رسالة: AIU VII.E.97

الوصف

Letter from Shelomo Barukh, in Damietta, to his uncle Shemuel ha-Levi, in Cairo. In Judaeo-Arabic. Dated: Friday, 29 Adar I 5559 AM, which is 6 March 1799 CE. Shelomo writes to his uncle letting him know that a letter has arrived from Shelomo Ben-Ṣahal informing them that money has been lent to Raḥamīn Portos (the key verb يقرض here is undotted as יקרט). Shelomo explains the transaction with Raḥamīn: ״יא מחבנא אן צבטנא פי רחמין וקרטנא עליה ולם ערפנא נכוד מנו שאי וקעד פיה יעקוב פורטוס״ (O dear one, we took care with Raḥamīn. We lent to him and didn't know to take anything from him and Yaʿaqov Portos is sitting on it (i.e. the sum)"). This latter phrase could mean that Yaʿaqov Portos now has possession of the loaned funds or perhaps that he stood as guarantor to the loan in the event that Raḥamīn failed to repay. Shelomo's concern about "not taking anything" from Raḥamīn, may indicate that he did not think it was necessary to hold something as collateral for the loan. Two of the key nouns in this letter require further examination: אלעשרה חרשר (the ten ___) and בלבלאס (possibly a non-Romance word with a Ladino plural ending). MCD