R. Jacob was born in Salonika and was a disciple of R. Hasdai ha-Kohen Perahyah. His father, R. Abraham b. Jacob (b. c. 1610), grandson of R. Abraham b. Moses di Boton, was also a disciple of R. Hasdai ha-Kohen Perahyah and was appointed chief rabbi of Salonika in 1678. He was among the opponents of Shabbetai Zevi. During the lifetime of his father, R. Jacob acted as dayyan, with the specific task of enforcing payments imposed by the bet din. When his father died, he failed in his attempt to succeed him as chief rabbi, despite the recommendation of R. Solomon Amarillo. He is known to have written four other books: (1) a commentary on the Mishnah, written during the plague of 1679 when he was in the village of Libada; (2) a commentary on the Ittur of Isaac b. Abba Mari, a part of which was published with the responsa; (3) a work on the novellae of Solomon b. Abraham Adret and on other topics; (4) commentaries to the Talmud and the posekim. A fragment from this work was included in his one printed book.

מעבר לשער: הקדמת הספר, מאת ר' [חיים] משה אמארילייו. דף רלב, א - רסד, א: עניינים מפוזרים ומפורדים מחדושי דינים וקצת לשונות הש"ס והפוסקים ראשונים ואחרונים ... משארית הפליטה אשר נמצא מהרב המחבר ז"ל ולא נצרכא אלא לפלפולא והנשאר טמון באש (בראשי העמודים: לקוטים). דף רסד, ב: הסכמה שהסכימו ... רבני העיר יע"א: ר' יוסף קובו, ר' שלמה אמאריליין, שליש אחרון מחודש שבט תפ"א.