Legal document: Bodl. MS heb. c 13/21

Description

Engagement (shiddukhin) agreement. Since there are no betrothal (erusin/qiddushin) agreements in the Geniza before the twelfth century, this document is probably an engagement agreement despite the fact that 'amlaka' means either 'betrothed' or 'engaged,' and despite the fact that the word engagement is not mentioned directly in the document. he engagements were conducted in front of both the Babylonian and the Palestinian congregation as both Yefet b. David, the leader of the Palestinian congregation, and Avraham b. Sahlān (mentioned here as the 'Aluf he-Ḥaver) and his son Neḥemya from the Babylonian congregation are mentioned. Friedman (Jewish Marriage in Palestine, 2:447) dated the document to 1028 CE, despite its verso: Bodl. MS. Heb. c 13, fol. 22v(?). From the same ledger: ENA 4010.28, ENA NS 8.15, and Bodl. MS heb. c 13/21.