Long letter (3 large pages), in the handwriting of R. Pinchas Leib Frieden, rabbi of Komarno (Komarom), with his signature, 1851.
Halachic responsum on the subject of the laws concerning a Kohen who wishes to marry an unmarried woman about whom there are rumors of pregnancy. The letter was written to his student, R. Yehoshua Halevi Tauber, rabbi of Nagyteteny. At the beginning of the letter he describes the marriage of his daughter Baila with "My friend and student R. Mordechai, rabbi of Janoshaza" [his son-in-law, R. Mordechai Reichenfeld, son of R. Yehoshua Reichenfeld, dayan (religious judge) in Eisenstadt, was rabbi in Janoshaza from before his marriage, ca. 1851].
R. Pinchas Leib Frieden Rabbi of Komarno (1802-1873) was born in Bonyhád, son of the Dayan R. Moshe of Leipnik. He studied under the tutelage of R. Wolf Boskowitz, author of Seder Mishnah. After his father's death in 1826, he succeeded him as dayan in Bonyhád. In 1831, he was appointed Rabbi of Komarno and held this position for 42 years. He headed an important yeshiva and many Hungarian and Slovakian rabbis were his disciples. He exchanged halachic correspondence with the Chatam Sofer and with the Ktav Sofer. He authored the book Divrei Pnei Aryeh (Vienna, 1859). His sons and sons-in-law served in the rabbinate: his son-in-law R. Mordechai Eliezer Weber the rabbi of Ada (disciple of the Divrei Chaim of Sanz); his son-in-law R. Mordechai Reichenfeld, rabbi of Janoshaza; his son-in-law R. Shlomo Lipman Waldeler rabbi of Shalanky (Otzar HaRabbanim 18871); his son R. Mordechai Freidman, a rabbi in Janoshaza (Otzar HaRabbanim 13981), and his son R. Moshe Frieden, rabbi of Colmar and teacher in Hamburg (Otzar HaRabbanim 15036).
3 pages, 34 cm. Fair condition; wear and many tears with slight damage to text. Stamps and wax seals.