Editing Jacob Ettlinger (section)

==Notable rulings==
In his legal responsa, Ettlinger dealt with many complex [[halachic]] dilemmas, often presenting novel theories to resolve them.

In one ''teshuvah'', he responded to Rabbi [[Zvi Hirsch Kalischer]], who was attempting to attract support for his movement to build the [[Third Temple]] and offer sacrifices there. Ettlinger expressed strong opposition. Among his arguments was that most sacrifices would not be valid in any case. Ettlinger posited that since the [[Mishna]] states that for a sacrifice to be valid it must be offered with intent to generate ''reiach'' (literally meaning "scent"),<ref>{{cite book |title=משניות זבחים |trans-title=Mishna Zevachim |url=https://www.sefaria.org/Mishnah_Zevachim.4?lang=en }}</ref> any sacrifice offered during the period of exile will be automatically invalidated, since the Torah clearly states that God declared he would no longer "inhale" the "scent" of the offerings in the epoch of exile,<ref>{{cite book |title=חומש ויקרא פרק כו פסוק לא |trans-title=Leviticus 26,31|url=https://www.sefaria.org/Leviticus.26?lang=bi}}</ref> thus rendering any intent of generating ''reiach'' void and farcical.<ref>{{cite book |last=Ettlinger |first=Jacob |title= בנין ציון החדשות|trans-title= Binyan Tzionis H'chadoshos, vol. one, ''siman'' one |language= he}}</ref>

In the famed [[Shlomo Kluger|Machine Matzo Controversy]], Ettlinger ruled that machine-made [[Matzah|Matzo]] could be used on [[Passover]]. He writes, <blockquote>"If they are disgusted with it because it is a new thing; we, the rabbis of Germany who are upright in their hearts... also distance [ourselves from] innovations regarding Torah and [[mitzvos]] as far as a bowshot away. However, what the experts and natural scholars innovate in regards to nature, why should we not accept the good from them, to strengthen the holes in our knowledge, to keep the mitzvos... as any understanding man could judge for himself."</blockquote>Nevertheless, he instituted that the matzos' edges be cut off, so that they would appear round, like traditional matzos.<ref name=Modaah>{{cite book |title= מודעה לבית ישראל וביטול מודעה|trans-title= Modaah Lebais Yisroel Ubitul Modaah|url= http://hebrewbooks.org/7146|language= he}}</ref>

In 1859, Ettlinger was consulted about an incident where a man, claiming to be the prophet  [[Elijah]] and acting on the word of God, defiled a married woman. Ettlinger was asked to determine whether the woman had acquired the status of an unfaithful wife, rendering her forbidden to her husband. Ettlinger began his response by stating: "I have reviewed all of the aspects, and it is very difficult to find a cure and a remedy for this plague of stupidity that would permit this woman to her husband." However, his final conclusion was that since the woman had believed she was acting under the express orders of God, she was to be looked at as if she had been physically compelled and had no choice in the matter.<ref>{{cite book |last= Ettlinger|first=Jacob |title= בנין ציון קנד|trans-title= Binyan Tziyon, 154 |url=https://www.sefaria.org/Binyan_Tziyon.154?lang=en}}</ref>