Geniza Lab

Fragment of a legal document dated 1126/7 CE (1438 Seleucid) in the hand of Ḥalfon b. Menashshe, involving an Abū Sahl and a Sitt al-ʿItrah.

Recto: One of Shelomo b. Eliyyahu's many small notes in which he orders small quantities of materia medica to be given to the bearer. In this one he orders from Abū l-Munā Shammān a half-ratl of a syrup of apple and rose preserves and a quarter-ratl of quince rob in a clay vessel for the price of (or an eighth of?) 1 dirham. "Because I am at the baḥr (Nile?)." Verso: A list, mostly in Arabic but with one word in Hebrew characters. Perhaps related to recto, since the second word appears to be سفرجل.

Faded page and a half of writing in Hebrew of unclear significance, perhaps a letter. Medieval. There are extensive opening blessings. The text on the book seems legalese. Needs examination.

Fragment from the opening of a will. Medieval. Legible names include Aharon b. Yiẓḥ[aq] and Menaḥem b. Moshe ha-Levi and "Nahray and Khalaf his son."

Framgnet of a legal document in the hand of Ḥalfon b. Menashshe.

A faded medieval letter, mentioning the cold and Abū l-Makārim. Needs further examination.

A curious fragment of a late calligraphic legal document (though the date does not survive), appointing Avraham b. [...] Ashkenazi as someone's agent for some purpose in the locales of Azemmour and the Casbah of Settat, presumably those in Morocco. One of the more elaborate signatures is that of Yaʿaqov Toledano. Needs further examination.

Fragment from a page about the halakhot and formulae to recite for valid qiddushin.

Page from register of Hebrew-language legal documents dating from Tishrei 5491AM which is 1730CE. The first document on the recto references the inheritance of a deceased man named Yehuda whose surviving relatives are mentioned, at least one of whom resides in Istanbul/Constantinople. The second document on the recto is related to the dowry of Sarah bt. Moshe Minyan[?] and also mentions her husband Shemuʾel Giyati[?], Shemuʾel Franko, and Shimʿon Franko. The third document mentions the spouses Masʿuda and Moshe Paredes who appeared before R. Yeshuʿa ___in[?]. The verso is more damaged but the middle entry records the betrothal of Yaʿacov ʿAlush and Qamr bt. Yaʿacov Zānī. The witnesses to the betrothal were "the brother of the groom Raḥamim ʿAlush and Avraham Barakha. The entry below that records the marriage of Yosef Metita[?] and Ḥanūna bt. Yaʿacov Dasa as well as a dowry list including: sandals, silk, embroidery[?] (מטרז), and many other items. MCD.

Recto: Betrothal document for Avraham Goren (?) b. Shelomo Goren and Esther bt. Eliyyahu Kayas (?). There follows a dowry list. The document seems to have been abandoned halfway through. Verso: Shelomo ʿEfron devising his signature.

Betrothal document dated 29 December 1807 (28 Kislev 5568) for Me'ir ha-Levi b. Moshe and Ruḥamah (?) bt. Avraham Krispin.

Betrothal document dated 11 October 1841 (26 Tishrei 5602) for Yosef the son of the late Moshe ha-Levi, represented by Avraham Jawhar "of the villages" (Rīf?) and Kumisah (? כומיסה) bt. Yosef Ḥassūn. The muqdam is 3000 esedi guruş and the me'ukhar is 2000 esedi guruş. Written and witnessed by Yosef Mosseri.

Betrothal document dated 25 June 1789 (1 Tammuz 5549) between Yaʿaqov Rosano b. Avraham Rosano and the widow Miryam bt. [...]ti Sakkāḥ (?).

Official letter in Hebrew. Dating: Uncertain, probably no earlier than 16th century. Addresses the members of 'the holy congregation,' exhorting them about something to do with money and halakha and a certain Zekharya. Signatures include Shem Ṭov Ḥakīm and Moshe b. Eliyya Politi (פוליטי). Needs examination.

Recto: Long document in clearly written Arabic. Verso: Long document in very faded Hebrew. Naḥum b. [...]on is mentioned several times. Needs further examination.

Legal declaration from Fusṭāṭ dated 1066 CE (Sivan, 1377 Seleucid) in the name of Ṣadaqah b. Moshe. Written and witnessed by Aharon ha-Mumḥe b. Efr[ayim?].

Fragment (left side) of a late illuminated ketubba.

Legal query regarding Reuven from Const[antinople?] who asked his brother Levi of Toledo (?) to serve as his agent for marrying Leah of Toledo (?), but the witnesses did not understand that the marriage was intended to be on behalf of his brother. Needs further examination.

Small fragment in Aramaic naming various sums of money. From a medieval marriage document?

Recto: beginning of a draft of a marriage document from Fusṭāṭ dated 1091 CE. Verso: Writing practice in Hebrew and Arabic script.