Geniza Lab

Small and damaged fragment from a pre nuptial agreement. The late instalment is 100 dinars. Written by Halfon b. Menashshe Halevi cursive hand (Date: 1100-1138)

Small fragment from a pre-nuptial agreement, written by Halfon b. Menashshe Halevi (Date: 1100-1138). The groom take upon himself not to forbid his future wife to go and meet her parents and not to stop them from visiting her.

Prenuptial agreement in the hand of Ḥalfon b. Menashshe ha-Levi (dates: 1100–38 CE). Abū l-Faraj Natan b. Shelomo the beadle is marrying the daughter of Berakhot ha-Kohen, who is a widow. The groom undertakes to support his future wife's daughter for 10 years. AA

Only the title of the pre nuptial agreement of the daughter of Ma'ali and Musa, written by Halfon b, Menashshe Halevi (Date: 1100-1138). AA

Fragment of a court ledger. In the hand of Ḥalfon b. Menashshe (1100–38 CE). One of the entries is a prenuptial agreement. Groom: Abū Saʿd. Bride: Sitt al-Sāda. Also mentioned are Avraham and Yeshuʿa, probably the fathers. Also mentioned are Abū l-Ḥasan and Ibn al-Baṭṭ, perhaps the representatives. Another of the entries is written with wider line spacing and involves a certain Sar Shalom. AA. ASE.

Very damaged betrothal deed written by Halfon b. Menashshe Halevi (Date: 1100-1138). The fiance is Avraham and the bride is 'Aliya. She is very young, only reached puberty. AA

Small fragment from the end of a betrothal deed, from the year 1119, written by Halfon b. Menashshe Halevi. Published by Ashur, Engagement and Betrothal, p. 232-233. AA

Legal document. Fragment of a prenuptial agreement written by Halfon b. Menashshe ha-Levi. Dating: 1100–38. The wife is permitted to leave her house only with her husband's consent, except for visits to the bathhouse and her family. See the discussion in Ashur, "Engagement and Betrothal," p. 121, n. 12. AA

Prenuptial agreement between a future husband and his prospective second wife, in the hand of Ḥalfon b. Menashshe ha-Levi. Location: Fustat. Joined by AA.

Court record. Tiqva b. 'Amram is representing his sister Sitt al-Kull in her engagement (she is titled al-mukhatiba = the engaged) to collect amount of 60 dinars from Moshe b. Shelomo. The same Tiqva appeared in another document relating to his sister's engagement - Bodl. Heb. d. 66, f. 46, from the year 1099- one year earlier than our document. Not clear if the same engagement is intended. Signed by Ishaq ha-melamed b. Hayyim, AA

Legal record (#43 and #44). Engagement contract, outline. Dated: Thursday, 14 Sivan 1467 Seleucid. In the hand of Meovrakh b. Natan (like the rest of the notebook). Engagement agreement between a Qaraite man (Abū Saʿīd) and a Rabbanite woman (Sitt al-Naṣr bt. Netan'el ha-Kohen). Goitein suggests that it is an agreement between a husband and wife that was composed after a quarrel (Med. Soc. 3:152–53). But Ashur judges the document to be an engagement agreement because the early marriage payment (muqaddam) is mentioned and there is a condition that the muqaddam will be considered 'a gift', alongside many other conditions common in agreements before the marriage. These conditions include: not to bring into the house anything forbidden by the Rabbanites (ṭā'ifat al-rabbānīn), that the early marriage payment is a gift, that he will not marry a second wife nor take a concubine if she disapproves, on pain of having to pay the delayed marriage payment and giving her a divorce, etc. NB: Goitein and Ashur referred to this document as folio 17 (Firk. II NS 1700.17) in accordance with the foliation written in pen; but the correct folio is 18, as written in pencil (the librarian with the pen gave two folios the number 8). ASE.

Karaite pre-nuptial agreement. The groom is Shelomo Hakohen b. El'azar known as Hatum. The bride is Hana b. Nissim b. Avraham Fairouz. Dated Monday 17th Sivan 5524 Era of creation.

Karaite prenuptial agreement from the year 1746.

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 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.

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