Letter to Ḥalfon ben Nethanel

Judah ha-Levi sent this Judeo-Arabic letter, which survived in the Cairo Geniza in his own handwriting, to his friend and supporter Ḥalfon ben Nethanel [Nethaniel] ha-Levi. It describes Judah’s desire to travel to the east (Jerusalem) and was probably sent from al-Andalus (Muslim Spain), but it also might have been sent from Alexandria. This letter is also significant because it provides some context for the writing of the Kuzari, although the precise meaning and the implications of Judah ha-Levi’s words remain disputed. The pressure that he mentions at the end of this letter likely pertains to his busy medical practice. Ellipses indicate lacunae in the manuscript.