The Blood Libel and Talmudic Censorship

Since ancient times, Jews have been falsely accused of killing non-Jews for ritual purposes. In medieval Europe, beginning in the twelfth century, this was often accompanied by accusations that Jews used their victims’ blood to bake matzah for the Jewish holiday of Passover. This ridiculous but deadly lie would eventually lead to subtle Talmudic Censorship. The Blood Libel and Talmudic Censorship