Shu"t Handwritten and Signed by the Gaon Rabbi Yosef Shaul Nathansohn, Author of Shoel U'Meishiv

Shu"t Handwritten and Signed by the Gaon Rabbi Yosef Shaul Nathansohn, Author of Shoel U'Meishiv
Halachic responsum by the gaon Rabbi Yosef Shaul Nathanson, author of Shoel U'Meishiv, in response to a halachic query (included) from the gaon Rabbi Shabtai Braunfeld of Chata, one of the Ktav Sofer's foremost disciples. Lemberg, 1873.
Before us is actually a 'Shu"t' (She'elah U'Teshuvah), that is, both the letter with the question, and the responsum by the author of Shoel U'Meishiv. The responsum from the author of Shoel U'Meishiv is written on the letter with the original inquiry, which was written and signed in the hand of Rabbi Shabtai Braunfeld of Chata. The query extends over three pages, and opens with the words: "... may the gaon of geonim, Sar HaTorah ... (many honorifics) ... be well and granted a long life ..." The question deals with a solitary witness's reliability in prohibited matters. The detailed responsum (approximately 80 words) by the Shoel U'Meishiv appears at the end of the question.
Rabbi Yosef Shaul Nathanson [1808-1875] was the author of Shoel U'Meishiv, rabbi of Lemberg for about twenty years, one of the great geonim of Galicia, and leading responder of his generation. Questions were sent to him from all corners of the world; approbations were requested from him, as well as grants of authority to instruct and letters of rabbinic ordination. He was known as "holy from the womb," already appreciated in his youth by leaders of the generation, led by the author of Chatam Sofer. The Chatam Sofer's son-in-law said in his eulogy for him: "Gaon among geonim, rabbi of the Jewish people ... to whom the rabbinic leaders of our generation sent their difficult questions." The author of Divrei Chaim of Sanz also writes many honorifics about him "גאון הגאונים רבן של ישראל... אשר אליו הריצו כל גדולי זמננו שאלותיהם בדבר הקשה" in Shu"t Shoel U'Meishiv Mahadurah Tanina Part I siman 24.
Rabbi Shabtai Sheftel Braufeld [1840-1918] was the Av Beit Din of Erda-Telek and rabbi of Myza-Cheta. He was one of the prominent disciples of the Ktav Sofer and of the Mahar"i Assad.
To the best of our knowledge, this responsum does not appear inֲ Shoel U'Meishiv.
[4] pp. 28x22 cm each. (Address and postmark on the final page.)
Fine condition. Fold marks. Aging stains.