Geniza Lab

Legal document or documents. The primary block of text on verso appears to be the original legal testimony, written in Judaeo-Arabic. Very faded. The second block of text reads, "Naṣrallāh b. ʿAbdallāh Nafīs(?) witnessed regarding the aforementioned Abū l-Ḥasan and Abū l-Faḍl the brother of the aforementioned Naṣrallāh and his wife." Verso contains three more blocks of text, one in Arabic script and two in Judaeo-Arabic (one of which appears to be a summary of the Arabic script). All of these appear to be witnesses' addenda to the legal document on recto. Needs further examination.

Legal document. In Judaeo-Arabic. Release in the name of Naṣrallāh b. Salmān b. [...] al-Skandarī, in which he declares that he has no further claims on a long list of people, it seems following the death of somebody. Needs further examination.

List of names of men and/or households, possibly in Cairo. The list fills a narrow bifolium. There are a few lines in Arabic script at the bottom of one page. Beneath every entry there is a word in Arabic script, perhaps variations on the root علم. A donations list? Needs examination.

Legal document. Dated: Friday 12 Shevat 5407 AM, which is 1647 CE. In Judaeo-Arabic. A woman named Khāṣṣ bt. Shelomo Levi Somekh, the widow of R. Eliyya Levi, declared in the house of R. Aharon Rofe that she will never sue her husband's maternal uncle R. Yiṣḥaq Levi Qudsī, nor his children or wife, with regard to the inheritance of her mother-in-law Umm Eliyya.

Loan contract, Qaraite. Dated: Sunday night, 24 Shevat 5499 AM, which is 1739 CE. Shemuel nin Yeshuʿa known as Berakha attests that he has received a loan from Avraham Levi known as Hītī nin Aharon Levi known as רכס. The amount is 18 gold findiklis and 5 gold zincirlis. He will repay 1 findikli per month (with further specifications). Witnesses (listed in the body of the document, but there are no signatures): Yeshuaʿa nin Elishaʿ Rofe; Shemeul Levi Gabi; Nissim Ḥazzan known as Berakha; ʿOvadya Ẓaʿir.

Popular literature. Muslim anti-Christian polemic, Ḥadīth Wāṣil al-Dimashqī. Written in Judaeo-Arabic. "This short tract claims to be the account of a debate on religion which took place among Wāṣil (a Muslim prisoner in Byzantium), Bashīr (a Muslim convert to Christianity), and Christian priests in Byzantium. See also Griffth and Miller, "Bashīr/Beser: Boon Companion of the Byzantine Emperor Leo III: The Islamic Recension of his Story in Leiden Oriental MS 951(1)," Le Museon 103 (1990), pp. 293–327. Information from Krisztina Szilagyi, "Christian Books in Jewish Libraries," Ginzei Qedem (2006), 107–62.

Popular literature. Animal fable in rhyming Judaeo-Arabic. 9 folios.

Karaite prenuptial agreement from the year 1746.

A Karaite agreement to give a bill of divorce in case the husband will be absent for more than one year.

Karaite bill of debt. Erroneously described as ketubah in Ktiv. Dated 1661

Karaite engagement deed. Ishaq b. Aharon Hakim is engaging Qamr d. Nissim b. Yosef. Dated 14th Adar I, 5529 Era of creation (1769)

Karaite prenuptial agreement between Yehuda b. Yeshu'a Levi and 'Aziza d. Yehuda Levi. Dated Friday 13th Tevet 5515 Era of creation (1755)

Karaite partnership agreement. Dated Sunday 22nd Nisan 5441 Era of creation (1681)

Karaite prenuptial agreement between Shalom b. Ya'aqov and Qamr d. Hesed al-Levi b. Ishaq Levi known as Qudsi. The groom is taking upon himself not to travel abroad, and if he will travel and will be missing for more than a year his wife is permitted to return to her home and divorce if she wish to. Dated Sunday 21st Heshvan 5511 Era of creation.

Karaite engagement deed between Avraham b. Eliyahu Fairouz and Zamorda d. 'Aziel, Dated Monday 10th Adar 5513 Era of creation (1753)

Karaite prenuptial agreement executed at the time of the betrothal between Nissim Levi b. Moshe and Rahma d. Avraham. Dated Sunday 17th Kislev 5509 Era of creation (1749)

Karaite betrothal deed between Ya'aqov b. Avraham and Rachel d. Shabetay b. Yosef. The groom is taking upon himself that if he will be absent more than a year this wife is permitted to ask for divorce. The betrothal is done by giving a ring and reciting Shir la-Ma'alot. Dated Wednesday, 8th Tishrei 5515 era of creation.

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Karaite prenuptial agreement between Moshe b. Yosef Fairouz and Esther b. David dated Monday 15th Sivan 5153 (1753)

Karaite bill of release of a debt, dated