Geniza Lab

Qaraite ketubba.

Legal deed in Aramaic. Dated: 1020 CE. Shemuel ha-Levi b. Avraham ha-Sefaradi is appointing Mevorakh ha-Kohen b. Yosef as his agent.

Legal deed, probably regarding business partnership, between Menashshe b. Moshe and Eli ha-Parnas. Signed by Nissim b. Nathan, Shelomo b. Shilo, Yehuda b. Saadya and Hillel b. Eli, who also wrote the document

Legal deed from Damietta. Peraḥya ha-Kohen b. Yona and Netanel b. Ḥalfon ha-Levi appointing a Yaʿaqov b. Eli as their agent to collect a debt from Yiṣḥaq b. Maḥfūẓ from Tyre.

Small fragment of a legal document in the hand of Ḥalfon b. Menashshe (1100–38 CE). Involves Netanʾel ha-Sar ha-Nikhbad, Abū l-Surūr, a sale, and orphans and their family.

Legal document faded and fragmented, mentioning Eli ha-kohen ha-parnas and Yefet ha-Kohen.

Legal document. A fragment from a bill of debt of 400 dirham, written by Mevorakh b. Nathan (active 1150-1181). Only partial names survived: [… b.] Shabat the elder; Zayn al-Kohen son of al-Kohen al-Dabah’s sister. Verso pen trials and a bismallah in Arabic script Judeo-Arabic, Hebrew. AA

Debt contract. In Judaeo-rabic. No signatures. Sulaymān owes Luṭfallah 288.5 kāmilī dirhams. He must pay 12 nuqra dirhams at the end of every month. If he misses two months, he must repay it 'to the Muslim courts' without 'mushāwara'. Dating: 13th or 14th century based on the use of the kāmilī dirham.

Legal document. A small fragment, written by Ḥalfon b. Menashshe Halevi, regarding a settlement between a couple, probably after their divorce (a bill of divorce is mentioned). A sum of 10 dinars will be paid in installments. The husband’s name is Abdallah known as al-mashtub (scar face?). On verso one line אתצל יאשיך אבו אסחק and an ink trial in a different hand. Judeo-Arabic, Hebrew and Aramaic. AA

A torn and damaged page. On recto probably end of a responsum citing Pesahim 49a, followed by the number 11 which is probably the next rsponsum. This is a query regarding validity of a contract ('her contract') with a doubtful testimony and qinyan. The responsum continues on verso mentions an oath not to testify in writing nor vocaly, and a testimpny given before the oath was taken. The ruling given: the testimony can only be validated by an act of qinyan. The end is missing. Copied by Meir b. Hillel b. Zadoq from Alexandria (Date: 1160-1175). Meir was in contact woth Maimonides, so tis queries might sent to him, but there is no direct evidence for that. AA

Two tiny legal fragments in the hand of Ḥalfon b. Menashshe.

Prenuptial agreement in the hand of Ḥalfon b. Menashshe ha-Levi (dated documents from 1100-1138). It is possible that the agreement reflects special circumstances: the marriage is mentioned in future tense and since there are no betrothal deeds in which the time of marriage is set, it must be assumed that this is a general Prenuptial agreement. However, due to the lacunas in the text it is difficult to ascertain the exact unfolding of events. The condition which forbids the husband to have sexual intercourse (with his wife? With the servant?) is especially intriguing.

Notes for drawing up a legal document? "The husband: Sahl b. Yefet. His wife: [...] bt. Maṣliaḥ. The property that is in Bilbays. The name of the cantor: Avraham ha-Mumḥe b. Seʿadya."

Legal testimony. In Judaeo-Arabic. Abū l-Surūr Peraḥya b. ʿUlla ha-Zaqen Abū l-Munā al-ʿAṭṭār b. Ḥasan makes a declaration and asks for the document to be given to Natan/Wahb b. Yiftaḥ al-Ṣayrafī who is in Cairo al-Muʿizziyya, by the magnificent castles (al-quṣūr al-zāhira), by Bāb al-Zuhūma. . . (the remainder of the document is missing).

Legal document. A large damaged שטר אביזריה (= Bill of compensation), written by Hillel b. Eli (1066-1108). A certain Yosef is mentioned and also a sum of money to be paid to the Muslim authorities (שלטון). There is a qiyyum (establishment) of the bill on verso, but unfortunately no signatures have survived. Judeo-Arabic, Hebrew and Aramaic. AA

A Letter containing a legal query dated from the middle of the 12th century, addressed to 'our honorable elders' describing a squabble between a person claimed to be Qaraite and a local Rabbanite. The so-called Qaraite answered in 'kalam Rumi' that is Greek or other European language, and the man thought he is cursing the elders of the community. The writer is asking to meet with the Head of the Jews himself, and is asking how to testify in court. (AA)

Marriage document. See ENA NS I.13

Recto with continuation on verso: Legal document in Hebrew. In which the brothers Yefet, Mevorakh and Yosef, sons of the late Mawhūb b. Faraj, acknowledge receipt of their inheritance, after their oldest brother, Mufarrij, also deceased, had deposited their father’s estate with the ‘three elders’, i.e. Sahl, Yosef and Seʿadya, sons of Yisrael b. Yaʿaqov, known as the Tustarī brothers. (Information from CUDL, Gil, Palestine, doc. 329, and Goitein's attached notes.) On verso there is also a letter in Hebrew (see separate record).

Ketubba of Nissim and Aziza bt. kathir. Written by Yefet b. David and signed by Avraham b. Farah and Moshe b. Amram (only full signatures recorded). Aziza was a virgin.

Court verdict, probably from Tyre, concerning the inheritance of a woman buried in Tiberias, dated approximately 1015.