Takkanot (Regulations)
The Jewish Communities of Altona, Hamburg, and Wandsbek
1714–1733
No householder or unmarried man above the age of thirteen may wear a colored hat in the synagogue on Shabbat or Yom Tov, only a black hat. Likewise, a householder may not come to the synagogue wearing a neck scarf on Shabbat or Yom Tov, but leaders of the community, even those responsible for collecting charitable donations, will not wear a neck scarf even on weekdays. However, an unmarried man may wear a neck scarf, even on Shabbat and Yom Tov.
No man or woman, youth or unmarried maiden, may visit the homes of gentiles to drink on Shabbat and Yom Tov. It is also forbidden to attend peepshows or comedies, and fencing schools on Shabbat; the fine for so doing is four and a half reichsthalers. Women and maidens are forbidden to attend the opera even on weekdays; the punishment for so doing is the same fine.
Added on 12th Heshvan 1714: it is forbidden—and fined as above—for anyone to attend the opera except during the week of Hanukkah or that in which Purim falls. And whoever disobeys this rule, if he is a householder, he may not hold any of the community’s offices [ . . . ] and he will be shamed, humiliated, and fined by the community, may it exist forever. And if a woman or a youth or a maiden contravenes this rule, their deed will be made public and he or she will be fined, shamed, and humiliated as is fitting in the eyes of the community, may it exist forever, and they will lose the right to dwell in the community.
Added on Thursday 26th Sivan 1725: it is strictly forbidden for any man or woman, youth or maiden to go for a drive in a wagon and even more so a carriage on Sunday or on any Christian holiday. And it is not even permitted to go out of the city gates and go for a drive in a wagon or carriage. And going for a drive in a carriage is even forbidden the entire year; it is also prohibited to go for a ride on a horse on any day of the year, and to travel by boat on the River Elster on Sunday or any Christian holiday. And whoever transgresses one of these rules will be punished with a fine of ten reichsthalers.
Young men and maidens may not learn to dance with a dancing master, and even more so serving men or maids; the fine for this is thirty reichsthalers and forced excommunication.
Every householder has the right to lodge a complaint and request judgment in the synagogue, but as soon as the parnas [community leader] promises him that the judgment will be given within three days, the householder must return to his seat. And if the parnas delays giving the judgment more than three days, then the parnas must pay a fine of ten reichsthalers, half of this for his Royal Highness the King and half to be given charity. If the parnas will prove before the community and the head of the rabbinic court that the householder made an unlawful complaint, the householder will pay a fine of ten reichsthalers as above.
On the Shabbat before the leaders of the community are to be appointed, the beadle will make an announcement as follows: All our householders living in Hamburg and Altona, no man may leave his house, for when the beadles come to call each householder and do not find him straight away, they are required by oath not to search for him. And they will not wait and tarry for him, but will go at once to the community council and choose someone else instead of him. And that same householder who did not come straight away with the beadle will pay a fine of ten reichsthalers, half of this for his Royal Highness the King and half to be given charity; no excuse whatsoever is acceptable.
Added on 26th Sivan 1698: If a householder will for some reason be forced to leave his house on the election day, as above, he must reveal to his household where he has gone, so that if the beadle will come to call him, they will be able to find him. At any rate they will not wait for him more than a quarter of an hour. [ . . . ]
And on the day on which officials of the community are appointed, no man, not even a non-Jew, may enter the community council building. If a man enters by force or with violence he will pay a fine of eight reichsthalers, half of this for his Royal Highness the King and half to be given charity.
Added on 26th Sivan 1698: On the same day that the officials are chosen, no one may smoke tobacco in the council house and whoever transgresses this order will be fined two reichsthalers.
The community council and the officials will on that day have at their disposal eight reichsthalers for food and beverages.
Added on 26th Sivan 1698: They shall have ten reichsthalers for this purpose and the collectors will bring the ten reichsthalers to the community council, and from there the expenses will be given, so that the bill should not exceed ten reichsthalers. [ . . . ]
Card games and all kinds of games, even ball games, are completely forbidden. However, on Hanukkah and Purim it is permitted to play them for one week. And a woman or unmarried maiden may not play with a householder or an unmarried man and even more so with a non-Jew. Also, she may not play outside her home after the time of the afternoon prayer; whoever disobeys this rule will be punished with a fine of four reichsthalers and whoever plays will be considered as one who transgresses a ban and will not be allowed to perform any holy rituals for three years.
Credits
Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 5.
