This is a book from my Antique books collection. Rabbi Shmuel Halevi (1624 – 1681) was a disciple of the author of the Ta”Z, and of Shabasai Sheftel Horowitz, son of the ShLa”H.
It is a fine example of early printing from the town of Fuerth in Bavaria. Hebrew printing was begun in Fuerth in 1691 by S.S. Schneur and his sons Joseph and Abraham and son-in-law Isaac Bing. From 1691 to 1698 they issued 35 works, including this one.
Rabbi Shmuel Halevi is known by the name of his work, “the author of Nachalat Sheva” (which means the Estate of the Seven).
He lived-at first in Mezhirech in the district of Poznan. When Mezhirech was destroyed by Czarniecki in 1656, R. Samuel escaped to Halberstadt, where for three years he lived in great poverty and was assisted by a number of friends he made there.
In 1660 he was appointed regional chief rabbi of Bamberg, but since the authorities would not permit the rabbi of Bamberg to live in the town itself, his seat was at Zeckendorf, a village about two hours’ journey from Bamberg. R. Samuel based his rulings almost exclusively upon the halachah (the Talmudic law), without regard to the local customs which originated with the scholars of Germany. As a result, he aroused the opposition of the rabbis and laymen of the district, and was compelled to leave Bamberg in 1665. For a time he was without a post, until he was appointed rabbi of Kleinsteinbach, where he remained until his death.
The original book contained the formulae of legal deeds of every kind, both in matrimonial and civil law, and clarified the relevant laws in accordance with earlier and later Rabbis. This book was finished in 1664 and the publication in Amsterdam in 1667 was personally supervised by Rabbi Shmuel.
Toward the end of his life Rabbi Shmuel succeeded in publishing the Mahadura Batra [“second edition”] le-Sefer Nachalat Shiva (Frankfort, 1681), which includes corrections and additions as well as replies to the strictures upon it which appeared after its first publication, especially those of R. Jair Hayyim Bacharach in his Hut ha-Shani and those of R. Aaron Samuel Koidanover.
Nachalat Shiva became very popular because of its practical value in the drawing up of marriage and divorce documents.
After R. Samuel’s death, his son R. Abraham republished this edition in Fuerth in 1692, adding a second part containing 85 of his own responsa as well as others, including those of R. Aaron Samuel Koidanover. As can be seen below, the book has a number of Haskomos (approbations) from various contemporary rabbis.
Jewish Miscellanies 