Collection of eleven documents in Italian concerning the condemnation and burning of the Talmud which were probably a part of a file that belonged to a Venetian Inquisitor. Reproduced here is a summary (regesta) of six papal briefs from 1518-1537, in which Popes Leo X, Clement VII, and Paul III grant Daniel Bomberg licenses to print Hebrew books in Venice. Other documents include: orders to converted former Jews to inspect Hebrew texts for heretical content, copies of the relevant papal decrees, and reports on the events in Rome and Venice.

Summary of six papal briefs from 1518-1537 regarding the licenses granted by Leo X, Clement VII and Paul III to Daniel Bomberg for the printing of the Talmud.

In response to spreading rumors that the new printed editions of the Talmud contain offensive statements against the Catholic faith, the Consiglio orders the executors of the Commission against Blasphemy to immediately collect the printed copies of the Talmud and have them examined by several Hebrew experts who are good Christians. The Consiglio will review their report and take the necessary measures regarding the books. The names of three cardinals are mentioned: Girolimo Di Presti, Alvise Foscarini and Maffeo Venier.

In accordance with the Consiglio’s request, the executors of the Commission against Blasphemy, the monk Tommaso di Urbino of the order of Santo Domenico and the physician Giovanni Battista di Frescolini, former Jews who are now good observant Christians are nominated to carefully examine the Hebrew texts. Their reports given under oath, will be brought before cardinals.

Declaration of Giovanni Battista Frescolini, professor of theology, doctor of medicine and member of the Venetian college of physicists and Brother Tommaso di Urbino, of the order of Santo Domenico. Having examined the suspect Hebrew text, although in a short time given the quantity of books, they declare that in these books, in their view, they have encountered offenses and blasphemies against the Catholic faith and against Christians. In their Opinion, the Texts are dangerous and must be ‘extinguished and execrated’.

Version in Venetian-Italian of the Latin document of the six general inquisitors: G.P. Caraffa, R. Pio, G. Alvarez de Toledo, G. Verallo, G. Pozzo and S. Pighino calling for the confiscation and burning of all copies of the Talmud possessed by the Jews. Any copy, reproduction or publication, by either Christians or Jews, will be subject to punishment. The Talmud is condemned for containing blasphemies and offensive statements against the Catholic religion and Christians. All the sequestered copies are to be burned in Rome, in the Campo de Fiori.

Part of a letter by a commissar of the college of Cardinals who declares that on that day, 9 September 1553, at the Campo de Fiori in Rome, the burning of the Talmud took place and that a similar edict will probably be issued in Venice.

Declaration of that reconfirms the validity of the condemnation of the Talmud cited by the Consiglio dei Dieci on 22 October 1553, but also stipulates that books have been reviewed, corrected and purged of passages offensive to the Catholic religion may be kept by the Jews [the document is cut off].

Venetian-Italian version of the papal bull Cum sicut nuper by Julian III. The prelates must inform the entire Jewish community that with four months all copies of the Talmud is their possession must be presented to the ecclesiastical authorities. Transgressors with be subject to severe penalties. The Latin document was published by S. Simonshon, The Apostolic See and the Jews. Documents 1546-1555, p. 2920, n. 3215.

A congregation of cardinals accepts a request by the Jews. Permission is given to the Jews to keep the condemned books if the passages offensive to the Catholic faith have been censored and expurgated.

Venetian-Italian version of the declaration motu proprio of Pope Julian II, according to which, notwithstanding the formal condemnation of the Babylonian and Palestinian Talmud, the Jews are given permission to keep these books, if, within four months, all of the passages offensive to Christian religion are crossed out. The Latin document was published by S. Simonsohn, The Apostolic See and the Jews. Documents 1546-1555, p. 2826, n. 3235.

Unpublished document. Memorandum and report on the condemnation of the Talmud, the decisions made by the Consiglio dei Dieci and other official Venetian bodies, compiled by three Venetian commissars. The report cites the edict issued by Pope Gregory in 1242, as well as the burning of the Talmud that followed the edict of Innocent IV. In 1518, with a license from the cardinals and Pope Leo X, the Bomberg family was allowed to print the Talmud even without the censorship and supervision of Brother Felice. In 1550, the Consiglio dei Dieci in Venice became aware of the license to print the Talmud that Marco Antonio Giustiniani had received from the city Senate. When rumor spread that these books were dangerous to the faith, the same Consiglio dei Dieci, through the offices of Sebastiano Foscarini and Marco Antonio Venier, instructed the censors to look into the matter. However, in order to avoid a clash with Marco Antonio Giustiniani, Foscarini and Venier did not report to the council on the results of the inquiries. On 14 February 1550, the Consiglio dei Dieci again resolved that the executors of the Commission against Blasphemy should search for suitable people, experts in Hebrew, who could examine the Talmud. According to the report, this time as well, the Consiglio's decision was not carried out, or perhaps the results of the investigations were concealed. lt wasn't until 12 June 1553 that the three heads of the Consiglio dei Dieci - Gerolamo di Paoli, Mafeo Venier and Alvise Foscarini - ordered the three commissars: Schiavani, Longo and Valier (who was not present) to search for people sufficiently learned in Hebrew to examine the 60 tractates of the Talmud.
After a search of Venice and Padua, the three men nominated for the task were friar Leonardo, the Domenican friar Agapito - a convert, and Giovanni Battista Frescolini, a physician and convert. Before obtaining their report, the commissars also convened these theologians: the convert and Domenican friar Agapito and the Franciscan friar Paolo da Bergamo, as well as the canonists Annibale Grisogono (confessor of the nuns of Santa Giustina and vicar of the Patriarch) and Father Iacopo. Even though all of those convened were in agreement that the Talmud should be deemed a text contrary to the Catholic religion and full of heresies, they did not wish to make a written declaration to this effect, out of respect for the Pope, whom they knew was also considering the matter at that time and had already condemned the Talmud to the fire on September 9 in Rome.
Having heard the reports of the commissars, on 19 October 1553, the Consiglio dei Dieci decreed that the Hebrew texts should be burned. Hence, an enormous quantity of copies of the Talmud were burned in San Marco over a period of two days, beginning October 20. On 14 December 1553, it was reported that, three months earlier, the Alvise Bragadin had presented an appeal on behalf of the Jews in defense of the Talmud and against the decision taken in Rome to search for all copies of the Talmud in order to destroy them. On 25 November 1553, the commissars were instructed by the secretary of the Consiglio not to search any further for the Hebrew texts, until the text of the decision made in Rome on 22 October 1553 arrived.
The report continues with a brief summary of the condemnation issued on 12 August by the six cardinal inquisitors, and mentions the defense that the Jews attempted when they maintained that certain books like the Belibanicho (?) and Geniaroch did not have to be destroyed. On 14 November 1553, it was decided in Rome that 32 books had to be destroyed while another 23 could be retained. This order is only handwritten, and was not printed. A papal edict of 29 May 1554 in which it is decreed that within four months all copies of the Talmud must be presented to the ecclesiastical authorities.
In Venice, in the Consiglio, there was a discussion of the different positions taken by Rome and how these were influenced by the Jews - starting with the absolute condemnation of 12 August 1553 followed by the two, more moderate decisions of 14 November 1553 and 29 May 1554. The theologians and canonists convened by the Consiglio dei Dieci, who had issued a condemnation in accordance with the Inquisitorial edict of 12 August, now find it difficult to comprehend the new Roman positions. In the session held on 12 November 1554, the Consiglio conforms to Rome's orders and has the 23 books that have been declared permissible recovered, and burns the other 32.