Geniza Lab

Legal documents. Two fragments, both torn and fragmentary, under one shelfmark. 1 recto is a ketubba signed by [...] b. Avraham, Ghālib b. Ḥasan, Ṣedaqa b. Hasan, Khalaf b. Barikh, ʿUthmān b. Hudhayl (or Hadhal? See Friedman, JMP, II, 429). 2 recto Is the dowry list of the ketubba in fol. 1, probably torn from the upper part of the leaf. On the verso of both leaves is biblical exegesis (Leviticus Behar 25:14–16; data from FGP by Ephraim Ben-Porat).

Court ledger. Six bifolios (five under T-S K22.27 and one under T-S K25.140.2). Dating: The entries on T-S K25.140.2 are from Adar I and Adar II 5453, which is 1693 CE. The name Gabriel Conforte appears after many of the entries. Other witnesses include Yisrael Romano, David Ḥayyim [...] and Moshe Vidal. All of the entries require examination.

Trousseau list. In Judaeo-Arabic. Fragment (bottom part only). Rudimentary hand. Entries include Dustarī/Tustarī fabric, other garments, and a female slave valued at 30 dinars. The early and delayed marriage payments (muqaddam wa-muʾakhkhar) amount to 150 dinars.

Legal document, draft. Settlement concerning a house in which a man, a woman, and the government had shares. Dating: ca. 1230 CE. (Information from Goitein's notes.)

Legal document. Partnership agreement. A deal between an investor, possibly named Ibrahim, and three unnamed indigo dyers opening a workshop in Damietta. The active partners agree to behave according to industry norms and business practices in Damietta. The active partners will receive two-thirds of profits and losses (except for the first ten dinars of losses due to ordinary business operations). The investor is responsible for the daily maintenance of the active partners and assumes responsibility for losses due to force majeure, though in such cases the active partner is required to swear an oath disclaiming negligence. Notably, the partnership structure is a hybrid of both the partnership model ("torat ʿisqa") and the commenda model. The active partners’ testament to “ward off treachery and fulfill good faith” indicates that the investor isn't present in Damietta, but he retains a modicum of control over their business activities. If the assets of the shop are found to have declined in value, the partners are to communicate with Ibrahīm and to follow his orders; if he fails to respond, they are free from liability for misconduct. (Information from Lieberman, "A Partnership Culture," 245-246)

Legal document in Arabic script. This fragment contains the bottom portion only, with many witness statements/signatures. Very damaged. On verso there is Hebrew literary text.

Administrative note in Arabic script. Unclear exactly how it is related to all the Avraham Maimonides material in this folder. Might be his own handwriting (should be checked against all the other examples), the handwriting of another Jewish official, or even a bulk receipt from a jahbadh? Registering an expenditure of 2005 qarārīṭ (=83.5 dinars) for the ground rent (ḥikr) for the poor Jews of Qaṣr al-Shamʿ for Rabīʿ I 615 AH (=May/June 1218 CE). T-S K25.240 ff.3–6 comprise one cluster (ḥikr receipts?) and T-S K25.240 ff.1, 2, 7, 9, and 10 comprise another cluster (jāliya receipts?). All need examination.

Administrative note in Arabic script. Unclear exactly how it is related to all the Avraham Maimonides material in this folder. Might be his own handwriting (should be checked against all the other examples), the handwriting of another Jewish official, or even a bulk receipt from a jahbadh? Registering an expenditure of 2005 qarārīṭ (=83.5 dinars) for the ground rent (ḥikr) for the poor Jews of Qaṣr al-Shamʿ for Muḥarram 615 AH (=March/April 1218 CE). T-S K25.240 ff.3–6 comprise one cluster (ḥikr receipts?) and T-S K25.240 ff.1, 2, 7, 9, and 10 comprise another cluster (jāliya receipts?). All need examination.

Autograph order in the hand of Avraham Maimonides. Abū l-Majd is to expedite the payment of 81 dirhams to the Muslim Judge Shams al-Din. This is the remaining balance due for the capitation tax of the poor for the Muslim year 614 (ended March 29, 1218) for Shams al-Din. T-S K25.240 consists of small written orders, partly in Hebrew and partly in Arabic script, for monthly payments, made out of the rent-revenue from the pious foundation (waqf) 'Compound of the Poor' or from the pious foundation made by the physician al-Muhadhdhab. All dated orders are from spring and summer, 1218. (Information from Mediterranean Society, II, pp. 420-421, App. A 48-92; pp. 449-450, App. B 39b [dated 1210-1225]; Cohen, Poverty and Charity in the Jewish Community of Medieval Egypt, pp. 218-220)

Verso: Autograph order in the hand of Avraham Maimonides. Abū l-Majd is to send to al-Shaykh al-Thiqa quickly ('and by any stratagem') the payment of 35 dirhams, the remaining balance due for the capitation tax of the poor(?) for the Muslim year 614 (ended March 29, 1218) to the diwan of the Sultan. T-S K25.240 consists of small written orders, partly in Hebrew and partly in Arabic script, for monthly payments, made out of the rent-revenue from the pious foundation (waqf) 'Compound of the Poor' or from the pious foundation made by the physician al-Muhadhdhab. All dated orders are from spring and summer, 1218. (Information from Mediterranean Society, II, pp. 420-421, App. A 48-92; pp. 449-450, App. B 39b [dated 1210-1225]; Cohen, Poverty and Charity in the Jewish Community of Medieval Egypt, pp. 218-220)

Verso: Autograph order in the hand of Avraham Maimonides. Written in a mixture of Judaeo-Arabic and Arabic script. Dated: 2 Iyyar 1529 Seleucid, which is 1218 CE. The cantor al-Makīn is to give the bearer, Faḍl al-Rashīd, a sum of money for the sake of 'jibāyat al-jawālī' (fundraising in order to pay capitation tax(es)). T-S K25.240 consists of small written orders, partly in Hebrew and partly in Arabic script, for monthly payments, made out of the rent-revenue from the pious foundation (waqf) 'Compound of the Poor' or from the pious foundation made by the physician al-Muhadhdhab. All dated orders are from spring and summer, 1218. (Information from Mediterranean Society, II, pp. 420-421, App. A 48-92; pp. 449-450, App. B 39b [dated 1210-1225]; Cohen, Poverty and Charity in the Jewish Community of Medieval Egypt, pp. 218-220)

Verso: Autograph order from Avraham Maimonides. The cantor al-Shaykh al-Makīn is to give 20 dirhams out of the rent from the compound to the judge Yeḥiel for the sake of R. Yosef al-[...]. T-S K25.240 consists of small written orders, partly in Hebrew and partly in Arabic script, for monthly payments, made out of the rent-revenue from the pious foundation (waqf) 'Compound of the Poor' or from the pious foundation made by the physician al-Muhadhdhab. All dated orders are from spring and summer, 1218. (Information from Mediterranean Society, II, pp. 420-421, App. A 48-92; pp. 449-450, App. B 39b [dated 1210-1225]; Cohen, Poverty and Charity in the Jewish Community of Medieval Egypt, pp. 218-220)

Verso: Autograph order in the hand of Avraham Maimonides. In a mixture of Judaeo-Arabic and Arabic script. The cantor al-Shaykh al-Makīn (=Abū l-Majd?) is to give 10 dirhams to the bearer, a judge. The judge Anaṭoli is also somehow involved. The money should come from the rent of the compound. Note that recto is a join with T-S K25.240.50. T-S K25.240 consists of small written orders, partly in Hebrew and partly in Arabic script, for monthly payments, made out of the rent-revenue from the pious foundation (waqf) 'Compound of the Poor' or from the pious foundation made by the physician al-Muhadhdhab. All dated orders are from spring and summer, 1218. (Information from Mediterranean Society, II, pp. 420-421, App. A 48-92; pp. 449-450, App. B 39b [dated 1210-1225]; Cohen, Poverty and Charity in the Jewish Community of Medieval Egypt, pp. 218-220)

Verso: Autograph order in the hand of Avraham Maimonides. Abū l-Majd is to give 9 dirhams to 'al-Talmid al-Ajall al-Raṣuy' out of the rent of the compound. He explains: "aid for a deserving traveler." T-S K25.240 consists of small written orders, partly in Hebrew and partly in Arabic script, for monthly payments, made out of the rent-revenue from the pious foundation (waqf) 'Compound of the Poor' or from the pious foundation made by the physician al-Muhadhdhab. All dated orders are from spring and summer, 1218. (Information from Mediterranean Society, II, pp. 420-421, App. A 48-92; pp. 449-450, App. B 39b [dated 1210-1225]; Cohen, Poverty and Charity in the Jewish Community of Medieval Egypt, pp. 218-220)

Verso: Autograph order in the hand of Avraham Maimonides. The cantor Abū l-Majd is to give 5 dirhams to a certain Kohen, apparently as reimbursement for what was paid to the blind cantor. The next word has been transcribed as תספיר (bookbinding?) and a previous description said that the 5 dirhams were for travel (ספר) expenses, but it's not clear this word has been read correctly. T-S K25.240 consists of small written orders, partly in Hebrew and partly in Arabic script, for monthly payments, made out of the rent-revenue from the pious foundation (waqf) 'Compound of the Poor' or from the pious foundation made by the physician al-Muhadhdhab. All dated orders are from spring and summer, 1218. (Information from Mediterranean Society, II, pp. 420-421, App. A 48-92; pp. 449-450, App. B 39b [dated 1210-1225]; Cohen, Poverty and Charity in the Jewish Community of Medieval Egypt, pp. 218-220.)

Autograph order in the hand of Avraham Maimonides. Abū l-Majd is to give 3 dirhams to 'the foreigner from Toledo' (al-gharīb al-Ṭulayṭulī). T-S K25.240 consists of small written orders, partly in Hebrew and partly in Arabic script, for monthly payments, made out of the rent-revenue from the pious foundation (waqf) 'Compound of the Poor' or from the pious foundation made by the physician al-Muhadhdhab. All dated orders are from spring and summer, 1218. The word used for the money (salaries) due to communal officials is mezonot, the same term used to designate bread distributed to the poor. (Information from Mediterranean Society, II, pp. 420-421, App. A 48-92; pp. 449-450, App. B 39b [dated 1210-1225]; Cohen, Poverty and Charity in the Jewish Community of Medieval Egypt, pp. 218-220)

Autograph order in the hand of Avraham Maimonides. Al-Makīn (=Abū l-Majd?) is to give 3 dirhams to the relative of the Andalusī rabbi ("Toledan" is crossed out) and 2 dirhams to the old Persian man. This was written three weeks prior to T-S K25.240.20, which is also for the relative of the Toledan rabbi ("Toledan" was not crossed out there). T-S K25.240 consists of small written orders, partly in Hebrew and partly in Arabic script, for monthly payments, made out of the rent-revenue from the pious foundation (waqf) 'Compound of the Poor' or from the pious foundation made by the physician al-Muhadhdhab. All dated orders are from spring and summer, 1218. (Information from Mediterranean Society, II, pp. 420-421, App. A 48-92; pp. 449-450, App. B 39b [dated 1210-1225]; Cohen, Poverty and Charity in the Jewish Community of Medieval Egypt, pp. 218-220)

Administrative note in Arabic script. Unclear exactly how it is related to all the Avraham Maimonides material in this folder. Might be his own handwriting (should be checked against all the other examples), the handwriting of another Jewish official, or even a bulk receipt from a jahbadh? Registering an expenditure of 2005 qarārīṭ (=83.5 dinars) for the ground rent (ḥikr) for the poor Jews of Qaṣr al-Shamʿ for Ṣafar 615 AH (=April/May 1218 CE). T-S K25.240 ff.3–6 comprise one cluster (ḥikr receipts?) and T-S K25.240 ff.1, 2, 7, 9, and 10 comprise another cluster (jāliya receipts?). All need examination.

Autograph order in the hand of Avraham Maimonides. The noble cantor (=Abū l-Majd?) is to give 5 dirhams to the relative of the rabbi from Toledo (al-Rav al-Ṭulayṭulī). Cf. T-S K25.240.19. T-S K25.240 consists of small written orders, partly in Hebrew and partly in Arabic script, for monthly payments, made out of the rent-revenue from the pious foundation (waqf) 'Compound of the Poor' or from the pious foundation made by the physician al-Muhadhdhab. All dated orders are from spring and summer, 1218. (Information from Mediterranean Society, II, pp. 420-421, App. A 48-92; pp. 449-450, App. B 39b [dated 1210-1225]; Cohen, Poverty and Charity in the Jewish Community of Medieval Egypt, pp. 218-220)

Verso: Autograph order in the hand of Avraham Maimonides. Abū l-Majd is to give the judge 20 dirhams apparently on account of the closure of the ritual slaughterhouse on the 9th of Av 1529 Seleucid (=1218 CE). T-S K25.240 consists of small written orders, partly in Hebrew and partly in Arabic script, for monthly payments, made out of the rent-revenue from the pious foundation (waqf) 'Compound of the Poor' or from the pious foundation made by the physician al-Muhadhdhab. All dated orders are from spring and summer, 1218. (Information from Mediterranean Society, II, pp. 420-421, App. A 48-92; pp. 449-450, App. B 39b [dated 1210-1225]; Cohen, Poverty and Charity in the Jewish Community of Medieval Egypt, pp. 218-220)