Geniza Lab

Interesting legal document probably from 1682 CE (at least after Adar 5442) involving a businesswoman apparently named Mazal Tov and at least two famous rabbis, including Yom Tov Sahalon (an opponent of the Sabbatean movement in Egypt) and Moshe Vital (plausibly the grandson of Hayyim Vital by the same name, whose father Shemuel lived in Egypt in the 1660s); see Scholem, Sabbatai Sevi, 641f. In this document, Mazal Tov, the wife of Hiyya Pinto, certifies that she has received payment in full for the profit from her investments, namely her investments with Yom Tov Sahalon from 5430–41 (1670–81) and with Moshe Vital from 5441–42 (1681–82). She also received 1500 medins from Natan b. Efrayim from the capital that she had invested with Yom Tov Sahalon, and now the remainder of her capital is with Moshe Vital. She now grants Vital full agency over her remaining capital with him. There is some writing artfully woven amongst the signatures; all are difficult to read. ASE.

Legal document from Fustat/Cairo, dated January 1821 (5581). It seems to be a partnership agreement between various traders active in the early 19th century, including Yaʿaqov ʿAdda, Yosef Shtiwi, Shimʿon Frances, Moshe Yagi (?), Avraham Ḥafīs (?), Moshe Ḥanan, and Moshe Mizraḥī. Signed by many of these same people along with Saʿd Pinto.

Legal document involving a partnership between a large number of the Jewish merchants active in Egypt ca. 1800 CE: Shelomo Cesana, Ḥayyim Cesana, Avraham Cesana in Alexandria; and Merkado Karo and Avraham ha-Levi and Hayyim Nuṣayri (?) and Shimʿon Frances and Khalifa Pinto and Yaʿaqov Bibas and Meʾir ben Naʿim. This appears to be a draft of JRL SERIES L 18. MCD. ASE.

Letter from Yehuda Pinto and Moshe Ḥaddād to Karo y Frances & Company. In Judaeo-Arabic. Dated: 22 Av 5568 AM, which is 1808 CE. Needs examination for content.

Accounts in Judaeo-Arabic (and eastern Arabic numerals). Dated: 5582 AM, which is 1821/22 CE. Headed: "The expenses (maṣrūf) of the Sephardic [congregation] in Fustat/Cairo for the year 5582." Many names familiar from other Geniza documents of the period feature in this list. Needs examination. VMR. ASE.

Late accounts, arranged according to parshiyot, mentioning names including: Page 1: Yom Tov (?) Aripol, Nissim Nuṣayrī, Nissim Raṣon, Avraham Hakim (?), Page 2: Eliyyahu Ṣahal, Nissim Najjār, a Pinto, David Bibas, Yiṣḥaq Bibas, Yiṣḥaq Bialobos, Yosef Bialobos, Yosef Kattawi, Moshe Yagi, Moshe Aghion.

Late partnership agreement between Khalīfa [...], Faraj Zanzūrī (?), Yiṣḥaq Zanzūrī (?), Avraham Pinto, and Barukh [...]. The partnership is to last for 3 years. The currencies named are muayyadis and reales.