Dublin Core
Title
Widow of Yefet b. Sabagh: Fustat, c. 1126
Subject
Widow of Yefet b. Sabagh
Description
This widow, whose name remains unknown, appears in at least two dispositive documents, constituting three shelf-marks. That is to say, she testated an original will, which is in one piece. A revision exists as two fragments that have been re-joined by scholars.
The original will was made at some point after 1100 CE, likely in 1126 (see below, next paragraph). It functions mostly as a corrective to a gift she had previously given. That is to say, she had given half of her house and the rest of her goods to a maidservant (apparently a freed woman named Nashu). And then, on her deathbed, she asks the maidservant to give an eighth of the house (i.e. a quarter of what she had received) to the widow's niece (her sister's daughter), named Najiyya.
Two days before she dies, on 11 Iyyar 1126 CE, the widow revises the will again. In this codicil, Najiyya is promised the abovementioned part of the house, but only under the condition that Najiyya and her husband give up claims to any of the widow's other goods. A few other clauses appear here too, including a manumission.
DESCRIPTION (OF THE ORIGINAL WILL ) FROM THE PRINCETON GENIZA PROJECT:
Deathbed declaration in the hand of Ḥalfon b. Menashshe, right upper corner. An old widow who had given her maidservant half of a house and the rest of her belongings asks her to renounce one eight of the share in the house, which she wishes to give to her sister's daughter, Najiya. (Information from Mediterranean Society, V, pp. 134, 442)
(https://geniza.princeton.edu/en/documents/2419/)
See above link for IMAGE and TRANSCRIPTION.
DESCRIPTION (OF THE REVISION) FROM THE PRINCETON GENIZA PROJECT:
This document consists of two fragments; the right side is document T-S 16.44 and the left side is document T-S 12.613, the break between the two documents is indicated in the transcription by /. Change of a will, signed by Ḥalfon b. Ghalib and Yefet b. Efrayim two days before the death of the testator, saying that Najiya receives part of a house from the dying sister of her mother on condition that she and her husband renounce all other claims on the estate. Another woman receives another part, and a man promises to marry her and never divorce her. Dated 1126. (Information from Goitein's index cards.)
Alternate description: Part of a document regarding the changing of a will two days before the testator’s death, dated 11 Iyyar 1126 CE and in the hand of Ḥalfon b. Menashshe ha-Levi. Najiyya is to receive part of a house from her dying maternal aunt on condition that she and her husband Abū Naṣr Mevasser ha-Levi renounce all other claims on the estate. A freed woman (Našū) will receive another part of the house. Yefet b. Ḥadīd is also released by the dying woman. Signed by Ḥalfon b. Ḡālib the cantor and Yefet b. Ephraim. (Information from CUDL.)
(See https://geniza.princeton.edu/en/documents/3188/)
See above link for IMAGE and TRANSCRIPTION
The original will was made at some point after 1100 CE, likely in 1126 (see below, next paragraph). It functions mostly as a corrective to a gift she had previously given. That is to say, she had given half of her house and the rest of her goods to a maidservant (apparently a freed woman named Nashu). And then, on her deathbed, she asks the maidservant to give an eighth of the house (i.e. a quarter of what she had received) to the widow's niece (her sister's daughter), named Najiyya.
Two days before she dies, on 11 Iyyar 1126 CE, the widow revises the will again. In this codicil, Najiyya is promised the abovementioned part of the house, but only under the condition that Najiyya and her husband give up claims to any of the widow's other goods. A few other clauses appear here too, including a manumission.
DESCRIPTION (OF THE ORIGINAL WILL ) FROM THE PRINCETON GENIZA PROJECT:
Deathbed declaration in the hand of Ḥalfon b. Menashshe, right upper corner. An old widow who had given her maidservant half of a house and the rest of her belongings asks her to renounce one eight of the share in the house, which she wishes to give to her sister's daughter, Najiya. (Information from Mediterranean Society, V, pp. 134, 442)
(https://geniza.princeton.edu/en/documents/2419/)
See above link for IMAGE and TRANSCRIPTION.
DESCRIPTION (OF THE REVISION) FROM THE PRINCETON GENIZA PROJECT:
This document consists of two fragments; the right side is document T-S 16.44 and the left side is document T-S 12.613, the break between the two documents is indicated in the transcription by /. Change of a will, signed by Ḥalfon b. Ghalib and Yefet b. Efrayim two days before the death of the testator, saying that Najiya receives part of a house from the dying sister of her mother on condition that she and her husband renounce all other claims on the estate. Another woman receives another part, and a man promises to marry her and never divorce her. Dated 1126. (Information from Goitein's index cards.)
Alternate description: Part of a document regarding the changing of a will two days before the testator’s death, dated 11 Iyyar 1126 CE and in the hand of Ḥalfon b. Menashshe ha-Levi. Najiyya is to receive part of a house from her dying maternal aunt on condition that she and her husband Abū Naṣr Mevasser ha-Levi renounce all other claims on the estate. A freed woman (Našū) will receive another part of the house. Yefet b. Ḥadīd is also released by the dying woman. Signed by Ḥalfon b. Ḡālib the cantor and Yefet b. Ephraim. (Information from CUDL.)
(See https://geniza.princeton.edu/en/documents/3188/)
See above link for IMAGE and TRANSCRIPTION
Creator
Fustat, Egypt
Date
c. 1126
April 1126
Source
Elkan Nathan Adler Collection, Jewish Theological Seminary Library
ENA NS 16, fol. 11 (Original Will)
Taylor-Schechter Genizah Collection, University of Cambridge
T-S 16.44 1.35 and T-S 12.613 (join)
Princeton Geniza Project: https://geniza.princeton.edu/en/documents/2419/
https://geniza.princeton.edu/en/documents/3188/
https://geniza.princeton.edu/en/documents/3188/
Weiss, Legal Documents Written by the Court Clerk…, 129; Goitein, "Dispositions," 160.
Language
Judeo-Arabic
Formulae in Aramaic
Coverage
Geniza
Contributor
Princeton Geniza Project
Rachel Richman