Responsa Shev Ya’akov, both parts in one volume – Frankfurt am Main 1742 – first edition – exemplar of the holy Gaon Rabbi Shaul Levinstam, Av Beit Din of Amsterdam, author of ‘Binyan Ariel’, on whom the Chida wrote "I was honored to welcome the Shechinah" – his holy signature – with the signature of the author’s brother, author of Responsa Shev Yaakov, the Gaon Rabbi Avraham Paprish Katz, Av Beit Din of Teplitz
At the top of the title page of the first part appears the signature of the author’s brother:
"Avraham son of the Gaon Binyamin Paparash Av Beit Din of Teplitz ya”a (May Hashem Preserve It).” In the upper margins of the title page (which were cut by the binder) above the signature, there are some remnants of letters that apparently survived from a dedication written by the author’s brother, Rabbi Avraham Av Beit Din of Teplitz (whose approbation is printed at the beginning of this Sefer), to Rabbi Shaul Av Beit Din of Amsterdam.
Further down on the title page, above the Sefer’s title, is the signature of Rabbi Shaul Av Beit Din of Amsterdam:
"HaK’ Shaul residing here in Amsterdam ya”a".
Another signature on the title page of the second part: "Hak’. Moshe Yosef son of the late
Rabbi Yisrael… residing in Warsaw".
The Gaon Rabbi Shaul Levinstam (1717–1790) was the son of the daughter of the ‘Chacham Tzvi’ and great-grandson of the Rebbe Rabbi Heshil of Krakow. Served in the Rabbinate of Lukatch, Dubna (from 1749), and from 1755 he began to serve as the Av Beit Din of the Ashkenazi congregation in Amsterdam, succeeding his father, Rabbi Aryeh Leib. His many responsa were printed in the Seforim of the sages of his generation. In his lifetime, he printed his composition ‘Binyan Ariel’ (Amsterdam 1778) Chiddushim on the Torah, the five Megillot, and tractates of Shas. The giants of his generation admired his holiness and his teachings very much. The ‘Noda BiYehuda’ writes to him in one of his responsa: "I am standing and waiting for the time when the words of his virtue will come out in the light of print and will reach me and I will make of them a crown on my head to make them pleasant in the eyes of all the dignitaries of the generation and to announce his nature in the world" (Noda BiYehuda, II, Orach Chaim, §101). The Chida’s words in his Sefer ‘Shem HaGedolim’ in which he writes about him: "And I, the poor,
had the privilege of greeting the Shechinah in the year 1778, when I passed by on a mission of Mitzvot, and I was privileged to enjoy his Torah, his humility, and his perfection" are well known.
The Gaon Rabbi Avraham Paprish Katz (dec. 1745 – Etz Chaim, Bobov, pamphlet 13, pp. 20 et seq.), was a distinct disciple of the Gaon Rabbi Yonatan Eibshutz, and the brother of the author of the ‘Shev Yaakov’ (the Sefer before us ). Served as Av Beit Din of Teplitz. Passed away in his youth. After his passing, many rabbis eulogized him, and his Rebbe, Rabbi Eibshutz also "eulogized him with a great eulogy…
for he was an extremely inclusive Rabbi and well versed in all the corridors of the Oral Torah, and before the terrible illness conquered him he innovated wonderful Chiddushim which he sent to the sages of Prague… and made with them a name for himself as one of the great ones who are in the land" (Toldot Gedolei Yisrael, Karmoly, Metz 1828, p. 102).
[1] 109, [1] 139 pp.. A separate title page for each part. The first title page is restored in an old restoration. Age and usage stains. Wear in some of the stains on the first pages. Partially restored original cover in new, antique style and leather spine. Good condition.
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