Geniza Lab

Legal contract concerning the synagogue of the Mustaʿrib congregation in 1544

Legal deed In Judaeo-Arabic. Dated: Tammuz 5353 AM = Shawāl 1001 AH, which is 1593 CE. It seems to be the copy of a reconciliation agreement between al-Faqīr (the writer?) and Shemeul the son of the late Ḥayyim Turiya(?). Two other names are mentioned. There are accounts underneath, with western Arabic numerals.

Marriage contract (ketubba). Location: Yemen. Dated: Shevat 2005 Seleucid, which is 1694 CE. Groom: Dā'ūd b. Yosef al-Ḥamāmī (or al-Ḥammāmī) al-Ḥaḍrī. Bride: Simḥa, a virgin.

Legal fragment. Mentions a ḥerem stam and coral and various sums of money. Signed by Yiṣḥaq b. Shemuel.

Legal document. In Hebrew. Dated: Elul 5376 AM, which is 1616 CE. Binyamin b. Shoshan transfers all of the debts owed him to the ownership of the court. Scribed and signed by Moshe ha-Levi Porekh(?). Also signed by Yehuda Castro. Underneath: "This is the body of the prozbul." There follows a more fleshed out version of the same document, also giving the name of the debtor (Me'ir something). The date in the addendum is slightly different.

Bill of divorce (get). All names and dates are missing. Verso: A note in Judaeo-Arabic concerning a debt of 13[...] somethings. The handwriting and format of geṭ is extremely similar to T-S 13J6.28 (14th century); the handwriting of the scribe who reused each document for accounts is also extremely similar.

Legal notes. In Hebrew. Late. Narrating what happened in one or more legal cases. On verso there are jottings of prayers and piyyutim in Hebrew.

Legal document? The actual nature of the fragment is unclear- it seems like a legal document, maybe a draft. Probably written by Efrayim b. Shemarya (active 1007-1051) Judeo-Arabic. AA

Legal deed. In Hebrew. Dated: End of Tammuz, 5562 AM, which is 1802 CE. Yisra'el leases his cheese shop in Ḥārat al-Ṣaqāliba to Yosef Medina for a period of 15 months for a sum of 18 reals (1 real pegged to 90 medins).

Marriage contract. Location: Cairo. Dated: Thursday, 15 Sivan 5566 AM, which is 1806 CE. Groom: David Karo b. Binyamin. Bride; Malīḥa bt. Yaʿaqov Romano. Sum of money: 150 reals (1 real / 90 medins).

Legal testimony. In Hebrew, with one signature in both Hebrew and Latin script. Location: Alexandria. Dating: 5624 AM in the month of Shvat which is 1864CE. The witnesses attest that Yaʿaqov Menaḥem b. Yosef David has given a bill of divorce (get) to his wife Veneziana(?) Yeta(?) bt. Avraham Mann. She has received her ketubba payment in full. Witnesses: Seʿadya b. Aharon and Natan ʿAmram. The latter's full name was Natan b. Ḥayyim ʿAmram and he lived from 1791CE or 1805CE to 1870CE. Natan ʿAmram published widely and served both as an emissary to Livorno and communal rabbi in Alexandria. MCD.

Legal document. In Hebrew. If the two fragments belong to the same document, it is dated: Kislev 52[..] AM, which is 1440–1539 CE. No details preserved about the case.

Recto: Legal fragment in Arabic script. Only a portion of the last two lines and what appear to be witness signatures are preserved. Verso: Document in Judaeo-Arabic. Appears to be an inventory of various legal deeds, including a ketubba and a fatwā and two wills and a promissory note (ḥujja) and a deed of "my paternal aunt" against her husband Abū M[...]. Many names are mentioned. Needs further examination. ASE.

Legal deed, fragment. In Hebrew. Only the beginnings of the last few lines are preserved. Dated: 10 Tevet 5325 AM, which is 1564/65 CE. Witnesses: Shemuel b. Yiṣḥaq Barukh(?).

Legal document. In Hebrew. Mentions 10 peraḥim of gold. Dated: Possibly 5263 AM, which would be 1502/03 CE (but this needs to be checked). One of the witnesses is Seʿadya ha-Levi.

Query requesting a legal opinion in a commercial disagreement (FGP)

Legal query about a man who admit he recieved a loan but claimed he already returned it with few people one of them named Halfon. The lander claimed he only recieved small part from the loan, and Halfon claimed he doesn't remember recieving any money from borrower. Published by Glick שרידי תשובות מחכמי האימפריה העות'מאנית pp. 489-491

Legal document(s). Probably a draft. Small and damaged fragment in the hand of Ḥalfon b. Menashshe ha-Levi. Includes part of a partnership contract between Abū Saʿīd and another person for doing business in a shop. A sum of 200 dinars is mentioned. On verso there is additional text, likely the continuation. AA. ASE.

Bill of divorce from Alexandria

Recto: Legal testimony. In Hebrew. Late. Mentions [...] b. al-Ashqar and a debt of 30 Venetian ducats (בנד[ק). On verso there are pen trials.