Geniza Lab

Bill of divorce (get). Drawn up in Fustat. Dated 14[..] Seleucid, perhaps 1453, which would be 1141/42 CE. Husband: Surūr b. Sibāʿ. Wife: Sitt al-Ahl bt. Yaʿaqov. Witnesses: Natan b. Shemuel ha-Ḥaver and Yeḥezqel b. Natan. Verso contains the attestation that the get was delivered.

Legal document regarding the inheritance of the late David Ẓanuaʿ. In Hebrew. Location: Fustat. Dated: End of Sivan, 5524 AM, which is 1764 CE.

Deed of sale for a certain large qāʿa. Location: Fustat. Dated: Middle third of Kislev 5520 AM, which is 1759 CE. Currencies: Real. Written in elegant script on a large piece of paper that tapers at the top.

Legal document concerning a house belonging to a couple named Sasson b. Yefet and Hilala ibnat Hiba, in equal shares, stating that each of the two spouses has complete rights to his or her share and may sell or donate it, as either chooses. (Information from Mediterranean Society, III, pp. 334, 502)

Beginning of a court record dated Shevat 1411/ February 1100. (Information from Goitein's index cards)

Remarriage contract of a bride who had been both widowed and divorced in which she receives a house, but no trousseau. Dated 1180-1191. (Information from Mediterranean Society, III, pp. 101, 409)

Fragment of a marriage contract concerning the remarriage of Moshe b. Yiṣḥaq and his wife Sittat, containing details about the dowry. Dated 1378/ 1066-1067. (Information from Mediterranean Society, III, 391, and from Goitein's index cards)

Legal document. Partnership. Dating: 1100-1138. Location: Fustat. In the hand of Ḥalfon b. Menashshe. This undated fragment concerns a partnership in money-changing; the active partner was Abū al-Surūr Peraḥya b. Menashshe, brother of Ḥalfōn b. Menashshe. The woman Nasab, mentioned on lines 10 and 13, is Peraḥya’s (and Ḥalfōn’s) mother. Peraḥya handed over some amount to his mother, which she acknowledged and recorded as a debt. These funds seem to have been a loan out of partnership capital, indicated by the mention of “the funds in his hands”. On the other hand, no description of the partnership itself is preserved here. The name of Peraḥya’s partner is also not preserved, though it may have been Ḥasan Eli b. Maṣliaḥ (mentioned in line13). It is unclear what role Eli played in the transaction. The signatories are not preserved. But the title "Mordecai of his time" (see line 1) is applied to Moshe b. Mevorakh alone; thus, although his name is not preserved, this document may refer to Mevorakh b. Saadiah and his son Moshe. (Information from Lieberman, "A Partnership Culture", 277-278)

Fragment of a marriage contract. (Information from Goitein's index cards)

Fragment of a copy of a legal document. (Information from Goitein's index cards)

Legal document about an agreement to write a copy of a codex of the eight Prophets.

Receipt in which Yehuda b. [...] certifies that he collected what was owed to him by the Shaykh [...].

Ketubba fragment. Location: Fustat. Dated: 1462 Seleucid = 1151/52 CE, under the reshut of Shemuel b. Ḥananya. Groom: [...] b. Ṣadaqa. Bride: Turfa.

Legal fragment. Marriage contract. Dated: 29 Nisan 1458 Seleucid, which is 1147 CE. Under the reshut of the Nagid Shemuel b. Ḥananya. In the hand of Natan b. Shemuel ha-Ḥaver. Groom :Yaʿaqov ha-Baḥur b. Yehuda ha-Zaqen. Bride: al-Sitt bt. Ḥalfon ha-Zaqen; she is the divorcee of the groom. Only the first 7 lines are preserved; no details about the dowry or marriage gifts. Information from Goitein's note card.

Recto: Responsum regarding a man who made many vows and repented of them. Verso: Appears to be the writer's notes more general notes to himself on the question of repenting of vows. Needs examination

Beginnings of a court record, Fustat, 1378.

Bill of divorce (get). Date and location are not preserved. Husband: Abū l-Barakāt al-Bilbaysī. Wife: Sitt al-Dār. Witnesses: Yosef ha-Levi b. Shemuel and Moshe b. Elazar.

Dowry list for Sitt al-[...]a bt. Abū l-Khayr b. Yosef. No details of the dowry itself are here. Probably a draft.

Legal document. Small fragment (lower right corner). Dated: Tishrei 1484 Seleucid, which is 1172 CE. The name of the Nagid is unfortunately not preserved on this part.

Legal fragment in Hebrew. Late. Needs examination.