Geniza Lab

A draft of a question concerning a person who bought rights of a house. Upon the seller's death, his widiw claimed the valyue of the ketubah from the homestead. The buyer argues that he compensated her for the value of the ketubah but he lost the deed. He also argued that the house did not belong to her husband but to her father-in-law. Published by Glick, Seride Teshuvot: A Descriptive Catalogue of Responsa Fragments from the Jacques Mosseri Collection at CUL, p. 393-397.

Descriptions of the contents of a collection of books in two different hands: the first, neater block names Yehudah b. Yahya and the text of the Tāj and Bereshit Rabbah and the Torah and the 5 Megillot and Baer Heitev and the Gemara of Hullin and the laws of Shehitah. The second block in rudimentary handwriting is harder to read. It names 'Ayn Ya'aqov, Pesikta ha-Nasi ha-Gadol, Humash ha-Gadol, and Rav Alfas, and "three excerpts of the Rambam." He signs "I am Men[ah?]em b. Yehudah al-Mujhid (?)." Probably late, at least 16th century. ASE.

Commentary. Several text blocks, all of which seem to be commentaries on the name and character of Avraham. Late script. ASE.

Letter fragment from David b. Moses Bonfat the Spaniard to Abraham the Spaniard.

Pious and ethical dicta in Judaeo-Arabic, often rhyming, strung together. The hand is late. Needs further examination. ASE.

Ketubba, nearly complete, from Cairo, dated 24 November 1822, between Hayyim and Esther (their fathers' names are written but tricky to read), with a me'ukhar of 800 reyals (16000 piastres = 160 pounds). ASE.

Ketubba (damaged), late, from Cairo ([...] ha-semukhah le-fustat mitzrayim), from at least the 18th century [55__], probably the 19th. ASE.

Ketubba, faded, from Cairo, dated 25 March 1811, between Nissim and Esther, with a me'ukhar of 150 reyals (3000 piastres = 30 pounds). ASE.

Ketubba (damaged), late, probably from Cairo, probably early 19th century, if it comes from the same stratum as the other late ketubbot in this binder. But the informative phrases are mostly effaced. ASE.

Letter from Moshe Binyamin to Isaac Luria (CUDL). "A certain Moshe Binyamin sent two letters from Rashid to Luria in Egypt, probably either in 1555 or 1562. According to the contents of these letters, Binyamin owed Luria a certain amount of money for goods with which Luria had provided him, and he requested that Luria collect the debt from a Moshe Krispin, with whom Binyamin was associated in business. The letters appear to suggest that Luria had sold Binyamin leather." Lawrence Fine, Physician of the Soul, Healer of the Cosmos: Isaac Luria and His Kabbalistic Fellowship, 33.

5 pages of a late Hebrew literary composition that seems mostly about biblical subjects. For example, "Why was the name of Avraham changed as well as the name of Ya'aqov, but the name of Yizhaq was not changed?" (page 2). May belong with T-S Ar.30.50. ASE.

Late fragment with several obscure sections. The main block of text on recto seems to mostly relate to Genesis 13:4 (quoted at the top) and various glosses on portions of the verse. Berakhot 17a is also cited ("by what do women merit? for bringing their children to read in the synagogue and for sending their husbands to study in the study hall"). There are also short notes on both recto and verso for a scribe? for a reader? saying that if specific words are put in front of others, or skipped, it is pasul. May belong with T-S Ar.30.48. ASE.

Four pages from a table of contents for a late, large (>300 pages), literary work in Hebrew. The chapters are organized around themes and the subheadings are variations or maxims on the theme, and each one occupied about a page in the original book. ASE.

Late legal document in Hebrew having to do with the payment of a ketubba and other property arrangements. Needs further examination. ASE.

Accounts in Judaeo-Arabic, probably late.

Upper part of a late letter in very colloquial Judaeo-Arabic. Dated "16 Shevat" with Arabic numerals. The addressee seems to be Yizhaq al-M[...] and the writer חומן דובשו (??). Mordekhai Kohen is also named in the opening section. The text mentions al-fallāḥīn, laylat al-ʿīd. Needs further examination. ASE.

Short late Hebrew note addressed to Ovadiah regarding purchasing of an unidentified item. AA

Court record regarding real estate. Description of its location and neighbors, In Hebrew. Signed by Avraham Krispin. From the year 1761. AA

Small fragment from a late legal deed regarding payment. AA

Bill of release for part of a debt. Dated: 1 Av 5279 AM, which is 9 July 1519 CE. Location: Possibly Constantinople ("פה קוצטנטינה רבת . . ." appears in the top line, though this is not actually part of the document). The original debt was 23,500 levanim, owed by Yehuda b. Avraham Loya (or rather Leviya = ha-Levi?) to Yehuda b. Yaʿaqov known as Menaḥem. This document certifies that he has paid the remaining balance of 15,950 levanim. Someone named Avraham b. Ḥayyim also acknowledges something related to the debt payment. There are several signatures, all mostly torn away.