Geniza Lab

India Book I, 15: Three testimonies regarding collateral given by and returned to Yosef Lebdi, the India trader. Lebdi owed Ḥasan b. Bundar, 'the representative of the merchants' in Aden, 40 dinars for an indigo deal. Until Lebdi could pay the debt in full he had to deposit collateral, probably because he was a foreigner, who was expected to leave the town. The first and last of these three entries are written and signed by Nethanel b. Yefet. This is the recto of the second leaf of CUL Add.3420. The first leaf contains document I, 3 and the verso of this page is document I, 8. Goitein referred to this document as CUL Add.3420c.

Informal note. In Judaeo-Arabic. Requesting that the addressee return the collaterals after the settlement of a debt. "To the elder, the Understanding (ha-Mevin), may his Rock keep him. Kindly receive from the bearer 20 dirhems and hand over to him that which is deposited with your excellency, namely, the turban, the bucket, and the oil jug. This is in accordance with the settlement reached in the presence of our Lord (sayyidnā), may he live forever. Do not let this be delayed—(do this) as one bestowing favor, not as one ordered (munʿimān lā ma'mūran). And peace." This is Goitein's translation, slightly modified (he did not translate the last two words). Goitein suggested identifying 'sayyidnā' with Avraham Maimonides and the addressee ('ha-Mevin') as his cantor and treasurer (see Med Soc II, 420, bottom). Information from Goitein's attached notes.

Upper part of a will in a hand that resembles that of ʿImmanuʾel b. Yeḥiʾel (active ca. 1231–65), in which the husband of Sutayt bt. Nadiv clarifies that half of the house in which he lives belongs to his wife, as well as the jewelry that has been given as collateral to Yosef Ibn Nufayʿ in Fustat against a loan of 150 nuqra dirhams; "it must be ransomed with the money of the orphans." Lastly, the female slave named Nasrīn [belongs to Sutayt]. (Information from Goitein's index card and from Med Soc III, p. 255 n. 35.)