(Halachic novellae to Talmud and Responsa)

Unpublished Manuscript by R. Wolf Chajes of Palota (Várpalota), Distinguished Disciple of Chatha"m Sofer. The author was a disciple of the famed "Chatha"m Sopher," R. Moshe Sofer (Schreiber) of Mattersdorf and later Pressburg, Hungary (1762-1839). This is borne out in several places: "Kol zeh kathavti le-Adm"o ha-Rav ha-Gaon Mo"h Moshe Ab"d de-K"K M[aters]d[orf], ve-heishiv li, ve-z[eh] l[eshono]" (par.221; old foliation f.72v.); "ha'atakah mah she-sha'alti le-ha-Rav ha-Gaon de-K"K P[ress]b[urg]"…ve-zoth ha-teshuvah…P[ress]b[urg], 2 Tammuz 5580 [1820]…Moshe Sofer" (par. 419; new foliation ff.157r.-158v.). The latter exchange concerns an adulteress. The disciple records several responsa he received from his great teacher (see pars. 371-2; old foliation ff.130v.-131r.; new foliation ff.135v.-136r.) The disciple is "Wolf Chajes, Rabbi of Palota," as he is addressed in the many responsa to him. Pálota, or Várpalota, as it is presently called, is situated in Hungary's Central Transdanubia, about halfway between Papa in the West and Budapest in the East. (Our "Wolf Chajes" is not the son of R. Tzvi Hirsch Chajes [Mahara"tz Chajes], who lived a full generation later.) Par. 385 (new foliation 143r.) is a lengthy query from the disciple "Zev Wolf" to his master R. Moshe Sofer, dated "Wednesday, Third Day of Chanukah, 5583 [1823]." The question concerns a man who went to the market of Pest and has yet to return, meanwhile, his wife gave birth to their firstborn. Should the Beth Din redeem the baby after thirty days ("Pidyon ha-Ben") or should the ceremony be delayed until the father's reappearance? Chap. Two contains a "Sugya…that I said before bachurim when I was in the community of Tretsh." In par. 421 (new foliation f.160r.) is a "Derasha le-Shabbath ha-Gadol, 5580 [1820]." On f.170v. (new foliation) is a halachic discussion as to the proper spelling of the city "Palota" for the purpose of writing a "Get" (bill of divorce). The discussion continues on f.171r. concerning the proper Hebrew spelling of the adjacent River Szenhely. Par. 189 (old foliation f.63v.) consists of an interpretation in the name of "ha-ma'or ha-gadol R. David Deitch." (Deitch was a Dayan in Nikolsburg and Rabbi of Brünn in 1820. See N.Z. Friedmann, Otzar Harabanim 4756.) Par. 369 (new foliation f.135r.) records an explanation received from "ha-ma'or ha-gadol ha-mephursam Ab"d Papa [Hungary]." Par. 404 (new foliation f.150r.) contains a transcript of a responsum from the Rabbi of Kitsee to R. Wolf of Palota concerning an adulteress. On f.175r. (new foliation) there is recorded a Talmudic interpretation in the name of the Rosh Beth Din of P[ress]b[urg]. On f. 188v. (new foliation) there is a question dated "Monday, 16 Ellul, 5572 [1812]." On f.189v. (new foliation) there is an interpretation of Tractate Pesachim in the name of "ha-ga'on ha-mephursam R. Meshulam [Igra] AB"D K"K Pressburg." On the final leaves (new ff. 223v.-224v) there is a record of family births and deaths. The earliest inscription concerns the death of the Author's father Levi in 1802; the latest concerns the death of the Author's brother Kopel in 1849. According to the biographer M.A. Z. Kinstlicher, R. Wolf Chajes was a disciple of the Chatham Sofer and of R. Levi Pollak of Tretsh (later Rabbi of Stampi). Born circa 1768, he lived in Lackenbach until approximately 1810, when he was installed as Rabbi of Palota, a position he held until his death in 1847. (However, this would contradict the final entry in the Family Register.) Kinstlicher references the numerous responsa to him in the published Teshuvoth Chatham Sofer. By the terms of endearment that the teacher bestows upon his student, we may glean how highly the Chatham Sofer esteemed R. Wolf Chajes, "Pressburg, Sunday, 24 Menachem [Av], 5572 [1812]: Peace to my student, as beloved as my son, R. Wolf Chajes, Rabbi of Palota. His pleasant letter arrived this very moment. I should not respond at all as I am, due to my many sins, perplexed and preoccupied by my mourning upon the death of my wife, the righteous Rebbetzin, Madam Sherl, of blessed memory, who departed this world on the thirteenth of Menachem [Av]. In addition, I am away from home, convalescing in the region called Zuckermandel; there are no books found in which to research. I have looked only in Maginei Aretz [i.e. Shulchan Aruch], but not in Rishonim. It would have been proper to delay responding, but as His Honor wrote that the matter is very urgent and affects the public, here is my response…" (par. 372, old foliation f.130v.; new foliation f.135v.; printed in She'elot u-Teshuvoth Chatham Sofer, Orach Chaim, Chap. XXXII; He-Chadashoth, Chap. LXX; cited in Kinstlicher [2005], p. 89). R. Wolf Chajes was one of the defenders of Orthodoxy in a Hungary beleaguered by the Reform movement. See the introduction to the new edition of Minchath Ani by R. Issachar Dov Baer Lamdan of Miskolc (another distinguished disciple of the Chatha"m Sofer)