TY - JOUR
T1 - The Blood Libel and the Blood of Circumcision
T2 - An Ashkenazic Custom That Disappeared in the Middle Ages
AU - Gross, Abraham
PY - 1995
Y1 - 1995
N2 - Discusses a custom which appears in a book on laws and customs of circumcision by R. Jacob ha-Gozer (ca. 1230, in the region of Worms or Mainz), written by his pupil. The book relates that the cloth on which the "mohel" wipes his hands and mouth, sullied by blood, is spread over the synagogue entrance to publicize the commandment. This book is the only source relating this custom. Queries why the custom disappeared, suggesting that the chronology of the custom's decline accords with the rise of the incidence of blood libels in 13th-century Ashkenaz and the beginning of the Christian association of Christian blood with the circumcision ceremony. Therefore, apparently, a historic factor caused the demise of the custom rather than the usual rabbinic decree.
AB - Discusses a custom which appears in a book on laws and customs of circumcision by R. Jacob ha-Gozer (ca. 1230, in the region of Worms or Mainz), written by his pupil. The book relates that the cloth on which the "mohel" wipes his hands and mouth, sullied by blood, is spread over the synagogue entrance to publicize the commandment. This book is the only source relating this custom. Queries why the custom disappeared, suggesting that the chronology of the custom's decline accords with the rise of the incidence of blood libels in 13th-century Ashkenaz and the beginning of the Christian association of Christian blood with the circumcision ceremony. Therefore, apparently, a historic factor caused the demise of the custom rather than the usual rabbinic decree.
U2 - 10.2307/1454826
DO - 10.2307/1454826
M3 - Article
SN - 0021-6682
VL - 86
SP - 171
EP - 174
JO - The Jewish Quarterly Review
JF - The Jewish Quarterly Review
IS - 1-2
ER -