University of Pennsylvania, Halper 401

Images provided by hosting institution via

Mirador viewer

1 of 0

Metadata

DS ID:

DS26045

Shelfmark:

Halper 401

Title:

Letter to Daṿid ha-Leṿi ben Yitsḥaḳ

Letter

Author:

Daṿid ben Shekhanya, active 11th century

Daṿid ben Shekhanya WIKIDATA

Place:

Fustat

Old Cairo TGN

Date:

1013-1024

eleventh century (dates CE) AAT

Language:

Hebrew

Hebrew WIKIDATA

Material:

complete; faded, erasures; verso is blank

Physical Description:

Extent: 1 folio : complete; faded, erasures; verso is blank

Note:

Written as prose; no graphic division of the poetic verses; first half is vocalized; no other signs that might indicate that this is an article of mail.
All of the letter is a laudatory poem in honor of David ha-Leṿi, an Elder of the Karaites in Fustat, and a protector of the Jews in the court of the Caliph. Biographical notes on David ha-Levi were collected by Samuel Miklos Stern, Revue des études juives, v. 128 (1969), p. 209-210.
The author served as the court scribe and clerk under Ephraim ben Shemaryah, in the court of the Erets Israeli Rabbanite Jews of Fustat (whose synagogue housed the Genizah), and appears on court documents dated 1020-1024 (see E. Bareqet, Shafrir Mitsraim, 1995, p. 122-123; Fustat on the Nile, Leiden, 1999, pp. 161-162). The verses rhyme in ים-.
Cairo Genizah Collection (University of Pennsylvania. Center for Advanced Judaic Studies. Library).
Cairo Genizah Collection (Dropsie College. Library).
Amram.

Keyword:

Poetry

Personal correspondence

Laudatory poetry, Hebrew

Karaites

Correspondence

Hebrew letters

Institutional Record:

https://find.library.upenn.edu/catalog/9940420803503681

IIIF Manifest:

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/items/ark:/81431/p36q1t209/manifest

Holding Institution:

University of Pennsylvania