises for not wTiting to Maimonides owing to personal problems and bad health, will suffice as mi illustration.
97 Avihai Shivtiel Tite Contribution ofMaitnonides to Ihe Cairo Genizah
e. It is not surprisíng that there are in the (3enízah scores of ftagments which relate to bis works. IIowever, there are, iii addition, few ftagments which mention him, bis friendliness or bis illness Those documents clearly demonstrate the writer’ s care, affection and admiration for Maimonides. Document T-S 8 J 14.18 telís us, for example, about a meeting bet-ween the writer of ilie letter and Mairnonides held in the bause of the latter The wiiter was impressed by the warm reception mid bus host’ s ftiendliness and informality, when he played wíth the guest’s young son wbule eating lemon calces which were on the table .- flocument N0 T-S 1080 J 88 expresses the writer’s great concem about Maimonides’ bad health
Conclusion
While one may be disappointed with the fact that out of 140000 fragments found at Cambridge, less tban fifty documents were indeed written by Maimonides bumself, and that, apart from one page of his Guide for the Perpíexed, no complete work, or pan of an unknown work by him have been found in the Genizah hitherto. Still the relatively few letters by him, to bim and about him are enough to enable us to reach some 4km conclusions about this unique personality. Moreover, although we know from other sources that Maimonides did not see eye to eye with sume dignitaries of tbe Jewish comniunity, no document found in the Genizah refiects the tensions and conflicts between him and members of the community in Cairo or outside Egipt Tbe Genizah also faíls to provide us with information regarding bis private life, and except for three letters, one to bis brother and one to his sister and one ftom bis brother, we know nothing from the Genizah about fis relations with bis fanúly and ftiends. Hence, even if some documents are believed to have belonged to bis private archive, the meagre quantity discovered hitherto fails to represent an archive of a personality of the calibre of Maimonides Indeed, the Genizah has enabled us only to peep at some hidden corners of the personal world of Maimonides, through fis responsa, letters and fis image in the eyes of those who had met bim or corresponded with him. Therefore the ‘contribution’ of Maimonides to the Genizah, though small in quality, is invaluable in its quality, and since research is still in progress the Genizah may have more surprises for us, concerning a man who was a Iegend in fis own life time
B¡bliography
Elau, J R. Moses b. Ma/ion Responsa, (4 vols.), Mekize Nirdamim, Jerusalem, 1957-1961 1986. Híttí, PK., Histo¡y of ¡he Arabs, Macmillan,London, 1943. Kraemer, IL. Two letters of Maimonides from the Cairo Genizah, in Hyman A (cd.), Mamonídean Siudies, Vol. 1, Yeshiva University Press, New York 1990 Pp. 87-98.
98 Avihai Shivtiel Tite ‘Coniríbution ofMai,nonides to tite Cairo Gen/mit
Six Unpublished Mainionides letters ftom the Cairo Genízali in Hyman, A (ed), Maimonides Siudíes, Vol 2, Yeshiva University Presa, New York, 1991, Pp. 61-94. Reif, SC, (ed), Published Material from ¡he Canzbridge Genizah Collecticus: A Bihliography 1896-1980, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1988. A Jew¡sh Archivefrom Cairo, Curzon, Richmond, Surrey, 2000, Shailat, 1, Iggrot ha-Rambwn, Ma’aliyyot, Ma’ale Adumniim, Israel, (2 vols), 1987- 1989
99 Avihai Shivtiel Tite ‘Con/ribation ‘ ofAfainionides to tite Cairo Genizah
Texts
T-S 12.202
vn
nnn r~ ny’rr~n t~ Kn mr! mrt’ ni tc->iz L>Riri
lix ~t 1>0 mlxi ‘~ 1K127n iy flilbb i~*x V2<~ i~1i riin tu K~1I1 7<
lii lib’ tL>~ i’flt< 12k ¡lilin iii’ 7k
rT’nx ~2Riil?i imP IR iliibL>k yir½ 9mní muy, ixirn ti ‘~ n’L>y Pi’ ti D’bvt! lb itCiL~k flWb mil r~irt t ni’
T-S 1OK&3 1 T-S 8K13.8
fli’~! rip’ fui L>ipII Kb
nL> n~iy xbi lflhiblx mmmi nipn’n flflk yl tíní t mm iii! b~ lix rIuit’tn mi my i%ix rbt< RPIlyIRZb it ‘D N~Tyb DR’Pii fliy ~ DL>l L>’L>i RL>1 i:iKW ti RiL> -pi’ ti mii L>: iL>xriL>t< iii tp iib fliV
ORíVt< uy uL>nií r~~n tpí lxi 26 ~< Yflb i’L>~~ RflbRL>i -pi’ L>nn rnb~i ‘un’ ~ximyvnL>tc $rbx irt< lb 9í ‘5y ~‘iií mí ypmy ~x nL> vn m~ rtkr?L>t< iii L>zny 11k xrr íi< R{iL>K iT! L>by 13k R~iR RL> ~ICíii~ RL> RC=lb.iflkl rT’L>y muí D’bWi Ib L>lDi 1¶íW1 li’ii li’il’
mi’ 1k nr L>DL>i L>ií~In i’i xr~ext’i IR 9> t’L>i yi DW7PL>Y IlíR 3t EtRí Rin ‘n zxitxi neur’ ~n‘L>y mí’ Dm Ypii’ RL> 7R1 ttt>iL>x ye,, 1I1IL>R rnvn :ním t’nmm nti >óm
loo Avihai Shivtiel lite ‘Contribution’ ofMai,nonides to tite Cairo Gen/mit
T-S 12103 Vn mn% tu urivm toin rr’n’ — ‘u ‘mr “‘ mx :r0m pmn-b oír ‘mr o*r mm om* mmxi‘nL> mu wrnci nvrmm5xm ‘ioximL>« r’ ‘nt ty aw *,cyr rbL>x kmoKL>t< u’~ m*k ‘lknD p’Dtl< umumL>xm p’ptx ~tx upuxmL> rt*x kW 1k unu mi’um ‘u’iYIfl1 urnto’nt uL>n2 ‘L>y ‘nx un inL>yx txm L>”iuívn’n tn,uwru
T-S 12192
mwL>x ‘uiDm ~~
‘~ ttuL>t~n L>xon R.uuyn Ib r~mmm1 au’L>y KiDunyb p rmzt ‘r~L>t~ plmz’ krbsmb uuykvb ‘ram mmx nyw,nL>x 9%’L> tw unrtm ~uium pnttci nnx ‘L>ym rt it u~m ~uíy nL> L>!nn’ ~jm~rruin ‘~ oiuiy trL> ‘yDL>R uui~mL>x ~nrnt~ni rnmn’ mm ‘r IkL>L> irm xbm ‘mxb míx’~ L>yrnmn rmmmprnL>n non nL> %yx’ ,uymrm ‘~m tuL> mt mt sw mnoíL>rm ini unrLu omL>rm unu’ ubmL>Wm L>’!r lmb’b ti riwb
T-S 1OKS.14
‘míz, ‘2flmN& u’, om5w ‘>unu ‘DW2
ini mNrn, flV~ fl1~’ flYT1 1V W 1» i~wtn v~ í~on ‘~V2 írr» ~miNmli 2111 I1Wfl 13211N i21VT Trx’ m»flflszmi iN&fli iflUl fiN 5VT~nn liV>ifl &Vfl1I ini p”n ‘12 INifl?i 1V rna> mtnn
~>i, ~‘1’ V~ ItSNfl Nflrmp )>i imi~’ Nt
“5v N» Nt Nt11VV i-bSN mli NNtVW Nt ‘
101 Avihai SI,ivtiel Tite ‘Congribution ojAlai,nonides to tite Cairo Genizah
T-S 8 J1418
Recto
Sn NflS N~Vfl =É’Wui9t’N ~Nii ir -rvpi nwn ‘u ‘SN ~ N)N N)fli uN7SN rn ‘Ss’ nnnwSN nl’ intii SNStso N13 2’!3 Np&flu WNpSi pí~~’i ~SrctuN SNpl ‘59 lVpN lt< “SN N~N1 iNi ‘tN 1Nl’N&N V~ ti5nNpfl I1’9 NVSN~ ‘iii, ‘Ss’ nSN~ )N2 tlíN5i npuíSN Nupí fl1Vp~ )N1’NSN NTÚN 3b 2lfl’liVN ‘flSN »NiflSNfl mni ?11)N ‘SN iNi Nfll Ny SN&tN Vb iiiSi iti NSN NtSN~ )Nl’Nt’N ‘9 ?ONm mnuiz< hí
Verso
ril~flv> pu’ NS Nb ‘un tvSN o-rpi iNIn ‘~ (íliu’St’u ‘
T-S 1080 J88
1N9 VV’SN‘rí ‘vn pn p ‘i~ ‘r¿ IrNIí ‘SN iuis fin’ 2’137i fl’>YC Nu’n o”iSn imístuS mnít’í Th~2 p’i ( 1 fl?V’m
102 Avihai Shivtiel Tije “Contribution ofMainonides to tite Cairo Genizait
vn’ níyíw rnuín ynnh~ nnnw NflS 7152 NTW> iS MD pVOSN 1=2’5iiSV jDN vrní itt ms nSNv nSSw nO~vSN mini -pr ( J Snn inN ‘Ss’ NflYriYm Srnn -rrt<Én4 tisi2~2tN ni’ 01N25N2 SsnN r pi 1V pSprn »‘»~ ~ nrnm vnn y’ ~w,» iN nIN2SN 25v’ t>9 ‘fl’ tvon i32’l NYT’n ItVSN 22V2 mnz29N ‘ny ‘S>n, nSS>¿ -rnsnsn p S’s’nnN nni25N amir Ssiui tuS Sri n’nSn ‘Ss’ ‘isn &iVu iiiSY~ iSinSN 12 Sm,’ ITTVIN NtIDSN )N SNpi fl’S?O ‘(>12
Transíation
T-S 12.202
What will you, our honourable, dear, glorious, eminent teacher and master Moshe the grand rabbi in Israel, the great judge, unique inbis generation asid its wonder, ftom East to West, say with regard to Reuven who had a nephew who died and lefi a wife and a son The son lived one year after the death ofbis father, asid Reuven wanted to marry bis nephew’ s wife, but he was not allowed to do so Please instruct us, may your Rock protect you, ifthe law allows the above-named person to many the bis nephew’s wife without being disgraced May your reward be paid by heaven twofold
Reply He is allowed to marry her. Signed by Moses
T-S 1OKS.3 1 T-S 8K13.8
What will you, our honourable, dear, glorious, eminent teacher asid master Moshe dic grand rabbi of the people of God, the prince of all the house ofIsrael, may bis name be preserved for ever, say with regard to mi honourable Jewish person, who teaches children and bis scholarsbup is bis craftsmansliip, who was never reputed to be Ninvolved in any love affair, and who is mi upright man An oídwidow, that no man couldbe suspected as having any intentions towards her, líbelled that he liad flirted with her, proposing to have sexual intercourse with her. The woman has no witness or \evidence, asid the man has never been involved lii such a situation Tbis is a libel she spreads against bum with the intention of harming hin> and tamisbung bus reputation asid \ruining
103 Avihai Shivtiel Tire Con/riba/ion ofMa/man/des to tite Cairo Genizait fis liveliliood and putting him to shame iii public Are her words trustworthy or not? asid ifthenanied person wishes to exonerate hinxselfftom blame, is he allowed to demand that any person who libels bum that he has committed this offence should be excomniunicated, or any person who calumniates or accuses him ofconimitting an offence or not Please our master instruct us, and your rewazd will be paid by heaven twofold
Reply
She should not be betieved Any person, however, has the uight to demand the excommunication of another person who has damaged bis reputation, but he is not allowed to demand the excommunication of someone who levelís an accusation \against him. The correct solution inthis case is to stop speaking ilí of anybody and not to unpose exeommunication mid put mi end to gossiping. Signed by Moses
T-S 12.203
In the name ofthe Lord For the Lord wiJl be at your side, and he will keep your feet clear of thetrap. Peace for alí men, both near and far, says the Lord. Etc. You are to say: Ml good wishes for tfe year ahead. Prosperity to yourself, your fousehold, asid aB that is yours. Etc. The Lord, may Hebe exalted, knows the sadness asid longing 1 have inmy heartfor the departure of my ‘blood’ brother asid beloved fi-iend May the Lord protect me ftom any bad news about him and may He unite us in Egypt, God willing 1 wish to telí you that 1 am well. Moshe the son of Maimon, of blessed memory
T-S 12.192
May the Lord prolong the life Qttlnyjionourable -pillar .and support, the tmstworthy \and pious elder and keep fis vigour forever His admirer and servant Moses sends 1dm fis regards and stresses how much he is missing 1dm because of the long distance which separates them. He seeks fis kindness in helping the bearerof this letter, Yitzhaq A]-Dar’i, because he is well-known to us Could he also speak with the head of tIme community, may fis Rock protect him, to entrust the community with thetask of paying the poll-tax on fis behalf, since he and fis son owe two payments of the poIl- tax And if it is possible, Sir, could you uy to allow 1dm to pay you thetax in Minyat Zifla, since he is a new member asid has not yet paid the tax up until now. 1-le is \going to Dhumyat in an important mission, and when he comes back, please help him as much as possible. May your health increase and tfe health of the head oftIme conmmunity and fis son and tIme health ofyour son, may the Rock protect him. Moses tIme son of Maimon, of blessed memory.
104 Axihai Shivtiel The Contribution ofMa/,nonides to tite Cairo Geniiait
T-S lOKtl4
In the name of’ God «Great peace have they who love your law and therefore they \will never stumble over mi obstacle» Our honourable, dear, glorious, eminent teacher and master, the light of our eyes, the breath of our wish, the laurel on our head and our grandeur, unique inbus generation, our master Moses the grasid rabbi, Ihe stronghold and tower, the marvel and miracle ofthe time, ftom East to West, the son of the honourable, eminení asid holy, our teacher mid master, Maimon, the grand rabbi in Israel, may he rest in peace, —is undoubtedly aware of my deep feelings and gratification towards him, asid my sadness for what 1 miss by not being closer to bum. May God the Sublime perpetuate the communities as a whole through bum asid \crown them durisig the time of his living Amen 1 would like to let hin> know, may God consolidate his happiness, of thetroubles asid illnesses which preoccupied me, thus preventing any correspondence with him And since God posponed our date of meeting and brought to miad theverse: «why should 1 conceal what has been known» etc, wbich contains some of bis qualities wbich 1 desire and love, followed \by the music of (rnukt~ffir?) the prayer of tite lights God is my witness that only He, tbe Sublime, and my love for you recover my breath,
T-S 8114.18
Recto
FasI AI-Pachr, may the Rock protect 1dm, was with us when we went to meet Rabbi \Moses who was sitting at the door of the house while 1 mid al-Jalal came We approached \ihim and 1 kissed bis noble hand He welcomed us warmly, and said to me: «Young \Master, come and sit here», indicating lo me to sit at one side of Ihe room opposite where he was sitting. 1 sat and he read the ínter 1 gaye him, from beginning to end He was pleased with things and played with al-Jalal, may the Rock protect hin>. No one else was present in theroom except 1dm, Rabbi Abraham and me
Verso
Asid suddenly sometbing which cannot be described even in a book happened: he offered us a box of Jemon calces which he started to eat himself We sat for a long \time but he insisted that 1 should stay, and we spoke about confidential matters, while the master was enjoying himself Rabbi Abraham, may theRock protect him, taught
105 Avihai Shivliel Tite ‘Coniribu¡ion ofMai~nonides to lite Cairo Genizah al-Jalal lo say something to Rabbi Moses, mid he said it Rabbi Moses laughed with \joy and he played with bim 1 went out first while al-Jalal stopped to speak to the porter \at the entrance hall. Rabbi Moses asked Rabbi Abraham: «Wliere is fis son?» And \Rabbi
Abraham answered: «He is at tlie door» - While Rabbi Moses was back inside the house he said to Rabbi Abraham: «CalI himl», and when he stood again before Rabbi Moses he repeated the words (which amnused Rabbi Moses before) Goodbye.
T-S 1080 J88
To tIme honourable Abu Nasr the son oftIme honourable, eminent and holy, our teacher and master Rabbi Elisha’ Pude of Ihe Levites, the godfea¡ing asid distinguished, may the Rock bless, help and protect him and grant him the chance to see thejoyous days offis beloved son, his great knowledge of the law and long life. Amen Selah [My yearning (to see you) is so much] that if 1 tried to describe it in detall, many scrolls \will not be enough. God knows that 1 speak the truth, and may He reunite us on the happiest occasion. Your obedient servant received on Wednesday the 21a Tammuz disquieting and worrying news about our master Rabbi Moses, mayhe live forever, summoning your obedient servant to go to see 1dm immediately because of fis \illness. May God the Sublime save the community from any evil thing bappening to hm and protect him. TIme couiier who brings tbis information is Ismail tIme son of al- \Melamed the son of al-Sadalu, beggar and family provider, who moved to Bilbays where he obtained some money to pay luis poíí tax, and said that our master promised him \more money
106