Letter to Her Brother

This undated Hebrew letter, preserved in the Cairo Geniza, was sent by a Jewish woman named Malīḥa from Byzantium (here referred to as part of Romania) to her brothers Abū Sa‘id and Solomon, who must have lived in Fustāt (Old Cairo). From the text of this letter, it might be inferred that Malīḥa came from an educated family, as the Hebrew is sound and there are references to piyyutim (liturgical poetry). Because women, and many men, usually employed scribes to write letters on their behalf, it is possible that a scribe added some of this material. Malīḥa sought to return to Egypt with her daughter Zoë but, based on portents from reading the Torah scroll, was fearful of making the journey. It appears from the fragmentary lines at the end of this letter that she asks her brothers to assist with business transactions.