Yam Shel Shlomo - Signature of Rabbi Shmuel HaLevi Kelin (Loew), Author of Machatzit HaShekel, and Signatures of ...

Yam Shel Shlomo - Signature of Rabbi Shmuel HaLevi Kelin (Loew), Author of Machatzit HaShekel, and Signatures of his Family Members
Yam shel Shlomo, on Tractate Yevamot, by R. Shlomo Luria, the Maharshal. Altona, [1740]. Printed by Aharon Katz. Illustrated title page (figures of Moshe and Aharon, King David, Ya'akov and the angels).
On leaf [2] is a (cutoff) signature of R. "Shmuel HaLevi son of Natan". Under the signature is an ownership inscription that the book belongs to his son R. Wolf Boskowitz, author of Seder Mishna, handwritten and signed by his grandson R. Yosef Boskowitz, who writes under the signature of R. Shmuel HaLevi: "He is Wolf HaLevi Boskowitz son of the aforementioned, Yosef HaLevi Boskowitz son of the aforementioned".
The renowned R. Shmuel HaLevi Kelin (Samuel Loew), author of the Machatzit HaShekel (1720-1806) was an outstanding Torah scholar. He served for 60 years as Dayan and head of yeshiva in the city of Boskovice in Moravia, teaching thousands of disciples including hundreds of future rabbis and poskim.
He was meticulous in mitzvah observance - mitzvot between man and G-d as well as those between man and his fellow. He exerted himself greatly performing acts of charity, chessed and mitzvot. He was also known for his holiness and devoted prayer, as attested by his son: "Anyone who had an ill person in his home or any type of distress, would request that he pray on their behalf". Not only from his near vicinity but also from afar he would receive requests for prayers on behalf of those in need of deliverance.
In his great humility, he refused to accept a rabbinical position. He declined positions offered to him in large and important cities such as Prague (before they appointed the Nodah B'Yehuda), Oven Yashan (Óbuda) (before the Maharam Mintz) and Pressburg. In a letter to the heads of the Pressburg community he wrote that he is willing to be the "Shul Klapper" [name given to the synagogue official whose duty was to make the rounds of the houses in villages to call the men for morning prayers], but would not agree to serve as rabbi. He was known by the title of his important composition Machatzit HaShekel, a commentary on the Magen Avraham on the Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim and was also famed for the his other works which were printed after his passing.
After R. Natan Adler moved from Frankfurt am Main to serve in the Boskovice rabbinate, he took his disciple Moshe Sofer [later author of the Chatam Sofer] with him, and he became very close to the elderly R. Shmuel Kelin and studied Torah from him. In the books Chatam Sofer, R. Moshe Sofer refers to him with lofty titles.
His renowned son Rabbi Binyamin Ze'ev Wolf HaLevi Boskovitz (1740-1818), author of Seder Mishne, was a prominent Hungarian rabbi. He served in the rabbinate and taught Torah in the communities of Aszod, Prostějov, Pest, Kelin, Yarmit (Balassagyarmat) and Bonyhád. His celebrated outstanding genius and sharp mind were greatly esteemed by the leading rabbis of his generation such as the author of the Nodah B'Yehuda, Rabbi Betzalel Ronsburg, Rabbi Mordechai Bennet, the Chatam Sofer and Rabbi Akiva Eiger and others.
[3], 93, [3] leaves. 31.5 cm. Fair condition. Wear and stains. Mildew marks. New binding.