Graziadio Nepi studied at
Ferrara for twelve years under Rabbi
Jacob Moses Ayash and subsequently was himself the teacher of many disciples in his native city. On account of his great Talmudic learning he was sent as deputy to the
Assembly of Jewish Notables convened by
Napoleon I at Paris in 1806. Upon his return he was called to the congregation at
Cento, where he held the position of rabbi until his death, his pupil becoming his successor at Ferrara. Nepi, who lived an ascetic life, was one of the highest religious authorities of his time in Italy. Among his publications were
Livyat Ḥen, a collection of the
responsa which he sent to different rabbis, and
Derushim, a collection of his sermons. His
Zekher tsadikim li-verakhah, consisting of biographical and bibliographical sketches of rabbis and Jewish scholars, was intended to complete
Azulai's
Shem ha-gedolim but left unfinished. It was completed by
M. S. Ghirondi under the title
Toledot gedole Yisrael, and published by the latter's son (Triest, 1853). A catalogue of his library was published in
Lemberg in 1873. ==Selected publications==