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Lengthy Autograph Halachic Responsum by Rabbi Eliezer Yehuda Waldenberg, Author of Tzitz Eliezer, Addressed to Rabbi Yisrael Welz, Av Beit Din of Budapest | 5733 [1973] - Lengthy Autograph Halachic Responsum by Rabbi Eliezer Yehuda Waldenberg, Author of Tzitz Eliezer, Addressed to Rabbi Yisrael Welz, Av Beit Din of Budapest | 5733 [1973] A substantial halachic responsum authored by Rabbi Eliezer Yehuda Waldenberg, one of the foremost halachic authorities of the twentieth century and author of the celebrated responsa series Tzitz Eliezer, addressed to Rabbi Yisrael Welz, Av Beit Din of Budapest. Menachem Av 5733 [1973]. A lengthy responsum extending across approximately four pages of the author's official stationery, entirely handwritten and signed by Rabbi Waldenberg. The responsum is divided into four sections and addresses a range of diverse halachic questions: The status of wine touched by a non-Jew. The use of borrowed bread for Lechem Mishneh on Shabbat. Whether ownership of the matzah is required for fulfillment of the mitzvah of eating matzah on the night of Passover. The intriguing question of whether one may fulfill the obligation of Havdalah on Saturday night through the greeting “Shavua Tov” (“Have a good week”). The manuscript is a classic example of Rabbi Waldenberg’s distinctive halachic methodology, combining extraordinary mastery of rabbinic literature, comprehensive analysis of earlier authorities, and a systematic examination of every aspect of the issues under discussion. The responsum was subsequently published in Responsa Tzitz Eliezer, Part XII, Responsum 37. Particularly noteworthy is an episode later recorded by Rabbi Waldenberg when publishing the responsum. He relates that he visited Rabbi Yisrael Welz only hours before his passing. During the visit, Rabbi Welz asked him to remove a particular volume from his library—one dealing precisely with the question discussed in the present responsum: whether the obligation of Havdalah can be fulfilled through the phrase “Shavua Tov.” Rabbi Waldenberg viewed this as a remarkable demonstration of Rabbi Welz’s lifelong devotion to Torah study and halachic inquiry, which remained with him until his final hours. Rabbi Yisrael Welz (1887–1974) was among the leading rabbis of Hungary, Av Beit Din of Budapest, and author of the responsa work Divrei Yisrael. Following the Holocaust, he played a central role in rebuilding Orthodox Jewish life in Hungary. His halachic correspondence with Rabbi Waldenberg reflects the enduring scholarly dialogue between two of the foremost rabbinic authorities of the postwar era. The present manuscript represents the original source text of a responsum later incorporated into one of the most important halachic works of the twentieth century. At the same time, it preserves a fascinating chapter in the relationship between two great Torah scholars, one of whom continued to grapple with the very issue discussed herein until the final hours of his life. Approximately 4 pages. Official stationery of the author. Entirely autograph, handwritten and signed by Rabbi Eliezer Yehuda Waldenberg, author of Tzitz Eliezer.