Sefer ha-zikhronot (Record Book)

These are the things that have no set limit [m. Peah 1:1] for the benefactors of the nation, friends and nobles, young and old, and righteous women, who have come together in the gemilut ḥasadim [charity fund] society with whole hearts and the fear of God to observe and perform in accordance with the entire law written in this book [see Deuteronomy 29:20]. They all assembled and came together [see Isaiah 43:9], those mentioned by name, and unanimously agreed before God, in the synagogue of the holy community of Ferrara, regarding these good deeds. I recorded the following conditions as a memorandum before us, in accordance with their instructions, I, Abraham Farissol, may the Rock preserve me, cantor of the holy community of Ferrara, son of Mordechai Farissol, may he rest in peace, of Avignon.

And these are the conditions and agreements that were agreed upon:

1. To establish two permanent functionaries from among them, of their own free will, who will be selected for a set period to which they gave their consent. They will be in charge of organizing and commanding everything required for the guardianship of the charity fund. One trustworthy man should be appointed to collect the money that is donated for the benefit of the charity fund. He should report to his colleagues how he collected the funds given willingly and wholeheartedly and should provide them with an accounting of the revenue and expenses. This shall be the standard arrangement from one appointee to the next appointee, whoever it may be.

2. Whoever shall be selected will have the authority to issue decrees and to summon their colleagues by name, through a lottery, to take their turns to replace them in the performance of acts of loving-kindness, including for the dead, God forbid. They will fulfill all necessary obligations, e.g., to help the sick poor as needed and to stay awake with them at night and be with them during the day, to serve them for the honor of God until they recover from their illnesses. They must also be at the side of the dying when necessary, and even after their death they are responsible for constructing their coffins, paid for either from the property of the dead or from some other available fund, as required for the dead. They must wash their bodies, bear them to the cemetery, bury them, and remain with them until the end of the burial. They must also accompany the mourners home until they sit upon the floor.

3. Whoever disobeys the orders of these chosen individuals, without a compelling, known, and valid justification, will be punished with a fine of two bolognini [a silver coin, minted in Bologna, Italy], which will be put in their fund.

4. The society together obligates itself always to keep in their possession another ten or more boards for coffins, and about two hundred nails to join the boards.

5. All members of the society commit themselves to living together in peace and tranquility, and that the selected individuals will force them to make up in the event of a quarrel, God forbid, so that not one holy Sabbath shall pass while they remain in a state of dispute. If they refuse to make peace, they will have to pay three bolognini to the fund for each Sabbath that passes until the argument has been resolved.

6. Anyone who enters the society, in the present or future, God willing, will have to pay eight quattrini, which is one bolognino and four denari, at the start of each and every month. This rate is for every member of the society, including the women who have joined us.

7. No single person from the members of the society may resign or leave it in any way. One who changes his mind and violates any of the above conditions, or someone who entered the society and now wishes to leave it, must pay six bolognini to the fund. He has not released himself from this society, or from the payment, or from any of the obligations of this society, until he pays the six bolognini, and then he will be entirely exempt. However, if it should happen that any member of the society has to move away from the city completely, either himself alone or together with the members of his household, for a necessary and convincing reason, he will be entirely exempt from everything and may depart without paying a penny.

8. If, perish the thought, a member of the society dies, ten members of the society will be obligated to go and pray in the evening and the morning in the house of the mourners all seven days of mourning, whether they are rich or poor. Whoever refuses to go must pay thirty denari to the fund every time. [ . . . ]

18. Whoever raises a hand to strike any member of the society must pay one bolognino, even if he does not hit him, and if he hits him with a stone or with a fist [see Exodus 21:18] without inflicting a wound he must pay one testone. If he bruises him without making him bleed, he must pay ten Bolognese dinars. If he makes him bleed, he must pay fifteen bolognini, and if he hits him with an iron object [see Numbers 35:16] he must pay double, each object in accordance with its level.

19. We have also taken it upon ourselves that no member of the society will be permitted to remove himself and leave the society because of regulations that the officers made or will make in the future, with the agreement of the majority of the society for the benefit of the society and charity, if they act in accordance with their authority deriving from these conditions of ours. Anyone who decides and declares that he is leaving the society must obligate himself before two witnesses to pay one testone, as stated above, which is thirty bolognini, as noted. Even so, he may only leave if he does so on account of a different reason, and he must accept upon himself, by an oath before God and the community, that he has not left due to any regulation that was imposed, but rather for some other necessary reason.