Geniza Lab

Legal document. Court record. In the hand of Ḥalfon b. Menashshe. Location: Fustat. Dated: 1134. Abū Sa‘d and Abū Sahl form a partnership lasting 6.5 months to manufacture and sell glass. Half the capital (20 dinars in total) invested by Abū Sa‘d is considered a loan to Abū Sahl, who pledges title to his home as a security. This may suggest diversion from the commenda model, where the active partner is not liable for loss. But the partnership also diverges from the ‘eseq model, wherein only the active partner transacts. Both the profit/loss characteristics and the working arrangement between the partners suggests a craft partnership. Abū Sa‘d is likely the senior partner: he is identified as al-Zajjāj, “the glazier” (i.e., a known personage in the field), while Abū Sahl is given no professional designation; as well, Abū Sa‘d invests all of the capital, suggesting that he may be short of liquid assets). Finally, the partnership stipulates that Abū Sa‘d need only work two shifts a week (suggesting he may have other business elsewhere), while Abū Sahl will work the rest of the week. Maṣliaḥ ha-Kohen, mentioned in line 54, functioned as leader of the Jewish community of Fusṭāṭ from 1127 to 1139. The signatories to the document, Natan b. Shelomo ha-Kohen and Natan b. Avraham ha-Levi, signed 5 months after the agreement was initiated, for unknown reasons. (Information from Lieberman, "A Partnership Society", pp. 17-21)

Legal document. Partnership record. Dated 1125. Settlement of a dispute of two partners in a bakery concerning the repayment of depleted partnership capital. The creditor, Abū al-Riḍā ha-Shomer, loaned funds to the partnership as a corporation but not to the partners as individuals. Although the two partners contracted to work the same amount and to share profits and losses equally, the partnership lacks sufficient funds to repay the loan. Abū al-Riḍā asks the partners to demand the “oath of partners” each from the other, and himself demands that each pay half the loss, but one of the partners (Hiba) seems reluctant for unclear reasons. Pressured by Hiba's refusal to pay his share of the debt, the other partner (Mūsā) brings Hiba to court. The result of the court’s action was mediation (“tawassaṭū”), and Hiba agreed to pay Mūsā a single dinar, to which the latter would add the balance of three dinars. The initial loan amount and the repayment amount were both four dinars, and that it seems that Abū al-Riḍā did expect to garner profit from the loan directly. Signed by Natan b. Shelomo ha-Kohen. (Information from Lieberman, "A Partnership Culture", 54-56)

Legal case in which Aziza bt. Elazar the widow of Abu al-khayr Mevorakh b. Meshullam comes to court to collect her ketubba. The court examines her ketubba and does not find in it a trustworthy clause - so she takes an oath. The ketubba is worth over 550 dinars, dower and dowry, and she is thus entitled to some 250 dinars according to the local custom to double the sums in a ketubba. Since her husband did not leave behind anything the court permits Aziza to collect her ketubba from a Muslim to whom her husband mortgaged a piece of real estate. On the back is a Judaeo-Arabic archival note and two lines in Arabic script. (Written by Natan b. Shlomo. AA)

Receipt written and signed by Natan ha-Kohen b. Shelomo, documenting that Abū Naṣr al-ʿAṭṭār received from the court 19 muthallath (triple-weave?) garments, as set forth in the conditions, on Thursday the 10th of Iyyar 1446 Seleucid (1135 CE) in Fusṭāṭ, in the presence of Abū l-Ḥasan b. Ṣāliḥ the brother (?) of Ṣedaqa the deceased. Witnesses: Natan ha-Kohen b. Shelomo ha-Kohen and Yehuda ha-Kohen b. Yosef ha-Kohen. ASE.

Recto: Short note about a court settlement from Fustat. An uncle allows his nephew to pay him back a sum of 10 dinars in 20 installments, the latter giving as security a 1.5-share in a house belonging to him (out of 24) in case he fails to pay for two consecutive months. 1134 CE. (Written by Nathan Hakohen b. Shlomo. AA) Verso: Judaeo-Arabic discussion of Genesis 20 with Hebrew citations. (S. D. Goitein, Mediterranean Society, 2:594; Goitein's index cards; and CUDL) EMS

Two judges inspect together with two government muhandizīn two houses in the Laban (?) lane (near the synagogues) and find that the house of Hibāt & Co. tilts and inclines on the opposite house of Abu 'l-Ḥasan b. Ḥātim (Eli b. Ḥotam). In the hrnd of Ḥalfon b. Menashshe, 4 February 1136. Verso: trials of the pen; in one, Eli b. Ḥotam ha-Levi sells half of a house. (Information from Goitein's index cards.)

Very faded but complete legal deed, probably bill of release, written and signed by Halfon b. Menashshe Halevi, dated 1448 Era of documents (1137) under the reshut of Masliah Gaon. One of the parties, whose name is not preserved is titled al-Iqritshi- the man from Crete. Signed also by Nathan b. Shelomo Hakohen. Around his signatures tiny letters represented the month and the year. AA

Two torn fragments of a legal document between Abu al-Hasan Mevurakh and the heirs of Abu al-Faraj. Written by Halfon b. Menashshe Halevi who signed it together with Nathan Hakohen b. Shelomo and Avraham b. Shema'aya. Under the jurisdiction of Masliah Gaon (Date: 1127-1138). AA