Hearsay Testimony and Simanim to Release an Agunah

From: Rabbi Moshe Sofer

To: Rabbi Yosef Yoel Deutsch

Description

A woman had been an agunah for eighteen years after her husband disappeared. The Chasam Sofer rules that she may remarry, finding that: identification through nickname, a known legal dispute, and the son's occupation constitutes sufficient simanim; ketata does not apply since the husband merely traveled without any marital quarrel; and the hearsay testimony specifying that the death occurred in Bohoslav itself is reliable under all opinions, eliminating concerns of premature announcement or mere rumor.

Source: Shu"t Chasam Sofer EH I §70

View original source

Explore the full interactive rabbinic map →