Creator Bio
Yaḥyā ibn ‘Ammār
12th Century
Little is known about the life of Yaḥyā ibn ‘Ammār, a native of Alexandria who fled Muslim creditors, moving to Fustāt (Old Cairo) and throwing himself on the mercy of the Jewish community there. He wrote a letter of petition, preserved in the Cairo Geniza, appealing for financial assistance.
Content by Yaḥyā ibn ‘Ammār
Primary Source
Letter to ‘Ulla ben Joseph ha-Levi
Your slave Yaḥyā the Alexandrian b. ‘Ammār
In [your] name O M[e]rc[iful]
Happy is he who is thoughtful of the wretched; in bad times may [the Lord] keep him from harm (Psalms 41:2).
May the Creator…