Takkanot (Regulations)

They that went before were affrighted (Job 18:20); [they took] a path that many have trod, princes most honorable (Numbers 22:15); the customs of our fathers are in our hands [b. Shabbat 35b], and it is the Torah, to say of the soldering: it is good (Isaiah 41:7). Either companionship or death [b. Ta‘anit 23a], for everyone helps his fellow and his brother says, “Be strong” (Isaiah 41:6). May God be good to us and strengthen our fortresses; the king’s strength who loves justice (Psalms 99:4), to love righteousness and hate evil, a fence and a hedge for the Torah and testimony (Isaiah 8:20). For it is not the same when many perform the commandments as when a few perform the commandments; and every assembly that is for the name of Heaven is destined to abide, and the gathering of the righteous is good for them and good for the world. For they have gathered the flocks and rolled away [see Genesis 29:8] the heart of stone from their flesh to strengthen principles and avoid prohibitions, groups of scholars all of them given from one shepherd (Ecclesiastes 12:11). Our eye saw all this, and our ear heard and understood it (Job 13:1): train up a child in the way he should go: and even when he is old [he will not depart from it] (Proverbs 22:6), and he will increase knowledge (Proverbs 1:5). We reverse the dictum that an error learned in youth remains [b. Pesaḥim 112a]; and though our beginning was small, yet our latter end should greatly increase [see Job 8:7]. For even if construction by boys is destruction [b. Megillah 31b], one does not learn from generalizations [b. Eruvin 27a], and since our intention is for the sake of Heaven—this is the way of the Torah: he who comes to be purified receives assistance and the small and great are there alike (Job 3:19). Now, in honor of our God we have agreed to join the tent together (Exodus 36:18), a tabernacle that shall not be taken down (Isaiah 33:20), and we have joined together to be among those who tremble at the word of God, companions who hearken (Song of Songs 8:13) to the voice of God and the voice of His Torah. This is the name that our confraternity shall be called, zealous ones who keep guard over the sanctuary (Numbers 3:28) and who are zealous in keeping the commandments [b. Yoma 28b], in turning away from evil and doing good (Psalms 34:15). Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us (Psalms 90:17) and may the purpose of the Lord prosper by our hands [see Isaiah 53:10], amen, may it be Your will. [ . . . ]

First, because we, the young ones of the flock, have surely seen that for several years the constant sacrifice has been withheld, and no one seeks out God to teach knowledge to the people (Ecclesiastes 12:9) on the Sabbaths and holidays. And since it is a tree of life to him who grasps it (Proverbs 3:18), for in this respect the words of Torah have been compared to a tree: just as a small piece of wood can ignite a large one, so too, small scholars can ignite the large ones [b. Ta‘anit 7a].

Thus, we small ones have arisen, having seen that children are fleeing from the school to wander around in the markets and streets; and the boys rose up and laughed at us [see 2 Samuel 2:14]. We have agreed that all who come near (Numbers 17:13) from among our confraternity should takes it upon himself to study a chapter or a halakhah or even one verse every Sabbath, not including the festive days of the Lord. All members of the confraternity will be required to come and be present in the synagogue—or some other place that is suitable in the opinion of the wardens presiding at that time—one hour before the afternoon prayers. There one who can read will read and one who can teach will teach. Whoever fails to come and is not present before the study begins will pay half a bianco [lit. “white”; a type of silver coin] to the treasurer of our confraternity, as we shall explain. If no one among us can be found who will commit himself to set to work and do it (Exodus 36:2), their excellencies, the wardens, will have the authority to find or to hire a teacher who will diligently study as described above. However, they must not pay out more than twelve fiorini [florins] per year. If other notable individuals of the congregation, from among the members of our community, may it be built and prosper, see fit to act likewise, to restore its former glory, then they will be similarly obligated to be present before the sermon begins, on penalty of the aforementioned fine.

In accordance with well-known teaching of the sages, of blessed memory: run like a deer [and be mighty as a lion to do the will of your Father in Heaven; m. Avot 5:20], and also in light of the greatness of the reward of those who go to the synagogue, as R. Joshua said to his sons, “Come early to the synagogue and leave it late” [b. Berakhot 8a], whoever of our confraternity does not come and is not present by the end of the recitation of the “Song [at the Red Sea]” must pay two quattrini [a small coin] to the treasury of the confraternity. If it is a day when the Torah is read, and he has not arrived when the Torah scroll is taken out, he must pay two more quattrini. And if it is a day when Musaf is said, and he has not come by the time the prayer leader has begun Musaf out loud, he must pay two more quattrini. If he has not arrived at the synagogue at all by the end of prayers, when the Mourners’ Kaddish is recited, he must pay two more quattrini. One condition for our statement is that as long as he was present in the synagogue at the time of Barekhu, even if he hurries and leaves the synagogue early, before the end of prayers, he will not be liable to any of the foregoing fines. However, anyone who does not come to synagogue on Friday nights and on holidays at the time when the prayer leader says Barekhu must pay one grosso [a silver coin].