Geniza Lab

Ketubba, probably. Late. These are two addenda that detail various obligations of the groom Yaḥyā. Presumably the original ketubba itself was located on the upper part of the page. There is an ornate, colorful border. The non-formulaic language is Hebrew, and the script is Sefaradi.

Marriage contract (ketubba). In the hand of Ḥalfon b. Menashshe ha-Levi. Groom: Abū l-Karam Nadiv (might be identical with Abū l-Karam Nadiv b. Saʿadya ha-Levi known from numerous other documents). Bride: [...] bt. ʿEli. Includes a condition that he will not limit her freedom of movement. This document is mentioned several times in Amir Ashur's dissertation. There are ~8 witness signatures, including Ḥalfon b. Menashshe, Ḥalfon b. Ghālib the cantor, and Natan b. Shelomo ha-Kohen.

Letter fragment addressed to the Nagid. About persecutions in Alexandria; a payment of 400 dinars; assults on women; and a debt of 60 dinars, because of which persons were in prison. The Muslim population suffered as well. The shops were closed and there was no work for the Jews. Handwriting of Shela Beit Din b.(?) Mevasser. Goitein's note card also says "because of the reference to Nagid ZL = Yehuda" and has a note that Golb studied this fragment. Information from Goitein's note card. NB: This shelfmark does not exist, and the true shelfmark is unknown.

Small fragment in Latin script. Needs examination.

Small fragment in Latin script. Needs examination.

Small fragment in Latin script. Needs examination.

Letter of condolence from Shelomo ha-[...] b. Tammām(?) to [...] b. Yiṣḥaq(?), in Fustat. In Judaeo-Arabic. The writer calls the both the addressee and the person who died 'brother.'

Official letter in Arabic script. ~4 lines preserved. Reused for Hebrew literary text. Needs examination.

Literary text in Judaeo-Arabic.

Fragment in Arabic script. Probably literary.

See under ENA 4020.41.

Calendar in Hebrew.

Mysterious text in Hebrew and Aramaic. "I, Moshe...." Looks more magical than legal.

Fragment of a ketubba. In the handwriting of Ḥalfon b. Menashshe (1100–38), from the period of Maṣliaḥ Gaʾon (1127–39). Bride: [...] bt. Natan. On verso, there are jottings in Arabic script (basmala, then ... مسرور يمون وغبطة?)

Large legal document. Fragment (left side only). Written in a large square hand. Dating: Might be 11th century. Concerns a partnership in a shop and a warehouse between Shelomo b. Avraham and Efrayim b. Ṣibyān (unless Efrayim and [...] b. Ṣibyān are different people). Mentions dividing things (profits? liabilities? both?) into two shares, one of 19/24 and one of 5/24.

Mysterious table in Hebrew. Lists the various tribes of Israel and gives the date of birth and age at death.

Accounts in Arabic script and Coptic numerals. Several items seem to be food (kuzbara, ḥummuṣ, zaʿtar).

Document in Arabic script. Late. Needs examination.

Letter/report/petition addressed to the Nagid Shemuel b. Ḥananya. Concerns Ḥāzim the tax rallier (ḥashshār) who was placed under house arrest (tarsīm) and relieved of his duties. Someone else took over his position, which was agreeable to the Jews of the area (aṣḥābnā) until the new administrator (ʿāmil) Abū l-Fakhr arrived, who began oppressing the Jews. A cantor known as al-Peʾer opposed him and was also fined or subjected to tarsīm. The next part is damaged, and the bottom part is missing.

Magical or esoteric text. Mainly in Hebrew and Aramaic.