It’s time to revisit definitions and descriptions, blood libels, nasty phrases, and dirty words. This is #1 in a series.

According to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, a blood libel is “the false and maliciously perpetuated accusation that Jews have murdered non-Jews (such as Christian children) in order to use their blood in rituals.” Blood libels have evolved and now have more contemporary uses. Today, tropes (antisemitic stereotypes and plots) are used metaphorically or expanded on in modern conspiracy theories about Jews. In other words, a blood libel is a damaging slander.

Elements of tropes have evolved into modern online conspiracies accusing Jewish people of awful or absurd actions, or the tropes demonize the State of Israel, ignoring complex circumstances or the actions of Iran, radical Islamists, the Palestinian governing authorities or Palestinian terrorists.

Blood libels against Jews originated in the Middle Ages. The earliest recorded blood libel occurred in Norwich, England, in 1144, after the mysterious death of a 12-year-old boy, William. The local sheriff did not believe the accusation and protected the Jews.

Four years later, a Benedictine monk, Thomas of Monmouth, wrote a hagiography (a biography of a saint or other religious figure) claiming that William was tortured and crucified by Jews. This........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)