Geniza Lab

Ladino letters or copies of letters from 1788 CE (Shevat 5548). One is addresed to a Martinelli.

Letter in Ladino, sent from Salonica (שילאניקי) to Cairo (spelled erratically as מישרייאם). To be delivered to ("en mano de") Yiṣḥaq Qatin[?] (אין מאנו די ס׳ יצחק קאתין), who is "the boy" (מושו) of David מיאפילדו(?). The sender's name looks like it includes גֿיליבי הקואין, but this is probably not right (maybe הקואין means הכהן?). Dated April 19, 1785 (it is unclear where this dating comes from). In the opening lines of the letter, the author mentions having not received correspondence from the recipients in 5 (or 2?) months. There is recurring reference to a certain Ḥayyim, who is possibly a shared correspondent of the letter's sender and recipient. The word כוכור that appears several times may also be a name. The sender mentions "a bride to marry" in ll. 6–7. Later on, the author's discussion shifts to the listing off of specific commodities, one of which may be "leather/כואירוש" (l. 12r). Various people send regards ("kiss the hands of X"). According to FGP, some names associated with this fragment are Reuven, Miryam, and Avraham Krispin (Crespin). MCD. ASE.

Letter in Ladino dated September 1777 (Elul 5537), from Yiṣḥaq Sigan or Bigan (?) in Alexandria to [address torn] in Rashid. Among the individuals mentioned in the letter are: Eliyyahu Romano (l.4), Moshe Bibas (l.16), Yiṣḥaq Crespin (l.16). In line 23 a quantity of "cotton/אלגודון" is recorded with the unit "onsas/אונסאס". MCD.

Letter in Ladino dated 19 April 1785 (9 Iyyar 5545), from Rubi[?] Mores to Avraham Crespin in Cairo/Fustat "Miẓrayim". Two other individuals are mentioned within the letter: Yaʿacov Naḥmias (l.4), Yehuda Gaʾon (l.5). Line eight mentions the cities Rashid and Ancona and line 13 mentions Izmir. MCD.

Letter in Ladino dated 19 November 1790 (12 Kislev 5551) from Av_[?] Sogre[?] in Alexandria to David Mili in the Bulaq neighborhood of Cairo. In lines 8-9 the sender discusses a good relationship with his brother-in-law "kunyado/cuñado": "syendo ke mi kunyado le tyene muncha amistad" or "being that my brother-in-law has amicable feelings". The writer's brother-in-law is mentioned again in the margin of the letter which is advising David Mili to look after "my dear[?] sister": "cuidado por mi karina[?] ermana/קויידאדו פור מי קרינה אירמאנה". This latter statement could imply that the letter recipient and sender are themselves brothers-in-law. MCD.

Letter in Spanish from Eliezer Bisque[?] to Sig. Mose Bisque, sent in June "Giunio" 5480[?] possibly Sivan 1720CE. The year is slightly fragmented in the heading with a final digit that is somewhat ambiguous. The place name "Casanova" appears in the letter's address section along with the phrase "En[?], nave que dios salve/by boat that God protects." The closing line on verso includes "tu padre" and suggests that Eliezer is writing to his son, as does "querido yjo [sic]" in the fragmented heading on recto. The closing lines also include code-switching to Hebrew blessings such as "ברכה" and "ושלום". The letter makes use of occasional Italianate spellings such as "biliete" (l.7-8). Lastly, Venice or "Venezia" is mentioned in line 22. MCD

Letter in Spanish from Jacob Nuñes de Paz to Los S[eñore]s Alpalas & Costa Aires in Alexandria (see tag for others in the group), probably ca. 1720 (25 Nissan is clear in heading but the year is lost). Discusses a variety of "caxas" and "caxetas", or "boxes" and "little boxes" of commercial goods as well as monetary payment, for example, in "fonduclis" (l.15r) an Ottoman gold coin that was commonly minted beginning in the early decades of the eighteenth century (which helps estimate the shelfmark's dating). On the recto there is also mention of the rental of a maritime vessel with terminology that was common for the caravan shipping system of the early modern Mediterranean. The author speaks of "procurando de nolejar una polaca" (l.21), which indicates his intent to formally rent a "polaca"-type maritime vessel (the verb "nolejar" in Spanish being a derivation of the more common Italian "noleggiare"). MCD.

4 pages from a ledger of copies of 17 different legal documents (witness names appear in the hand of the scribe). All are from the end of 1714 or the beginning of 1715 CE. The descriptions below follow the order as they appear in the FGP scans.Page 1, Document #1: Neḥemias b. Shemuel and Mordekhai Ortas b. Yaʿaqov acknowledge that they have received an investment of 13 Seville (? שביליאנוס) reales and 12 muayyadis from Ḥanũnah the wife of Shemuel Masʿūd. From Fustat/Cairo, dated January 1715 (beginning of Shevat 5475). Page 1, Document #2: Yiṣḥaq Asad (?) acknowledges an investment from a woman named מריית (?), the widow of Yaʿaqov Alarcon. Witnessed by Yaʿaqov b. Ḥabīb. Dated January 1715 (beginning of Shevat 5475). Page 1, Document #3: Partnership agreement between Gavriel Afinah (?) and Yehudah known as [...] b. Ḥabīb and Yaʿaqov Fayrūz, dated January 1715 (beginning of Shevat 5475). Witnessed by Raḥamim Ḥotev (?). Page 2, Document #1: Appointment of Yaʿaqov ha-Levi as guardian of the boy Shalom b. Avraham Ashkenazi. Dated December 1714 (end of Kislev 5475). Page 2, Document #2: Some sort of business agreeement between Shemuel ha-Levi known as Baqbash (?) and Barukh Kampanton known as Maṣliaḥ. Dated January 1715 (middle of Shevat 5475). Witnessed by Shelomo Zeraḥyah. Page 2, Document #3: Some sort of agreement between Khalīfah ʿAfīfī and Shelomo the son (?) of the late Yaʿaqov Alarcon, perhaps involving a partnership and inheritance. Yaʿaqov b. Ḥabīb is also appointed the guardian of a young Eliyyahu. Page 3, Document #1: Possibly a rental contract? It has to do with the two apartments owned by Simḥah the widow of Raḥamim Rasa, across from the apartment of Barzilai (?) Tio (?) the Shohet, and someone named Moshe Yeshurun. Dated January 1715 (beginning of Shevat 5475). Page 3, Document #2: ʿAmram Ibn Hini (?) b. Moshe acknowledges an investment from the judge Yeshuʿah Shusṭari (?). Dated January 1715 (beginning of Shevat 5475). Page 3, Document #3: Yosef Porto Nāyis (?) acknowledges an investment from Astit (?) the widow of Avraham. Dated January 1715 (middle of Shevat 5475). Witnessed by Shelomo Zeraḥyah.Page 3, Document #4: Nissim Hefeẓ (?) b. Avraham appoints Aharon Af[...] of Rashid as his agent. Dated January 1715 (middle of Shevat 5475). Witnessed by Shelomo Zeraḥyah.Page 3, Document #5: Aharon Reuven acknowledges an investment from Masʿūdah the widow of Moshe ʿAddāl (?). Dated January 1715 (middle of Shevat 5475). Witnessed by Shelomo Zeraḥyah.Page 3, Document #6: Betrothal document for Aharon Kozimat (? קוזימט) b. Yosef and Ḥanūnah bt. Shelomo Dhabbāḥ. Dated January 1715 (middle of Shevat 5475). Witnessed by Shimʿon ha-Kohen.Page 4, Document #1: Betrothal document for Moshe Kozimat (?) b. Yosef and Ḥanūnah bt. Yaʿaqov Rasa. Dated January 1715 (middle of Shevat 5475). Witnessed by Shimʿon ha-Kohen.Page 4, Document #2: Needs further examination. Involves Marḥabah the wife of Yehudah Karo. Dated January 1715 (end of Shevat 5475). Witnessed by Eliyyahu Tābūn. Page 4, Document #3: Needs further examination. May be a record of a debt owed by Saʿīd Zarmāg (?) of Damietta (Kapotakia) to Yehudah Karmona. Dated January 1715 (end of Shevat 5475). Witnessed by Eliyyahu [...] ha-Shohet. Page 4, Document #4: Needs further examination. Marriage-related document. Dated January 1715 (end of Shevat 5475). Witnessed by Shimʿon ha-Kohen.Page 4, Document #5: Needs further examination. Involves a husband and his wife Esther. Dated January 1715 (end of Shevat 5475). Witnessed by Shimʿon ha-Kohen.

Long legal document perhaps dealing with inheritance arrangements between the brothers Yiṣḥaq and Mordekhai and Binyamin Gaʿdī, the sons of Moshe Gaʿdī. Seems to be dated December 1719 CE (9 Tevet 5480).

Letter in Hebrew and Ladino from Nehoray (?) b. Moshe Ṭoron[.]ah (?) to Shabbetay ʿAdda regarding a new business partnership between them. The date is given at top: 27 Shevat 5[.]57. The century digit appears to be a 5, giving a date of February 1797, but could conceivably be a 4 and therefore a century earlier. After an obsequious introduction in Hebrew, expressing gratitude to Shabbetay for bestowing the honor of this new partnership between them, the writer switches to Ladino (albeit with Hebrew mixed in throughout) and gets to the purpose of the letter. The writer has an existing business venture in mastic (אלמאסטיגה) that would violate the terms of the new partnership—namely that he and his agents are not to trade at all in מתא מצרים (= Fustat?) with the exception of business arising from his preexisting partnership with Ḥājjī Dāwud in Alexandria—and so he seeks dispensation to continue with the mastic venture, or perhaps he wants Shabbetay to buy him out of his share. One of the writer's partners in the mastic venture is Avraham Shimʿon and the other is [Yiẓ?]ḥaq Agi. These partners apparently have friends in high places (יען שהגבירים הנז״ל סון טוקאנטי למלכות). Other traders mentioned are Binyamin de Curiel and Moshe Pallache. A writ of power of attorney (sheṭar harsha'ah) is mentioned several times. Needs further examination

Page from register of Hebrew-language legal documents dating from Tishrei 5491AM which is 1730CE. The first document on the recto references the inheritance of a deceased man named Yehuda whose surviving relatives are mentioned, at least one of whom resides in Istanbul/Constantinople. The second document on the recto is related to the dowry of Sarah bt. Moshe Minyan[?] and also mentions her husband Shemuʾel Giyati[?], Shemuʾel Franko, and Shimʿon Franko. The third document mentions the spouses Masʿuda and Moshe Paredes who appeared before R. Yeshuʿa ___in[?]. The verso is more damaged but the middle entry records the betrothal of Yaʿacov ʿAlush and Qamr bt. Yaʿacov Zānī. The witnesses to the betrothal were "the brother of the groom Raḥamim ʿAlush and Avraham Barakha. The entry below that records the marriage of Yosef Metita[?] and Ḥanūna bt. Yaʿacov Dasa as well as a dowry list including: sandals, silk, embroidery[?] (מטרז), and many other items. MCD.

Betrothal document dated 25 June 1789 (1 Tammuz 5549) between Yaʿaqov Rosano b. Avraham Rosano and the widow Miryam bt. [...]ti Sakkāḥ (?).

Marriage document dated 13 December 1799 (15 Kislev 5560) from Cairo, for Yiṣḥaq b. Avraham Muḥibb and Palomba bt. Shalom ha-Levi. The me'ukhar is 20,000 muayyadis of silver. The middle signature appears to be that of David b. Naʿim but this is uncertain because it is so stylized. The signature on the left is Yaʿaqov Yuʿbaṣ.

Ketubba. Dated: 15 Ḥeshvan 54[8]9 AM, which is 1728 CE. Badly damaged yet the bride's name is legible in line 4 as Sulṭāna bt. Shelomo[?] Taliano. The dowry (or its total with the marriage payments) likely includes the figure 3,000 ("[ף]שלשה אל"). MCD.

Formularies for three legal documents. The document on recto is for appointing an agent to receive a get. Although the names in the document itself are generic (peloni b. peloni), the date of the model document has been preserved—1726 CE (15 Elul 5486)—along with names at the bottom of the original protagonists: the woman is Sol (?) known as Senyoro (?) the daughter of Yehiel Evron; the agent is Elazar b. Michael Momilian; the name of David Paysano (?) is also written. One of the two formularies on verso is for the declaration of "mukat etz" (a woman whose hymen has been broken through means other than sexual intercourse).

Recto: Legal declaration from Fustat, 1737 CE (18 Shevat 5497), in which the witnesses testify that Shelomo b. David divorcd his wife Sarah bt. Mordechai. Presumably a draft: lines are crossed out, and there are no signatures. Verso: On the right is a narrative (for legal purposes?) of events having to do with Berakha (?) Cassuto and her husband Mordekhai b. Shabbetay and someone named ʿAbdallāh. On the left is a list headed "These are the names of the pieces of the dowry (nidonya) belonging to R. Saʿd (?) Cassuto."

Bill of divorce (get) from Rashid, for Shemuel b. Avraham and Diamante bt. Yosef, dated 1751 CE (16 Elul 5511).

Legal document from 1725 CE (1 Tevet 5486) from Fustat/Cairo formalizing a reconciliation between husband, Yosef Mizraḥi known as Khumays, and wife, Nujūm the daughter of the late Baribas (?) Melichi (?). He agrees to live with her for at least another 6 months and behave well toward her. If she does not become pregnant during these 6 months, he will then have the right to take a second wife. Two of the witnesses are Yiṣḥaq ha-Levi Ghazāl and Aharon Ḥanūn.

Legal document of ḥaliẓa, probably from the first decade of the 18th century (the year is very faded but appears to begin 546[.]). Shelomo b. Saʿīd died and his widow rejects his brother Aharon b. Saʿīd.

Recto: Late letter in Judaeo-Arabic. Verso: Possibly a legal declaration. The year 1727 CE (5488) is mentioned, as are several names (e.g. Sh[...] ha-Levi Skandari).