Letter: T-S 13J13.30

Recto

1. In Y(our name), O M(erciful). To the gate of the nagidate, may your rule last forever.

2. (2-7) To the honor of his excellency, dignity of the nagidate, wreath, magnificence, mantle and crown of our lord, the turban of our magnificence, our master and rabbi, our lord Samuel, the great Nagid of the people of the Lord of Hosts, prince of princes, Nagid of Negidim, grandee of grandees, the right hand of the kingdom, the diadem of nobility, may God crown the people of Israel with your long life and make lasting your rule until the coming of the teacher of righteousness. Amen, so let it be. The servant  

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8. informs your holy excellency, may God benefit you: it is not hidden from our lord

9.  the fear my father, m(ay he rest in) E(den), was in, for he feared my husband greatly. He (i.e. my husband) told me: 

10. “Look at the misery and fear your father was in. Do what will release me 

11. and not hurt you.” He wrote a bill of divorce with an early date, so that If I have need (12) of it I will s[ho]w it to be divorced. I do not know whether [.....] or not. When 

12. [...] the fear. I demanded that he [return] to live at home [as he was used to] doing, but he did not

13.  come. I went to Cairo for my demand [for his return (?) to] my home, except if he would put my heart at ease 

14. and come to Fustat, for there is a condition obligating him not to lodge me in Cairo. He an[swered] 

15. to my face: “You have no home with me.” I asked him: “[For] what reason?” He said: “You will not [...] 

16. until you agree to a delayed marriage gift of two dinars.” I left the city (i.e. Cairo) to my home [...] 

17. five months. He provided neither for me nor for my family. I [lef]t the matter to his gentlemanly character and tho[ught] 

18. that the matter would be settled and we would not burden his Excellency, our lord. However, when he sensed that I 

19. intended to inform his excellency of my matter, he started demanding reconciliation (ṣulḥ) between us according to what 

20. he thought best [...] I refused to do that,

21.  except according to the opinion of your excellency, our lord, and according to what the law of Israel (sharʿ yisraʾel) requires. 

22. The servant [asks] that my case be presented before you and you would examine my situation. For I am a desolate [woman],

23. I have no man. I have only God, the exalted, //?// and your excellency. [Your excellency is?]

 

Recto, margin

the father of orphans and the judge of widows. May God, the exalted, not lock your gate in the face of anyone of Israel [...] and may He bring about the days of the Messiah in your lifetime, so let it be. Amen and Amen.