Regulations

We, the elders and leaders of the village of Hasköy, have signed below on the advice of our teacher, the rabbi, may he enjoy a long life. Whereas, there are in this village of ours an association of men who perform charitable works, namely the kayīkjis [caique-owners; boatmen], who have undertaken the meritorious deed of forming an association, united as one, to set up a mutual charity box, in which each individual can place the sum he chooses for the poor and needy among them on occasions of rejoicing and gladness. Likewise, in reverse circumstances—heaven forbid!—they can assist when a man dies without the means to defray his burial expenses; and they can also provide the mourner’s meal of consolation for his widow and mourners, by supplying them with good food during the mourning period. Additionally, if—heaven forbid!—it is heard in town that a Jew has drowned in the sea, they will send three or four of their men to sail up and down the coast for a day or two to conduct a thorough search in case the drowned person is found, so as to bring him to burial. This is the charity they perform toward the dead and the living.

Now, after the passage of much time, some of them began to slacken in their performance of this meritorious deed, and therefore their elders took the initiative and assembled all the associates in order to renew their undertaking to perform their meritorious deed. They all consented and reaffirmed their original undertaking. Each undertook to make weekly donations into the alms box, in sums they could afford, and the box was kept by them for the poor and needy among the boatmen, as stated above. They further gladly undertook to hand over, weekly, the money in the charity box to the distributing overseer. In the event that someone was unable to donate in one particular week, he was to make good the deficit in the second or third week, at most by the fourth week, at which point he would hand over the money for the four weeks together at once, without any refusal or objection whatsoever. If he is stubborn and does not wish to give, the elders have the authority to extract a penalty of one grush from him, even through the gentile courts. Those associates further undertook that two men would collect the money from them each Sabbath eve.

They have undertaken to observe, perform, and fulfill these rules from this day onward. They have been granted permission to make one weekly collection for charity in the synagogues and houses of study, and in homes and courtyards, for the purpose of performing benevolent works, as the obligation they have undertaken is huge and they require support, for they are an impoverished group of men. Moreover, the owners of the saloons commissioning boats laden with wine to bring to the village have volunteered to bring four metros [in Ladino, a measure of volume] of wine in the boat free of charge and without claiming any expenses, with the profit from those four metros added to the charity box. May the Almighty recompense them for their good deeds!

Likewise, fruit sellers in the village who sail in their boats are obliged to donate to the charity box on a weekly basis, as they are regarded as members of the boatmen’s association. May all who assist and support them receive a blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation (Psalms 24:5)! To provide our backing and support, we have signed below, toward the end of the month of Nisan in the year 5468 from the Creation [1708], in Constantinople, and the matter is true and certain, binding, clear and established.

We hereby attest that the members of the association of charitable works, the boatmen’s association, have agreed to implement all the stipulations of this document. All that has been spoken is well said, and they have agreed to confirm and fulfill it in all their deeds. We decree, with the force of the Torah, that no Jew may challenge their activities in any way whatsoever, for the matter is divinely established [see Genesis 41:32], and their intentions are worthy, especially as this is not a novel requirement but a demand from days of yore and ancient times. May all who assist and support them receive a blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation!

The words of the signatories in truth, toward the end of Nisan, 5468 from the Creation; and it is firm, affirmed, and established.