Lot 119
Nachalat Yaakov - Responsa of the Shelah, the Levushim and Italian Torah Scholars, with the Approbation of the Shelah - Padua, 1622-1623
Nachalat Yaakov, collection of responsa pertaining to monetary matters and Issur VeHeter, compiled by R. Yehoshua Yaakov Heilprin. Padua: Gasparo Crivellari, 1622-[1623]. Only edition.
The compiler of this book, R. Yaakov Heilprin (Otzar HaRabbanim 9582), was a disciple of the Maharam of Padua and R. Avigdor Cividali of Venice, Polish exiles who reached Italy. He served as rabbi in several communities, finally settling in Padua close to the end of his life. Most of the book is comprised of the responses sent by the Torah scholars of the generation to the author's questions. The authors of the responsa include the Shelah, the Levushim, and leading Italian Torah scholars: R. Yitzchak Gershon, R. Simcha Luzzatto, and others. The Torah scholars whose responsa are presented in this book, are listed in the leaf following the title page.
At the beginning of the book (before the list of authors), the approbation by R. Yeshayah HaLevi Horowitz - the Shelah, in praise of R. Yaakov Heilprin and his book, and a recommendation to print and buy the book: "It is fitting, and a mitzva to print it, to fulfill 'and the land will be filled with knowledge', and whoever sees it should buy it…". This approbation was written by the Shelah in Venice, on his way to Eretz Israel.
4, [1], 5-48, [4] leaves. 18.5 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains. Dampstains. Light traces of past dampness to margins of final leaves. Minor tears and damage to margins of title page and second leaf, slightly affecting title border, repaired with tape. One other leaf in the middle reinforced with paper. Tear to bottom of final leaf, repaired. Leaves trimmed close to text, slightly affecting text of final leaf and in other places. New binding.
The Bibliography of the Hebrew Book lists two copies, one of them containing several blank pages, and the other, from the library of N. ben Menachem, containing only one blank page - p. 26b. This copy, just like the ben Menachem copy, contains only one blank page.
Regarding further typographic differences between the various copies, see: Y. Rivkind, Dikdukei Sefarim, Sefer HaYovel LiChevod Alexander Marx, New York 1950, p. 429.
