Nishmat Chaim, inquiries on the soul and its immortality, by R. Menasseh ben Israel. Amsterdam: printed by son of author – Samuel Abarbanel Soeiro, 1651. First edition.

Copy of R. Yair Chaim Bacharach, Rabbi of Worms, author of Chavot Yair. On title page (under the title) appears his signature (faded): "Yair Chaim Bacharach".

Another signature, partially deleted by ink, of former owner: "Moshe son of [Eliezer] Katz [Rabbi of Metz]" – signature of R. Moshe Katz Naral, Rabbi of Metz (on his familial relationship with the Chavot Yair, see below).

Many glosses on leaves of the book, most apparently handwritten by R. Moshe Naral and some handwritten by the Chavot Yair.

On verso of title page, dedication in Sephardic semi-cursive script: "A gift sent from me, the author, to the most virtuous and glorious crown of his people, R. Yitzchak son of R. Shimshon, governor and leader of the generation". The meaning of this inscription is not fully clear to us. It is not clear if this is a dedication by the author R. Menasseh ben Israel, nor who is the leader "R. Yitzchak son of R. Shimshon" (the name matches that of R. Yitzchak son of R. Shimshon Katz, son-in-law of the Maharal, who was also a grandfather of the Chavot Yair – but it is not reasonable that he is referred to, since he passed away in 1624 while the present book was printed in 1651).

Additional signatures on title page and following leaf: "Yitzchak Itzik…", "Shmuel Wimpe".

R. Yair Chaim Bacharach (1638-1701), Rabbi of Worms, prominent Torah scholar of his generation and leading halachic authority of all times. A disciple of his father R. Shimshon Bacharach and of R. Mendel Bass, Rabbi of Frankfurt. In 1666, he was appointed Rabbi of Koblenz, and in 1669, he returned to Worms as deputy rabbi to R. Aharon Teomim and dayan in the city. After the sack of Worms in 1689, he fled together with the community, and upon their return he was appointed to succeed his father and grandfather as rabbi of the city, a position he held until his passing. He was known as a tremendous Torah scholar, well-versed in all Torah fields, with a phenomenal memory and outstanding erudition which are reflected in his works. He was also well versed in sciences. He composed dozens of works, most of which remained in manuscript; some were published in recent times. He is however best known for his responsa work Chavot Yair. Although Chavot Yair only contains a small part of over six hundred responsa which he prepared for print, the book was received as a fundamental responsa work and important source for halachic ruling, and is mentioned repeatedly in halachic literature until this day. His other works include: Mekor Chaim, commentary on Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim, which he prepared for print but before it was actually published, Maginei Eretz appeared, containing the Turei Zahav and Magen Avraham commentaries, which are composed in a similar way to his work, compelling him to rewrite his work (it was eventually published based on his manuscript in 1982-1984); Mar Kashisha – Talmudic methodology, published in 1993; and a huge encyclopedic work of forty-six volumes which was lost, of which only the index part titled Yair Netiv is extant.

In relation to the present copy, the Chavot Yair mentions this book several times in his works, including at the beginning of his "dedicated introduction" to his Mekor Chaim, where he writes: "Since man's soul longs to establish a reputation… as pleasantly explained by the Torah scholar and philosopher R. Menasseh ben Israel in his book Nishmat Chaim…".

R. Moshe Katz Naral (ca. 1598-1659), Rabbi of Metz, a leading Polish Torah scholar, disciple of the Maharsha and peer of R. Yehoshua Heshel of Cracow. At first he disseminated Torah in several Polish cities, but in the wake of the Chmielnicki massacres he fled to Metz, where he was appointed as rabbi. His son is R. Tuviah Katz HaRofe, author of Maaseh Tuviah (Venice 1707). His work Birkat Tov (Venice 1711) was printed by the same son. When R. Moshe Naral passed away, R. Shimshon Bacharach – father of the Chavot Yair – married his widow, making R. Tuviah HaRofe the stepbrother of the Chavot Yair, which is likely also how the present book passed from R. Moshe Naral to the Chavot Yair.