Legal document: T-S 20.3

Recto

1. … (there is no need) for a complete mention of its boundaries in this 

2.  deed . . . . (This is a definitive gift, open and public, like a deed of a healthy person, 

3. (3-4) not like a deathbed gift; it is an eternal gift,made under the strictest conditions regarding gifts, as from today, and after death, and forever; I did not leave anything of this duwayra, to which this (deed of) gift refers, to any of my other heirs after my death. I give her full power over all of it, after my death, to buy and sell, to bequeath and pledge, to sell . . . . 

4.  

5.  and to demolish, to build and add wings, or give it as a gift to whomever she wants. Nobody can prevent her, or her heir after her, in my name, as from today and after my death and forever. I completely forbid her to sell it to a Gentile. If she decides to sell it 

6.  after my death, it should be to one of Israel, may they be blessed. Since thus any harm would be avoided from the compound in which I live now, as it includes a share belonging to the poor, may God make them rich by the mightiness of His mercy. She is also forbidden to build any ṭabaqa in it 

7.  or anything else, or add anything to it whatsoever, that would conceal the light from the said compound in which I live or would damage it, since this would also harm the part of the poor; it should rather remain in (its previous state. It is on this condition that I give her property rights over it. I stipulate that 

8.  if she decides to sell and sells (the compound) she will have to stipulate the same to the buyer in the deed of sale, in order that no harm be caused to the poor. I have made this duwayra to be hers from now on, and after death, and given her property rights over it, on the said condition. It now belongs to her, and not to 

9.  any of my other heirs, by this (deed of) gift. (This also applies to) its land, since there is no ḥikr incumbent upon it, since the ḥikr of the big compound includes this one too; also (to) its earth, clay, foundations, bricks, stones, lime, gypsum, palm branches, canes, wood, doors,

10.  openings, iron, nails, locks; (to) its qāʿa (which is its) lower part, and its verandas, since nowadays it only has a qāʿa and verandas and nothing else; its corridors and passages, its roofs and staircases both made of stone or of wood, its pipes and water conduits; and all its

11.  accessories and rights are now hers, with its entrances and exits, entrances and exits [in Aramaic, again], the ways of ascent and descent; its bottom and its top, and all rights of possession that are in it, either beneath or above, either inside or outside, from the depth of the earth to the height of the sky, as are its rights of possession 

12.  from eternity. I cannot revoke this (gift) . . .  have singled out this gift for her … and not for anybody else, nor for any of my other heirs after me. So write and sign it in the market, so it be not 

13.  a hidden gift, and since she will serve me and stay constantly with me, I have absolved her as from now on from all claims and demands and any other obligations and consequences that might be invoked by any of my heirs against her during her lifetime after 

14.  my death, or against any of her other heirs after her, concerning any relations between me and her and anything which she disposed of for my benefit for ever in the past and till now and also any future relations or dispositions in my favor, as from today and after death. This absolution is complete, perfect, 

15.  definite, decisive, resolute, firm, of any other claims and demands, (being) an absolution like the one made by) collection and acquittal, an absolution which is irrevocable, no pretext could abolish it, or interpretation override it. (It is made) in the most firm and trustful meanings of absolutions, as regulated by our Sages. I herewith declare her 

16.  trustworthy in whatever she says against any of my heirs, concerning whatever she might ever have disposed of for my benefit in the past till now and whatever she might dispose of from now on and after (my) death and in any deed of hers, with no exception, like two trustworthy witnesses. None 

17.  of my heirs or anybody else can require an oath from her in any of these matters, either light or serious, or (apply to her) an oath by implication, or even an anonymous ban. None of my other heirs after me or any other court,whatever their category or type 

18.  can sue her alter my death for any particular thing concerning me,whatever its name and title or for any claim whatsoever, either explicit or implied, or collect anything from her after my death which she might have received from me during my lifetime

19.  or charge her in my name with betrayal or a breach of faith or with anything else, little or much, even of the worth of a penny or more, since all this is given to her by me as a gift after (my) death, a gift which is irrevocable, by the formula "from now on". 

20.  Nobody can claim any obligation whatsoever from her in his favor, either a demand or (any charge for) a single word. I did not impose on her any oath of any kind, either severe or light or even by implication, or any anonymous ban, or anything to be collected of what she took over in her possession even 

21.  if it be . . . during all my lifetime. (Nobody should) harass her in anything, little or much, important or trivial, even of the worth of a penny or more. God, the Almighty, shall account for anybody who shall harass her and act toward her contrarily to what I have decided by this 

22. (22-23) deed. I wrote her this document so that she and her heirs after her have it with them against my other heirs after me. Legal, sound and valid, giving right of possession, to be accepted as right in any court forever, not like formulas or prototypes of documents, but like the most firm and regular documents of purchase, sale and release enacted by our Masters, of blessed memory. The right of property (given) by this deed of gift and release against my other heirs after me (embodies) the most firm and trustworthy meanings of the right of property, and (is) as enacted by the Sages. Any documents, in any writing or language, which shall be issued ni order to oppose and abolish this deed are void from now on 

23.  

24.  before you, considered as a shard found in the market, that has no substance. Any court (before which) they shall be issued will not consider them for a case. I also made void any (court)notifications or conditions, or secondary notifications, or implicit ones, of any kind whatsoever, that might be delivered to me or that I delivered regarding this deed, as enacted by the Sages. 

25.  And we acquired from this .., after having. identified her, the daughter of our Lord and Master .... ha-Zāqēn, of blessed memory, for this Sitt al-Dār, the daughter of our Lord and Master Saul ha-Zāqēn, of blessed memory, everything that is written and detailed above; by an instrument that is fit to serve for acquisition; we wrote, signed, and gave this evidence to this Sitt al-Dār, in order that it be 

26.  with her as a right and a proof. This occurred in the last ten days of the month of Adar of the year 1428 of the reckoning which is usual with us in Fustat of Egypt which is situated on the Nile River. Firm, sound, and valid. 

27.  (confirmation of words written over cancellations or between the lines) all of them are valid and here is their validation. Everything gives power of possession, is firm and valid. 

28.  Ḥalfōn ha-Levi, b. R. Menashē, of blessed memory; Isaac, b. R. Ghālib ha-Ḥazzān, of blessed memory; Ḥalfōn ha-Kohen, b. Joseph, of blessed memory; 

29.  Abraham, b. Solomon, of blessed memory; Moses, b. ʿAlī, may he have a good outcome. This document has been validated before us at the court, in a session of three. Its text and witnesses are listed above, 

30.  and its validation is part and parcel of it , here beneath, in the hand of the signatory witnesses, namely our Lord and Master Ḥalfōn ha-Levi, b. R. Menashē ha-Ḥazzān ha-Levi, of blessed memory, our Lord and Master Isaac ha-Ḥazzān, the son of our Lord and Master Ghālib ha-Kohen, of blessed memory, our Lord and Master Ḥalfōn ha-Kohen, the son of our Lord and Master Joseph ha-kohen, of blessed, memory, our Lord and Master 

31.  Abraham ha-Zāqēn, the son of our Lord and Master Solomon ha-Zāqēn, of blessed memory, and our Lord and Master Moses, the son of our Lord and Master ʿAlī ha-Zāqēn, may he have a good outcome, who sign with their own hand; Ḥalfōn ha-Levi, b. R. Menashē, of blessed memory; Isaac, b. R. Ghālib ha-Flazzan, of blessed memory. Halfon b. Joseph, of blessed memory; Abraham b. Solomon, of blessed memory.

32.  Moses b. 'Ali, may he have a good outcome, with their symbols. As the signatures, in their own hand, of our Lord and Master Halfön ha-Levi, our Lord and Master Isaac ha-Ḥazzān, and our Lord and Master Ḥalfōn ha-Kohen, have been recognized by us, as of those three (persons), with their symbols, we validated and confirmed them as required. 

33.  Abraham, b. R. Shemaʿyā he-Ḥāvēr, may his soul dwell at ease, and his seed inherit the earth, the grand-grandson of Shemaʿyāhū Gāʾōn, of blessed memory; Isaac, b. R. Samuel ha- Sefāradī, may he be remembered (to live) in the world to come; Abraham, b. R. Moses, may he have a good outcome.