Regulations Regarding the Tax Imposed on “Outsiders” – Jews Who Are Not Residents of Mantua but Conduct Business in the City or Its Vicinity. With the Text of Chapters 30 and 31 from the Mantua Community Tax Regulations, Relevant to This Matter. Printed with the Signature of Rabbi Yisrael Gedaliah ben Moshe Kazis. The Second Part Includes the Text of the Ban, Signed in Print by Rabbi Yaakov ben Simcha Yehuda Saraval. Mantua (Italy), 1774. Single Leaf. Rare.
The regulations stipulate that Jewish merchants arriving from outside Mantua who are not residents of the city must pay a tax of one-quarter of a percent of the value of goods sold or purchased at the great fairs. Anyone who refrains from paying this tax will be subject to the ban specified below – all of their property will be confiscated, and they will incur the curse: “Cursed in his house, on his way, when he lies down, and when he rises.” Conversely, those who abide by the regulation will receive the blessing of G-d.
In the 18th century, under Papal rule, certain restrictions were imposed on the Jews of Mantua, but these did not severely hinder economic opportunities. The Jews were engaged in trade, industry, and craftsmanship, particularly excelling in silversmithing and diamond production. The Jews of Mantua, recognized as experts in raw materials and jewelry trade, played a vital role in the local market and participated in a variety of fields, including agriculture, food trade, textiles, and brokerage services. On market days, the city witnessed intensive commercial activity as Jewish merchants from communities in France, Spain, Germany, and other countries arrived to sell, buy, and trade goods – transforming Mantua into an important economic and cultural hub for European Jewry. These regulations were intended to protect the welfare of local merchants from potential economic harm caused by cross-border trade conducted over their heads.
Size: 36×25 cm. Minor tears on the margins. Clean, well-preserved paper. Condition: good – very good.
