Legal document: T-S 8J5.4

Legal document T-S 8J5.4

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Court notebook in the hand of Ḥalfon b. Menashshe ha-Levi. Fol. 2r, bottom text block: Outline of an employment agreement. Dated: Tuesday, 17 Tammuz 1438 Seleucid = 28 June 1127 CE. This document records a qinyan between Avraham b. Aharon ha-Kohen and Isḥāq b. Saʿīd in which Isḥāq agrees to work for Avraham to repay a debt of an unspecified amount. Isḥāq is to be compensated the fixed wage of 2 dirhams a day, with half a dirham going towards repayment of the loan. If Isḥāq leaves before the debt is fully repaid, his compensation is to be retroactively reduced to 1.5 dirhams a day, and he must still repay the debt; and if Avraham terminates him before the debt is fully repaid, his compensation is to be retroactively raised to 2.5 dirhams a day. As the two work together for a longer period, the incentive for each not to terminate the relationship increases. (Information from Lieberman, "A Partnership Culture," 181.) See also detailed translation and commentary in Goitein's attached notes.

T-S 8J5.4 2r

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Transcription

Translation

Phillip Ackerman-Lieberman, "A Partnership Culture: Jewish Economic and Social Life Seen Through the Legal Documents of the Cairo Geniza" (PhD diss., Princeton University, 2007).

Recto

  1. Abraham ha-Kohen b. Aaron (who) r(ests in) E(den)
  2. and his employee Isḥaq b. Sa‘īd established between the two of them
  3. that debt would be repaid which was owed this Abraham ha-Kohen by his employee,
  4. this Isḥaq, half a dirham each day; and that he would work for him
  5. until he pays what he owes, in return for two dirhams each day, in dull business conditions
  6. or active. If he leaves before paying in full
  7. and requests his portion for the days (for which he is due) maintenance, his wage (will be)
  8. a dirham and a half each day; and he (Abraham) is (still) entitled to the quarter(-dirhams) owed by him (Isḥaq) for the remainder.
  9. (Similarly,) if this Abraham evicts him in accordance with his will before his debt has been repaid,
  10. he is entitled to the amount at the rate of two dinars and a half each day.
  11. A qinyan was performed with each of them this Tuesday, the 17th of Tammuz 1438.

T-S 8J5.4 2v

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T-S 8J5.4 1r

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T-S 8J5.4 1v

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