Geniza Lab

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."

Letter from Daniel Cafsuto (aka Cassuto) and Shemuel Cafsuto (aka Cassuto) to a certain Saʿīd (or the son of Saʿīd), possibly Saʿīd Bardaʿ, in Fustat/Cairo. Daniel’s letter is in Ladino; Shemuel (Daniel’s brother or son?) used the space on the lower left for his own addendum in Hebrew. Dated: 15 Av 5473 AM, which is 1713 CE. The senders are relatively well-known: see BL OR 5544.13 and see Adonella Cedarmas, Per la cruna del mondo: Carlo Camucio e Moisé Vita Cafsuto, due pellegrini nella Terra Santa del Settecento, p. 294 (and references there). They may be writing from Safed (line 11), but this is not certain. Daniel offers congratulations on the birth of a son to a certain Moshe. He asks the addressee to be diligent in the matter of the 50 gurush. The addressee is to send the money to Damietta c/o Yosef Mugnani. The city of Damsīs is also mentioned. Other people involved are Yosef Pereṣ, Shelomo ʿAfīfī, Khalīfa, and a certain Felipe. Shemuel’s shorter letter opens with greetings to his dear sister (perhaps the addressee’s wife?), a rebuke for failing to write any letters ever since he had traveled and especially for failing to send any of the money owed (currency: reales). ASE