Geniza Lab

Letter from Mordekhai b. Yiṣḥaq to Ḥayyim Avraham Levi. Written in Judaeo-Arabic. Dated: 22 Iyyar 5565 AM, which is 1805 CE.

Copies of letters in Ladino dated 9 December 1811 (23 Kislev 5572), likely a fragment from a broader letter copybook. Senders and recipients are unclear because the header sections that normally list recipients have been omitted for the copybook and senders' names likewise do not appear at the base of each entry. On the verso, however, two individuals' names appear after the dates: Shelomo ben Yehuda (l.5) and Mordechai Kohen (l.10). Likewise, one Moshe Fernandes is mentioned on the verso scan (l.13). The correspondence connected to the former individual may be mentioning the trade in coffee: "mandare otro caffes" (l.7v). "Miẓrayim" appears as a place name (l.14v) as does Rashid on the recto (l.10) and Salonica (l.18r). The last line of the recto mentions "oka/אוקה" as a unit of measurement. MCD.

Letter in Ladino dated 21 July 1813 (12 Av 5573) to David Gatenio from Yehudah Gatenio (also written as Gatenyo). In the body of the letter (l.31r) a fragmented name appears for one Shmuel b. Vin_[?] (...וינ), as does Moshe al-Bohir (l.41r), a husband and wife pair "su filio kon su mujer" (l.44r), and multiple individuals including a "captain/קאפיטאן" (l.3v) and Daniel Mondolfo (l.4v) on the letter's verso. On the recto (l.15) there is discussion of the placement of fault "kulpa/culpa" because of breakdown in the flow of communication during the previous month of Temmuz "dyeron kulpa porke no avizen todo __ro de partikular y mas ke no no resibi maystro... [q]artas por respondernos otro ke bi-Temmuz..." (l.15-16r). There is also mention of monetary payment: "dyeron paras" (l.21r) which may be referencing a more general term for money in the Ottoman empire (or possibly a specific coinage type known as "para" or "pare" in early nineteenth-century Egypt). Further down the monetary label "gurushim" (l.33, 35, 39r) is in use indicating a specific type of silver coinage. MCD.

Legal document of betrothal for Yiṣḥaq ha-Levi and Esther bt. David ha-Kohen, listing the conditions and sums owed. Appears to be dated 22 August 1828 (12 Elul 5400+188).

Legal document from Fustat/Cairo, dated September 1829 (end of Elul 5589). Missing a large chunk from the upper left. It seems to be a record of an investment with the merchant Yosef Menashshe.

Partnership agreement from Fustat/Cairo, dated 13 October 1800 (24 Tishrei 5561), between David Dayyan, Eliyyahu Palombo, and Avraham Ḥaqis (?).

Recto: The main text is a Judaeo-Arabic sermon/exhortation that in order to avert the evil decrees and the plague and the economic depression, all members of the community must repent of their sins. There is to be a series of three fasts incumbent on all except pregnant and nursing women. All members of the community who are not otherwise occupied are to attend minḥa at either the synagogue of the Turks or the synagogue of the Egyptians. Every individual is also to give pidyon (redemption) money, including for babies in their mothers' wombs, 18 silver coins per person. The language is heavily colloquial, essentially modern. There are two additional blocks of text in harder-to-read handwriting. Needs further examination. Verso: The back of the original document was reused for documents of betrothal.

Betrothal document dated 29 December 1807 (28 Kislev 5568) for Me'ir ha-Levi b. Moshe and Ruḥamah (?) bt. Avraham Krispin.

Betrothal document dated 11 October 1841 (26 Tishrei 5602) for Yosef the son of the late Moshe ha-Levi, represented by Avraham Jawhar "of the villages" (Rīf?) and Kumisah (? כומיסה) bt. Yosef Ḥassūn. The muqdam is 3000 esedi guruş and the me'ukhar is 2000 esedi guruş. Written and witnessed by Yosef Mosseri.

Fragment (left side) of a late illuminated ketubba. The year appears to be 1842/3 CE. The groom is named Yaʿaqov. Signatories include Yaʿaqov [...] and Shelomo Eliyaqim.

Marriage document dated 12 September 1802 (15 Elul 5562) from "Kafr al-Nāqir" on the Nile. According to Tāj al-ʿArūs, this is a village close to Masjid al-Khiḍr, which in turn is close to Banhā on the Damietta branch of the Nile. The groom and bride are Avraham Wahba b. Moshe and Sutaytah bt. Yūsuf Ḥaddād. The total of the ketubba is 5000 muayyadis of silver. Signed by Yaʿaqov b. ʿAṭṭār, Avraham Wahba, and [...] ha-Levi.

Ketubba dated 1821/2 CE (5582) from Cairo, for Eliyyahu Amaryo b. Yaʿaqov. The total of the ketubba is 750 esedi gurush.

Late letter in Judaeo-Arabic dated 1802 CE (the 17th of matmonim i.e. the omer, 5562) from Yiṣḥaq ben Naʿim to his brother Me'ir ben Naʿim. Verso has been reused for some sort of betrothal/marriage document.

Two drafts of a bill of divorce (get) from Cairo for Makhlūf b. Yiṣḥaq and Zahrah bt. Yaʿaqov, probably dated Sunday, 17 December 1[8]26 CE (17 Kislev 5[5]87). The other possibility for the date is 5[3]87 CE (1[6]26 CE).

Incomplete legal document from Cairo, dated 6 October 1816 (14 Tishrei 5577), for Raḥamaim b. Nissim who apparently seeks to remarry the woman he had previously divorced. This document lays out the conditions upon him from both the first ketubba and in the remarriage. Needs further examination.

Legal document dated 8 October 1801 (1 Heshvan 5562), from Fustat/Cairo involving the brothers Yiṣḥaq and Mordekhai Bialobos. The younger will receive 20% and the elder 80% of some sort of revenue, at least until the younger brother marries. The elder brother is to support him financially, and the younger brother is to respect the elder as a father.

Legal document from Fustat/Cairo, dated 20 February 1829 (17th of Adar I, 5589), in which Avraham ha-Levi certifies that he has received his entire share from the estate of his late father and releases his mother (titled "senyora") from all his claims upon her.

Recto: Legal document from Fustat/Cairo, dated March 1819 (last third of Adar 5579), in which Yiṣḥaq Zamiro acknowledges receipt of an investment of 9000 muayyadis (silver half-dirhams) from Ḥabība the widow of Moshe Zakkai. The document details how he is to use Ḥabība's investment and how they will divide the profits. Verso: In the same (or very similar) hand, a eulogy for a deceased woman and some neat accounts partially in Judaeo-Arabic. Diamonds and Yaʿaqov al-Marankātī (?) are mentioned.

Legal document from Fustat/Cairo, dated January 1819 (Tevet 5579), in which Moshe Ḥafis (?) and his wife (titled "senyora") acknowledge their debt of 2085 esedi gurush to Yehuda Kafiyanti (?) and Seʿadya Agi.

Legal document from Fustat/Cairo, dated March 1802 (Adar II 5562). Me'ir ben Naʿim had borrowed 150 reals from the old woman Raḥel known as Kuḥla bt. Shalom Narbonah. She lost the original contract, so they made another one. Me'ir ben Naʿim has recently paid her back and asked for the contract so they could tear it up, but she says she doesn't know where it is. This document certifies that the debt has been paid even if the contract later surfaces.