Geniza Lab

Recto/verso: verso

Legal document. Commenda. Dated July 1231. Unsigned form of a commenda agreement between four parties (Abū Sa‘d b. Ibrahīm al-Ṣabbāgh, Abū Manṣūr b. al-Sūkkari, Suleymān b. ‘Imrān al-Ṣabbāgh and Futūḥ b. Abū al-‘Izz al-Ṣabbāgh), all of whom are to travel to al-Shām to trade. Tthe scribal notes were likely composed quickly, with the intention of subsequently filling in these details when the fuller agreement was written. The amount of the partners’ investment is specified only for Abū Sa‘d b. Ibrahīm al-Ṣabbāgh, who lays out 82 and 11/12ths dinars. Prior to departure, Abū Sa‘d fell ill and was unable to travel. Generally, this situation might require the ill (active) partner to be demoted to an investor; the division of profits here may reflect such a restructuring. The three active partners are allocated 13/24ths of profits while Abū Sa‘d is allocated 11/24ths, while losses are split evenly. The additional twelfth of the profit is allocated to the partners as "wages for their work and maintenance". Separately, Abū Sa‘d places 19 dinars in a commenda with Suleyman b. ‘Imrān with a similar division of profits and losses. It is unclear why Abū Sa‘d places the bulk of his investment with the three partners and then an additional investment with only Suleyman. (Information from Lieberman, "A Partnership Culture", 182-183) Verso: Legal document. Court record. Dated: First third of Av 1542 (1231 CE). Legal document concerning a loan of 215 dirhams between Shelomo ha-Levi b. Shemuel and Abu Sa'd Sa'adya b. Avraham the dyer, to be repaid in one lump sum after the lapse of twelve months. (S. D. Goitein, Mediterranean Society, 1:385) EMS