May 11, 1415

Papal Bull “Etsi doctoris gentium” issued by Antipope Benedict XIII [Present-day Spain]: “[…] prohibit all persons without distinction, publically or privately, to hear, read, or teach the doctrines of the Talmud […] that within one month there is to be collected in the cathedral of every diocese all copies that can be found of the Talmud [… ] and every other writing that has directly or indirectly any relation to such doctrine; and all the diocese and inquisitors are to watch over the observance of this decree, visiting Jews personally or by others, within their jurisdiction every two years, and punishing severely every delinquent […] 2) […]that no Jew may make, repair, or under any pretense have in his possession any crucifix, chalices, or sacred vessels nor bind Christian books in which the name of Jesus Christ or the most Holy Virgin Mary is written. Christians who give any of these articles to Jews […] are to be excommunicated. 4) No Jew may exercise the office of judge, even in causes that may occur among his people. 5) All synagogues recently built or repaired are to be closed. Where there is one, it may remain, provided it is not sumptuous […]but should it proven that any one of the said synagogues has at any time been a church, it is immediately to be closed. 6) No Jew may be a physician, surgeon, or apothecary, shopkeeper, provision’s dealer, or marriage maker, or hold any other office, whereby he has to interfere in a Christian’s affairs; nor may Jewesses be midwives, or have Christian nurses, nor may Jews have Christians to serve them, or sell to, or buy provisions of them, or join them at any banquet, or bathe in the same bath, or be stewards or agents to Christians, or learn any science, art, or trade in their schools.  7) […] in every city, town, or village, where there are Jews, barriers shall be appointed for the residence apart from Christians. 8) […] all Jews and Jewesses shall wear on their clothes a certain red and yellow sign […] men on their breasts of the outward garment, and women in front. 9) […] no Jew may trade, or make any contract; thus to avoid the frauds they practice, and the usuries they charge to Christians. 10) […] all Jews and Jewess converted to the Catholic faith […] may inherit from their unconverted parents and relatives; [we] declare null any testament, codicil, last-will or donation inter vito they may make to prevent any of their property to devolve to Christians. 11) […] in all cities, towns, and villages, where they may be a number of Jews, the diocese may deem sufficient, three public sermons are to be preached annually, one on the second Sunday of Advent; one on the festival of the Resurrection and the other on the Sunday when the Gospel ‘And Jesus approached Jerusalem’ is chanted. All Jews above 12 years of age shall be compelled to attend to hear these sermons. The subjects are to be the first to show them that the true Messiah has already come, quoting the passages of the Holy Scriptures and the Talud that were argued in the disputation of Jerome of Santa Fe; the second to make them see that the heresies, vanities, and errors of the Talmud, prevent their knowing the truth; and the third, explaining to them the destruction of the Temple of the city of Jerusalem, and the perpetuity of their captivity, as our Lord Jesus Christ and the other prophets had prophesied. And at the end of these sermons this bull is to be read, that the Jews may not be ignorant of any of these decrees. […]”