Permitting Agunah to Remarry Based on Multiple Identifying Marks on Drowned Body

From: Rabbi Moshe Sofer

To: Rabbi Yitzchak Tiktin

Description

The body of Heiman Uhrmacher was recovered from water bearing several identifying features, including leech bite marks on a specific finger and a scar on the right eyelid — each constituting a siman muvhak — as well as recognition of the body's build by multiple witnesses following Rabbeinu Tam's ruling. The Chasam Sofer rules that these three strong pillars, each independently sufficient, combine overwhelmingly to permit the wife to remarry, while deferring final issuance to his father-in-law who had initially handled the case.

Source: Shu"t Chasam Sofer EH I §56

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