«Regolare l’uso de’ libri che deve fare questa nazione...». Il commento di Giuseppe Maria Castelli (1705-1780) sulle perquisizioni del 1753/4 nello Stato pontificio. Testimonianze inedite sulle pratiche di controllo del Sant’Uffizio sui libri ebraici

This contribution aims to address the Catholic regulation of Hebrew books through an unpublished document sourced from the Archive of the Inquisition. The document Brevi riflessioni sopra le perquisizioni fatte de’ libri ebraici nei ghetti dello stato ecclesiastico, authored by Giuseppe Maria Castelli (1705-1780), sheds light on specific facets of Catholic oversight of Jewish literary heritage within the Ecclesiastical State. It also explores the Holy Office’s stance towards Italian Jews during the 18th century, within the broader context of the challenges posed by the Enlightenment and modern cultural shifts.