Geniza Lab

Legal document from Rashid dated 1693 CE (1 Kislev 5454). Needs examination.

Late legal document(s) in Hebrew. Needs further examination.

Verso: Legal testimony by Yosef b. Moshe [b. Barhūn al-Tahertī] regarding events in Alexandria related to Khulayf b. Menaḥem al-Shaʿālī. Needs further examination, and should be read together with T-S 8J29.5, another testimony by Yosef al-Taherti on the same matter (dated 1047 CE). ASE.

Loan contract, possibly a draft. Dating: Probably 18th or 19th century. In which Yosef Fra[nces?] and the gabbay of the congregation of Miṣrayim, Shemuel Naʿim, lend 40 gold maḥbūbs to Yehuda [...].

Late document from the records (some sort of constitution?) of the Azouz synagogue in Alexandria. There is writing on Page 1 and 3, and a few lines on Page 4. Page 1 deals primarily with the leadership of the community, divided between riyāsat al-diyānīyah (religious leadership, or perhaps oversight of judges?) and riyāsat al-maṣāliḥ (perhaps financial oversight?). It partially reads as follows: "... that are in Alexandria without regard to their origins or countries. . . a single congregation, and this congregation will have religious leadership... for the benefit of the citizens. On the religious leadership: . . . the transfer of authority will be determined with the majority of votes. . . He will especially observe the religious materials (? mawādd) . . . and the rulings (istiftā') of ḥalāl and ḥarām according to the religious principles. . . and the religious judgments. . . He will be paid 10,000 qirsh taʿrīfī annually from the fund of the community (ṣundūq al-ṭā['ifah]). . . His dwelling will be suitable for his position. . . . [. . . the son of] Shelomo Ḥazzan. On the leadership of the maṣāliḥ: . . . his election will be determined with the majority of votes. . . ." On Page 3, the sections in the right-hand column are somewhat opaque. They deal with matters such as the job of the community's secretary and burial expenses for members of the community. Halfway down the left-hand column, there begins a summary of a particular election (date unfortunately missing). "Resolved:: On the 17th day of [. . .], the congregation present in the Azouz synagogue . . . the election of the council of representatives (majlis al-nuwwāb) . . . according to the majority of votes." The winners of the election were Khaw[aja] Zakito Luria with 60 votes; Moshe [...] Mikha'el אדלנציר with 47 votes, and the Rāyis (?) with 45 votes. Runners up were Moshe Naḥman with 25, Fereira [...] with 18, Menaḥem סוולרן (?) with 12. Merits further examination.

Scattered phrases having to do with marriage documents. Legible names include "Sarah bt. Avraham to the son of R. Yiṣḥaq," and "the daughter of David. . ."

Fragment of a partnership agreement in Hebrew between Avraham al-A[.]ṭar and a certain Shem Tov.

A draft version of the same legal query to a jurist (istiftāʾ) as in T-S Ar.41.105 (edited by Geoffrey Khan, Arabic Legal and Administrative Documents, doc. no. 65), concerning changes introduced in Jewish liturgical practice. A major difference is that this query is addressed to the qāḍī al-quḍāt ʿImād al-Dīn (d. 624 AH, which is 1226/27 CE). A full list of variants can be found in Fenton's edition of T-S Ar.41.105 (as cited by Khan). A very imperfect edition of this text was provided by Gottheil in Mélanges Hartwig Derenbourg, p. 98. On verso there is Hebrew literary text.

Small fragment of a legal document. "An event that occurred [before us witnesses]. . . ha-Nasi ha-Gadol. . . He said. . ."

Legal document. In Arabic script (and language). The handwriting is striking (diwani?). Appears to be dated 8 Ramaḍān 1053 AH, which would be November 1643 CE. There is a symbol of some sort on verso. Needs examination for content.

Ottoman-era legal document (or letter with legal content?) addressed to Shihāb al-Dīn Aḥmad b. Shams al-Dīn Muḥammad dated 19 Shaʿbān 930 = 1524 CE. Mentions ابراهيم يشوع (؟) اليهودي . A transaction in the coinage of al-jadīd al-Sulaymānī (=the new coins minted by Suleiman I) is also mentioned. Signature in the shape of a cartouche at the top-right corner.

Undeciphered document in Arabic script. Possibly a receipt with a signature at the bottom. Needs examination.

Large fragment of a legal document in Arabic script. Difficult hand. There is a section in the middle with the formula "wa-lā X wa-lā Y wa-lā Z," etc. Needs examination.

Recto: Last nine lines of a legal document in Arabic dated 555 AH, with the signatures of two witnesses. Verso: Accounts in Arabic mentioning units of weight (raṭl), with the names of various individuals, two of which are Hilāl b. al-Raṣṣāṣ and Abū l-Surūr b. al-Amshāṭī. Needs further examination.

Legal document in Arabic script. Very difficult to read. Involves Ibrāhīm b. Surūr(?) b. Ibrāhīm the Jew. Might be dated 578 AH. Signatures at the bottom. Needs further examination.

Fragment of an Arabic debt acknowledgment (iqrār) by Mūsā b. Yehuda.

Bottom left corner fragment of a legal contract, late. Deed of sale. Three signatures in the form of cartouches at the bottom. Second fragment of the AIU XII.144 shelfmark.

Legal document in Arabic script. Perhaps a deed of sale of a property. On parchment. Fragment: the beginnings of ~10 lines are preserved in additional to two lines (witness signatures?) in the right margin. Mentions Sayyid al-Ahl and Abū Manṣūr the buyer (al-mushtarī). Needs further examination.

Bottom right corner of a 14th C legal contract, probably a contract, dated 27th Muḥarram 723 AH.

Deed of acknowledgment (iqrār) by a certain Futūḥ b. Aḥmad. Mentions the judge in whose presence the iqrār took place, another person by the name of Yūsuf, who could possibly be the second beneficiary and the city of Fusṭāṭ. Dated: Possibly 623 AH. Concerns dealings in a drug shop. Some of the legal formulary refers to "and no drugs, nor saffron, nor any kind of drug..." Needs further examination