Extremely interesting question in halachah: What is the halachah of a Jew who has 12 children, and the city’s minister has exempted him from paying various taxes for this reason. Do we say that the law of the land is the halachah [דינא דמלכותא דינא] and he is exempt, or that the law lies with the community leaders who say that individuals cannot determine the law for themselves? Rabbi Sarwal deliberates the law at length, and concludes that the halachah is that this exemption exists and is valid, and we do say in this case that law of the land is the halachah. Rabbi Shlomo Chai Sarwal was the emissary responsible for funds for Jerusalem in Venice in the days of Moshe Zakut, the Rama”z, and he signed before him on approbations and letters (see, for example, in Sefer Kavanat Shlomo: Venice, 1670). He was the son of Rabbi Nechemiah Sarwal, son of the renowned gaon Rabbi Leib Sarwal [see his praises in the Chid”a’s entry on him in Shem HaGedolim]. His being a descendant of Rabbi Leib Sarwal’s is mentioned at the beginning of his approbation to Nachalt Tzvi (Venice, 1666). Rabbi Ya’akov Margaliot (survivor of the Chmielnicki massacres of 1648-9) who arrived in Venice thanks him at the end of his book, Kol Ya’akov (Venice 1658) in these words: ‘The complete sage, crowned by the Torah with which is is occupied his whole life, and the poor of the Land of Israel, and the redemption of captives … our teacher and our rabbi, Rabbi Shlomo Chai, multifaceted, son of the great gaon Michyah Sarwal … He is also one of the seven shepherds of Israel in the Venice community … he sits among the sages who are complete in secrets of the Torah, expert and sharp in in-depth scholarship, gemara and adjudication. [6] pages. 15×21 cm. Ink on thick, quality paper. Hebrew in clear, upright Italian script. Handwritten signature by Rabbi Shlomo Chai Sarwal at the end of the responsum. Fine condition. Minimal aging stains.