What is a "blood libel"?

[Orsorum]

I'm reading about Jewish history, and there are numerous mentions of various "blood libels" taking place... I can't find a definition anywhere... anyone have any idea?

 

[Moonbeam]

You can have your pound of flesh, but not one ounce of blood.

"A most barbarous secret for a long time suspected in the Jewish nation...at last came to light in the city of Damascus, that of serving themselves of Christian blood in their unleavened bread...a secret which these 1840 years must have made many unfortunate victims." Jasper Chasseaud, US vice-consul, Beirut, Lebanon, 1840 CE.

 

[Orsorum]

?

 

[Moonbeam]

Ansewer

 

[Moshe]

A blood libel was a fabrication of enemies of the Jews to massacre them. It worked as follows: shortly before the Jewish holiday of Passover the rumors would begin to spread that Jews use the blood of Christian children in the baking of Matzoh. [Matzoh=flat crackers made from flour and water, eaten on Passover when Jewish law prohibits the eating of bread] When thhe townsfolk were worked into enough of a frenzy the pogroms would begin. A twist that was sometimes employed was for the leaders of these riots to actually kill a Christian child and to hide the body in the yard of the Rabbi or at the Synagogue an to then bring the mobs along and "find" the body thereby "proving" their story.

Interesting to note:the Torah prohibits the consumption of any blood at least six times. [Leviticus 3:17, 7:26, 7:27, 17:10, 17:12, 17:14]

I hope you find this information useful.