Geniza Lab

Fragmentary bill of divorce (get). The husband name [... b.] Halfon. The wife's name 'Aziza. Signed by [... b.] Yeshu'a Hakohen and [...] b. Ishaq. On verso approval that the bill was given to the wife, one of the signatories is Hiyya Hakohen.

Bill of divorce (geṭ). Location: Minyat Zifta. Husband: Yeshuʿa b. Yosef. Wife: Bita bt. Shelomo (ביתה בת שלמה). Dated: Thursday, 5 Nisan 1446 Seleucid, which is 1135 CE. Signed by Shabbetay b. Avraham, and Yeshuʿa b. Shemuel. On verso the attestation that the bill of divorce was given to the wife, signed by Meshullam b. Natan and Yeshuʿa b. Shemuel. AA

Bill of divorce (get), from Mahalla al-Kabirah. The husband's name is Mu'amar b. Tuviah. The wife [Ma]l[ih]a? d. Ma'ali. Signed by Nissim b. Shiloh (signed also on TS 16.140 from 1121) and Yehuda b. El'azar, who also wrote the document. On verso an approval that the get was delivered to the wife, sigend by Yehuda b. El'azar and Shelomo b. Zedaqa. AA

Legal document. In Judaeo-Arabic. In the hand of Ḥalfon b. Menashshe. Concerning half of a well-known house in al-Qālūs. This is probably the upper part of BL OR 12299.12 + T-S 8.123 (but it is not a continuous join). The people involved are: Hillel b. Elʿazar/Manṣūr b. Yefet/Ḥasan ha-Kohen, his wife Sitthum aka Sitt al-Jamīʿ bt. ʿOvadya, and a druggist named Abū Naṣr Ibn Zubbaybāt. There may be someone named Salmān al-Muḥaddith, but more likely this is referring to the name of a new (muḥdath) house, [Dār] Salmān. Goitein and Gershon Weiss believed this fragment to be a join with T-S 12.553 (which involves the same couple), but this is not certain (Goitein and Weiss did not know about BL OR 12299.12 + T-S 8.123 or about the join T-S 12.502 + T-S 12.82 + T-S 12.553.) AA. ASE.

Bill of debt issued in Cairo in 1510 to be paid to David Di Medina and his brother Avraham in 10 Ducati every week. The debtors are Yisef Hakohen, Shemuel Ibn Sahl and Yosef Halevi known as Miron. (info from FGP)

Court record in Hebrew. Location: Damietta (אי כפתור). (Or at least about Damietta.) Dated: Nisan 1360 Seleucid, which is 1049 CE. Concerns a debt of 19 gold coins resulting from the sale of fine linen (שש) of the government. Somebody wished the guarantors rather than a certain elder to be responsible. (Information from Goitein's index card.) Needs further examination.

Bottom part of a faded and damaged court record, probably regarding a sail. The qiyyum (establishment) clause is signed by Sa'adya b. Mevorakh. AA

Ketubba, very damaged. Names and date are faded. At top is the reshut formula of one of Maimonides' descendants. The hand seems to be identical with that of ENA 2575.7–8, a beautiful letter reporting the sinking of a ship in the Red Sea, dating probably from the 14th century or later based on the mention of the port city of al-Tur, which rose to prominence after the decline of al-Quṣayr. Signed by Yaʿaqov b. Shelomo (who might also be the scribe) and Ovadya b. Avraham. AA

Very faded but complete legal deed, probably bill of release, written and signed by Halfon b. Menashshe Halevi, dated 1448 Era of documents (1137) under the reshut of Masliah Gaon. One of the parties, whose name is not preserved is titled al-Iqritshi- the man from Crete. Signed also by Nathan b. Shelomo Hakohen. Around his signatures tiny letters represented the month and the year. AA

Court record in Hebrew. Location: Jerusalem. Dated: Wednesday, 26 Nisan 5285 AM = 19 April 1525 CE. Signed by three known figures: Yisraʾel b. Yeḥiel, Avraham ha-Levi, and Yosef Kolon b. Pereṣ. The document contains several testimonies, the first by our master the Rav Beirav. He was active in Egypt, 3 years prior, in commerce in raisins, and because of a debt of 300 ducats he was arrested and thrown in jail. The other testimonies relates to Avraham b. Hayyim who was the father in law of Yiṣḥaq Sholal the Nagid. From another testimony we hear that a minister called Badrī locked the Nagid and other Jews in his home for a debt and for "hiding the money." (Information in part from Avraham David via FGP.) AA

Two pieces of one ketubba. The dowry list includes a gold drop choker (worth 5 dinars), a gold wristband (worth 5 dinars), a pair of silver anklets, red Chinese silk, a coat, five shirts, a gown, a scarf, two kerchiefs, eight coloured pillows, a lightweight garment, a Tabari carpet, a cooler, and a cup. (Information from CUDL)

Deed of gift. In Hebrew. Calligraphic. Location: Fustat. Someone gifts 1/3 shares (of a house) which previously belonged to their brother Shelomo ha-Levi. The house is probably known by the name of Ḥasan the dyer, and it is in the neighborhood of the large synagogue. A woman named [Sam?]āna bt. Shelomo Būṣīrī is involved. (Information in part from Goitein's index card.)

Right part of a court record. Maymun, the husbands of Malka bt. 'Umayr is suing a certain Mansur regarding third of a shop as inheritance. Maymun is probably representing his wife. Barnāmaj - account book - is mentioned. The court record is citing BT Sanhedrin 31a. AA

Fragment of a bill of compensation from a woman Faiza to Ghalib and her son Ishaq b. El'azar. Also mentioned Shelomo the banker and Zayn. 11th century. AA

Legal document: fragment of a bill of compensation for the amount of 14 dinars, from Dalal to Mevorakh b. Menahem written by Efrayim b. Shemarya. AA

Legal document in Hebrew. Location: Fustat. Dated: Tuesday, 28 Sivan 4746 AM, which is 8 June 986 CE. A woman named [...] bt. ʿEli and her husband Yaʿaqov release a woman named [...]īqa bt. Shelomo from claims, after she pays them 9 dinars. Goitein suspects that it might be a case of inheritance. (Information from Goitein's index card.)

Legal document in the hand of Yosef b. Shemuel b. Seʿadya ha-Levi. Dating: Mentions Tishrei 1520 Seleucid, which is 1208 CE. Abū l-ʿIzz acknowledges receipt of 1/6 of the rent of a house in the Masjid al-Qubba quarter from Abū l-Baqāʾ b. Yefet ha-Kohen (known as paqid ha-soḥarim). And permits demolition and construction from the wall of the wind catcher (bādhanj). Signed by Ḥalfon b. Elʿazar ha-Kohen. (Information from Goitein's index card.)

Marriage contract (ketubba). In the hand of Ḥalfon b. Menashshe ha-Levi. Dated: Friday, 15 Kislev 1417 Seleucid, which is 24 November 1105 CE. Groom: Yefet b. Ḥalfon ha-Levi. Bride: Badra bt. Aharon, a widow. Signed by: Elʿazar b. Avraham ha-Kohen. Marriage payments: 1 + 2 = 3. No dowry. (Information in part from Goitein's index card.) AA

Fragment of a ketubah. The groom name is Efraim. Contains part of the dowry list. Signed by Moshe b. Mevorakh Halevi, [...] b. Nissim and Sa'ad[ya ...]. AA

Fragment of a late ketubah. The groom is Nissim and the bride Najma.