Agunah: Identifying Drowned Husband by Facial Recognition and Birthmark

Date: Erev Rosh Chodesh Elul 5573

From: Rabbi Moshe Sofer

To: Rabbi Yaakov Weiler

Description

A local beis din forwarded testimony to the Chasam Sofer regarding a man named Gadil ben Avraham HaRabavi who was swept away in a flood along the Váh river in August 1813. A witness who had known the deceased for twenty-five years identified the body by facial recognition and a liver-colored birthmark on the right shoulder; the deceased's mother independently confirmed the birthmark. The siman records only the testimony, with the Chasam Sofer's ruling presumably following in a subsequent teshuva.

Source: Shu"t Chasam Sofer EH I §87

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