smb@ulysses.UUCP (Steven Bellovin) (04/05/84)
What we have here is a failure to communicate. The "blood sacrifices" David was referring to are, I assume, the sacrificial offerings described in the Torah. "Blood libel" is a phrase that has one meaing: that Jews have (or have ever had) a practice of ritually slaughtering Christians, especially Christian children, for their blood. This blood was allegedly used in making matzoh, wine, etc. It is, of course, completely false; a Jew is forbidden to consume even the blood of a kosher animal. In fact, part of the process of preparing kosher meet involves sprinkling on coarse salt to soak up any blood. Nevertheless, the blood libel was used as the excuse for quite a number of massacres, pogroms, etc. So please, people -- if you're going to flame, please make sure you under- stand what you're flaming at.