Jacob Ettlinger
Encyclopedia
Jacob Ettlinger (Hebrew: יעקב עטלינגר) was a German
rabbi
and author, and one of the leaders of Orthodox Judaism
.
He was born at Karlsruhe
and died at Altona
. He received his early education from his father Aaron, who was Klausrabbiner (Rabbi
of a small synagogue
) in Karlsruhe, continuing his studies under Abraham Bing
at Würzburg
, where he also attended the university. He was thus among the earliest German rabbis who possessed academic training. In 1826 he was appointed Kreisrabbiner of Ladenburg
, with his seat in Mannheim
, where he was at the same time chief prebendary (Klausprimator). This position he held until he was called as Chief Rabbi
to Altona, where he officiated from 1836 until his death. In this position he became one of the most prominent representatives of German Orthodoxy, which stood for investigation of all aspects of secular learning through the lens of Torah
(Written and oral traditions), and accepting those aspects deemed true.
A typical story is reported by Abraham Geiger
, who formed Ettlinger's acquaintance as a student in 1829. At a school examination a teacher said that Joseph's brothers had acted in an unbrotherly fashion, whereupon Ettlinger rebuked him indignantly for speaking ill of the Twelve Tribes of Israel. His views can be judged from his first work, Bikkurei Yaakov, in the preface of which he says that he chose this title because it had the numerical value of Jacob and Rachel, who are mystically represented in the law of the Sukkah, with which the book deals. A similar belief in the doctrines of the Kabbalah
is expressed in a sermon in which he urged early burial, because as long as the body remains unburied evil spirits have power over it. In his will he left the request that the four capital punishments (stoning
, burning
, decapitation
and asphyxiation) should be performed symbolically on his body.
Ettlinger became one of the strongest opponents of the early Reform Judaism
movement, and headed the protest of the one hundred and seventy-three rabbis against the Brunswick Conference of 1844. In the following year he established the first organ of Orthodox Judaism
, "Der Treue Zionswächter, Organ zur Wahrung der Interessen des Gesetzestreuen Judenthums" with a Hebrew language
supplement, "Shomer Tziyon ha-Ne'eman," edited by S. J. Enoch.
His yeshiva
was attended by a great many students preparing for the ministry, and many of them became leaders of Orthodoxy. Samson Raphael Hirsch
was his disciple in Mannheim, and Israel (Esriel) Hildesheimer
in Altona. Four of his sons-in-law became prominent Orthodox rabbis - Isaacsohn of Rotterdam, Solomon Cohn of Schwerin, Freymann of Ostrowo, and M. L. Bamberger of Kissingen. He was the last German rabbi who acted as civil judge. Much against his will the Danish
government, to which Altona then belonged, abolished this right of the Altona Rabbi
in 1863. The purity of his character and the sincerity of his religious views were acknowledged even by his opponents. He provided in his will that nobody should call him "Tzaddik" (righteous), and that the inscription on his tombstone should contain merely the titles of his works and a statement of the number of years during which he was rabbi of Altona. The congregation obtained permission from the government to bury him in the old cemetery of Altona, which had been closed a year before.
His published works are:
He published various sermons in German, among them "Antrittsrede, Gehalten in der Grossen Synagoge zu Altona" Altona, 1836; "Rede beim Trauergottesdienst beim Ableben Friedrich III" ib., 1840; and numerous articles in the "Treue Zionswächter," a collection of which was published by L.M. Bamberger under the title "Abhandlungen und Reden," Schildberg, 1899.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
and author, and one of the leaders of Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
.
He was born at Karlsruhe
Karlsruhe
The City of Karlsruhe is a city in the southwest of Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, located near the French-German border.Karlsruhe was founded in 1715 as Karlsruhe Palace, when Germany was a series of principalities and city states...
and died at Altona
Altona, Hamburg
Altona is the westernmost urban borough of the German city state of Hamburg, on the right bank of the Elbe river. From 1640 to 1864 Altona was under the administration of the Danish monarchy. Altona was an independent city until 1937...
. He received his early education from his father Aaron, who was Klausrabbiner (Rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
of a small synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
) in Karlsruhe, continuing his studies under Abraham Bing
Abraham Bing
Abraham Bing was born in Frankfurt in 1752, and received his rabbinic training from Nathan Adler. From 1769 to 1778, he served as "Klaus" rabbi in the town of Offenbach am Main. Between 1778-1796 he served as dayan in Frankfurt, and from 1796 to 1814 he served as rabbi of the town in...
at Würzburg
Würzburg
Würzburg is a city in the region of Franconia which lies in the northern tip of Bavaria, Germany. Located at the Main River, it is the capital of the Regierungsbezirk Lower Franconia. The regional dialect is Franconian....
, where he also attended the university. He was thus among the earliest German rabbis who possessed academic training. In 1826 he was appointed Kreisrabbiner of Ladenburg
Ladenburg
Ladenburg is a town in the district of Rhein-Neckar-Kreis, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated on the right bank of the Neckar, 10 km east of Mannheim, and 10 km northwest of Heidelberg.It has an old town from the Late Middle Ages...
, with his seat in Mannheim
Mannheim
Mannheim is a city in southwestern Germany. With about 315,000 inhabitants, Mannheim is the second-largest city in the Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg, following the capital city of Stuttgart....
, where he was at the same time chief prebendary (Klausprimator). This position he held until he was called as Chief Rabbi
Chief Rabbi
Chief Rabbi is a title given in several countries to the recognized religious leader of that country's Jewish community, or to a rabbinic leader appointed by the local secular authorities...
to Altona, where he officiated from 1836 until his death. In this position he became one of the most prominent representatives of German Orthodoxy, which stood for investigation of all aspects of secular learning through the lens of Torah
Torah
Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
(Written and oral traditions), and accepting those aspects deemed true.
A typical story is reported by Abraham Geiger
Abraham Geiger
Abraham Geiger was a German rabbi and scholar who led the founding of Reform Judaism...
, who formed Ettlinger's acquaintance as a student in 1829. At a school examination a teacher said that Joseph's brothers had acted in an unbrotherly fashion, whereupon Ettlinger rebuked him indignantly for speaking ill of the Twelve Tribes of Israel. His views can be judged from his first work, Bikkurei Yaakov, in the preface of which he says that he chose this title because it had the numerical value of Jacob and Rachel, who are mystically represented in the law of the Sukkah, with which the book deals. A similar belief in the doctrines of the Kabbalah
Kabbalah
Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...
is expressed in a sermon in which he urged early burial, because as long as the body remains unburied evil spirits have power over it. In his will he left the request that the four capital punishments (stoning
Stoning
Stoning, or lapidation, is a form of capital punishment whereby a group throws stones at a person until the person dies. No individual among the group can be identified as the one who kills the subject, yet everyone involved plainly bears some degree of moral culpability. This is in contrast to the...
, burning
Execution by burning
Death by burning is death brought about by combustion. As a form of capital punishment, burning has a long history as a method in crimes such as treason, heresy, and witchcraft....
, decapitation
Decapitation
Decapitation is the separation of the head from the body. Beheading typically refers to the act of intentional decapitation, e.g., as a means of murder or execution; it may be accomplished, for example, with an axe, sword, knife, wire, or by other more sophisticated means such as a guillotine...
and asphyxiation) should be performed symbolically on his body.
Ettlinger became one of the strongest opponents of the early Reform Judaism
Reform Judaism
Reform Judaism refers to various beliefs, practices and organizations associated with the Reform Jewish movement in North America, the United Kingdom and elsewhere. In general, it maintains that Judaism and Jewish traditions should be modernized and should be compatible with participation in the...
movement, and headed the protest of the one hundred and seventy-three rabbis against the Brunswick Conference of 1844. In the following year he established the first organ of Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
, "Der Treue Zionswächter, Organ zur Wahrung der Interessen des Gesetzestreuen Judenthums" with a Hebrew language
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
supplement, "Shomer Tziyon ha-Ne'eman," edited by S. J. Enoch.
His yeshiva
Yeshiva
Yeshiva is a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and Torah study. Study is usually done through daily shiurim and in study pairs called chavrutas...
was attended by a great many students preparing for the ministry, and many of them became leaders of Orthodoxy. Samson Raphael Hirsch
Samson Raphael Hirsch
Samson Raphael Hirsch was a German rabbi best known as the intellectual founder of the Torah im Derech Eretz school of contemporary Orthodox Judaism...
was his disciple in Mannheim, and Israel (Esriel) Hildesheimer
Azriel Hildesheimer
Esriel Hildesheimer was a German rabbi and leader of Orthodox Judaism. He is regarded as a pioneering modernizer of Orthodox Judaism in Germany and as a founder of Modern Orthodox Judaism.-Biography:...
in Altona. Four of his sons-in-law became prominent Orthodox rabbis - Isaacsohn of Rotterdam, Solomon Cohn of Schwerin, Freymann of Ostrowo, and M. L. Bamberger of Kissingen. He was the last German rabbi who acted as civil judge. Much against his will the Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
government, to which Altona then belonged, abolished this right of the Altona Rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
in 1863. The purity of his character and the sincerity of his religious views were acknowledged even by his opponents. He provided in his will that nobody should call him "Tzaddik" (righteous), and that the inscription on his tombstone should contain merely the titles of his works and a statement of the number of years during which he was rabbi of Altona. The congregation obtained permission from the government to bury him in the old cemetery of Altona, which had been closed a year before.
His published works are:
- Bikkurei Yaakov (ביכורי יעקב), on the laws of SukkotSukkotSukkot is a Biblical holiday celebrated on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei . It is one of the three biblically mandated festivals Shalosh regalim on which Hebrews were commanded to make a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem.The holiday lasts seven days...
, Altona, 1836 (2d ed. with the addition of Tosefot Bikkurim, ib. 1858); - Arukh la-Ner (ערוך לנר), glosses on various Talmudic treatises (on Yevamot, Altona, 1850; on MakkotMakkotMakkot is a book of the Mishnah and Talmud. It is the fifth volume of the book of Nezikin. Makkot deals primarily with laws of Jewish courts and the punishments which they may administer, and may be regarded as a continuation of tractate Sanhedrin, of which it originally formed part.Included in...
and Keritot, ib. 1855; on SukkahSukkah (Talmud)Sukkah is a book of the Mishnah and Talmud. It is the sixth volume in the Order of Moed. Sukkah deals primarily with laws relating to the Jewish holiday of Sukkot...
, ib. 1858; on NiddahNiddahNiddah is a Hebrew term describing a woman during menstruation, or a woman who has menstruated and not yet completed the associated requirement of immersion in a mikveh ....
, ib. 1864; on Rosh ha-Shanah and SanhedrinSanhedrinThe Sanhedrin was an assembly of twenty-three judges appointed in every city in the Biblical Land of Israel.The Great Sanhedrin was the supreme court of ancient Israel made of 71 members...
, Warsaw, 1873); - Binyan Tziyon (בנין ציון), responsaResponsaResponsa comprise a body of written decisions and rulings given by legal scholars in response to questions addressed to them.-In the Roman Empire:Roman law recognised responsa prudentium, i.e...
, Altona, 1868; She'elot u-Teshuvot Binyan Tziyon ha-Chadashot, Wilna, 1874 (a continuation of the preceding); - Minchat Ani (מנחת עני), homilies, Altona, 1874.
He published various sermons in German, among them "Antrittsrede, Gehalten in der Grossen Synagoge zu Altona" Altona, 1836; "Rede beim Trauergottesdienst beim Ableben Friedrich III" ib., 1840; and numerous articles in the "Treue Zionswächter," a collection of which was published by L.M. Bamberger under the title "Abhandlungen und Reden," Schildberg, 1899.