Letter of Halachic Responsum by R. Shabtai Elchanan MehaZekenim Rabbi of Casale

Letter of Halachic Responsum by R. Shabtai Elchanan MehaZekenim Rabbi of Casale
Letter from R. Shabtai Elchanan MehaZekenim, halachic responsum regarding squeezing lemons on Shabbat. [Casale Monferrato, Italy, ca. 18th century]. "What you asked about the argument which arose in your town concerning squeezing lemons using a specialized utensil, that there are some who are lenient and some who are stringent, and your opinion is to be stringent, you have done well, your reasoning is straight, and I have already ruled to prohibit this…". R. Shabtai Elchanan MehaZekenim (del Vecchio; 1708-1776), foremost Italian Torah scholar, disseminated Torah in many communities, including Livorno, Ancona and others. In 1739, he was appointed rabbi of Casale Monferrato. He was a close disciple of R. Yitzchak Lampronti, who quotes twenty of his responsa in his book Pachad Yitzchak (something no other Italian Torah scholar of his times merited). R. Chananel Neppi describes the connection between the two as such: "There was intense love between him and R. Y. Lampronti". The Chida met him in his travels through Italian towns, and also grew attached to him. R. Shabtai Elchanan and the Chida exchanged many letters, and the Chida even printed one of his responsa in his Responsa Chaim Shaal. He authored many compositions, all of which remain in manuscript form. He is known by his signatures "Sheba" or "Malkat Sheba", with which he signed many responsa. This letter is signed "Chashai MehaZekenim" - acronym of Chizkiya Shabtai Elchanan. The name Chizkiya was added in the wake of a fatal illness, as he explains in his description of his various signatures, in Responsa Taam Zekenim (still in manuscript form, in the introduction to the Orach Chaim section). [1] leaf. 22 cm. Good condition. Stains. Folding marks. Tear and several holes from ink erosion (affecting text very slightly).