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Last update - 13:41 12/02/2007 Bar-Ilan prof. defiant on blood libel book 'even if crucified' By Ofri Ilani, Haaretz Correspondent The author of a book on the use of blood by Jews in Ashkenazi communities in the Middle Ages said Sunday, in the face of the furor its publication aroused, "I will not give up my devotion to the truth and academic freedom even if the world crucifies me." In an interview with Haaretz from Rome, Professor Ariel Toaff said he stood behind the contention of his book, "Pasque di Sangue," just published in Italy, that there is a factual basis for some of the medieval blood libels against the Jews. However, he said he was sorry his arguments had been twisted. "I tried to show that the Jewish world at that time was also violent, among other things because it had been hurt by Christian violence," the Bar-Ilan history professor said. Of course I do not claim that Judaism condones murder. But within Ashkenazi Judaism there were extremist groups that could have committed such an act and justified it," he said. Advertisement Toaff said he reached his conclusions after coming across testimony from the trial for the murder of a Christian child, Simon of Trento, in 1475, which in the past was believed to have been falsified. "I found there were statements and parts of the testimony that were not part of the Christian culture of the judges, and they could not have been invented or added by them. They were components appearing in prayers known from the [Jewish] prayer book. "Over many dozens of pages I proved the centrality of blood on Passover," Toaff said. "Based on many sermons, I concluded that blood was used, especially by Ashkenazi Jews, and that there was a belief in the special curative powers of children's blood. It turns out that among the remedies of Ashkenazi Jews were powders made of blood." Although the use of blood is prohibited by Jewish law, Toaff says he found proof of rabbinic permission to use blood, even human blood. "The rabbis permitted it both because the blood was already dried," and because in Ashkenazi communities it was an accepted custom that took on the force of law, Toaff said. There is no proof of acts of murder, Toaff said, but there were curses and hatred of Christians, and prayers inciting to cruel vengeance against Christians. "There was always the possibility that some crazy person would do something." Toaff said the use of blood was common in medieval medicine. "In Germany, it became a real craze. Peddlers of medicines would sell human blood, the way you have a transfusion today. The Jews were influenced by this and did the same things. "In one of the testimonies in the Trento trial, a peddler of sugar and blood is mentioned, who came to Venice," Toaff says. "I went to the archives in Venice and found that there had been a man peddling sugar and blood, which were basic products in pharmacies of the period. A man named Asher of Trento was also mentioned in the trial, who had ostensibly come with a bag and sold dried blood. One of the witnesses said he was tried for alchemy in Venice and arrested there. I took a team to the archives and found documentation of the man's trial. Thus, I found that it is not easy to discount all the testimony," he added. Toaff, who will be returning to Israel today, said he was very hurt by accusations that his research plays into the hands of anti-Semitic incitement. "I am being presented like the new Yigal Amir. But one shouldn't be afraid to tell the truth." Toaff also said, "unfortunately my research has become marginal, and only the real or false implications it might have are being related to. I directed the research at intelligent people, who know that in the Jewish world there are different streams. I believe that academia cannot avoid dealing with issues that have an emotional impact. This is the truth, and if I don't publish it, someone else will find it and publish it." Still, Toaff says he is sorry he did not explain some of the points in his book more clearly. He claims that he has been making the same arguments for a long time. "After 35 years of research, I have not become a stupid anti-Semite, and have not published a book to make money." In any case, Toaff says he believes his findings have current implications. "Extremists in the past brought disaster on us by false accusations. I wanted to show that hatred and incitement of this kind can develop, because there will always be someone who will take advantage of it." Meanwhile, Bar-Ilan University announced Sunday that its president, Professor Moshe Kaveh, will summon Toaff to explain his research. The university's statement said it strongly objected to what was implied in media publications regarding Toaff's research, and condemned "any attempt to justify the terrible blood libels against the Jews." However, the university also reiterated that Toaff was among the senior lecturers in his field in Israel and internationally. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Best served cold Safed chief rabbi calls on state to exact 'revenge' against Arabs. The Jewish hurdle Obama: I disagree with aide who blamed 'NY, Miami' for failed peace talks.   1.   The book will sell well in the Arab world 04:52  |  Dave 12/02/07   2.   I bet this Nincompoop Actually Enjoys Reading Haaretz 05:00  |  Tod Zuckerman 12/02/07   3.   research based on could of, might have, more correct probably 05:03  |  ralph 12/02/07   4.   what is really saying is: i will not give up my devotion to my 05:04  |  ralph 12/02/07   5.   "could have" happened ? Please.... 05:07  |  Bernard Warner 12/02/07   6.   "could have" happened ? Please... 05:16  |  Bernard Warner 12/02/07   7.   Foolish Professors 05:27  |  Henry 12/02/07   8.   Nutty Professor 05:31  |  Rabbi Yakov Lazaros 12/02/07   9.   A pervert professor 05:48  |  Alex K 12/02/07   10.   Toaff is Treff 05:51  |  Peter in Beirut 12/02/07   11.   He is A sick Sanctimonious Monster 06:02  |  Martin Luther 12/02/07   12.   The New Hero of the Jew-Haters 06:03  |  Yaakov Cohn 12/02/07   13.   Return Him to Where He Belongs 06:27  |  Martin Luther 12/02/07   14.   So prove him wrong 06:47  |  keith 12/02/07   15.   If This Imbecile Faced the Holy Inquisition... 07:11  |  massaraksh 12/02/07   16.   Weird prof, weird subject, weird intention... 07:30  |  Esther 12/02/07   17.   A fakakteh potz 07:39  |  Jason 12/02/07   18.   Wow, customs none of us have ever heard of 07:42  |  Serious Doubter 12/02/07   19.   Another New Historian 07:58  |  Yoram 12/02/07   20.   Book misunderstood? 08:02  |  Zev 12/02/07   21.   Does the really matter? 08:18  |  Dennis Gordon 12/02/07   22.   Jews or Piranhas? 08:25  |  Walid 12/02/07   23.   Be open minded and intelligent about this matter. 08:36  |  Robert Blum 12/02/07   24.   close this talkback down 08:47  |  Martin 12/02/07   25.   A mad man. 08:49  |  Vital 12/02/07   26.   Profoundly insane? 08:57  |  Joe 12/02/07   27.   Academic naivete 09:04  |  Sherlock Holmes 12/02/07   28.   Pablo Christiani 09:24  |  Shmuel Saitowitz 12/02/07   29.   A devoted psychotic 09:28  |  Albert Edelson 12/02/07   30.   kaveh- remove that nut!! 09:35  |  shlomo 12/02/07   31.   Read the book before judging 09:43  |  Physicist 12/02/07   32.   14.Keith,.Correct..Stop name calling.Prove hm wrong.Stop Whining! 09:47  |  Moses 12/02/07   33.   Bar-Ilan University 09:50  |  Issac 12/02/07   34.   `Even if crucified`? 09:53  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 12/02/07   35.   Drawing Blood 09:58  |  bo 12/02/07   36.   Reply to #31 Can you read Italian? 10:00  |  Joe 12/02/07   37.   Blood libel against Christians first 10:03  |  Joan Stuchner 12/02/07   38.   Reply to #14. Every other scholar has rejected his view 10:03  |  Joe 12/02/07   39.   Transsubstantiation 10:08  |  Ben Azai 12/02/07   40.   The Middle Ages were a gruesome time..... 10:10  |  Swiss (Dino) 12/02/07   41.   I`m REALLY curious. 10:13  |  John Mackie 12/02/07   42.   Bar Ilan 10:13  |  Baruch 12/02/07   43.   Veritas Vos Liberabit / The Truth will make you free 10:15  |  Johns Hopkins 12/02/07   44.   Ahnenerbe 10:20  |  Ben Azai 12/02/07   45.   NO fuss 10:30  |  Honi 12/02/07   46.   blood 10:33  |  isiaiah 12/02/07   47.   Treife blood 10:45  |  Esther 12/02/07   48.   What a week argument! 10:45  |  El_Justiciero 12/02/07   49.   #41 John Mackie 10:47  |  El_Justiciero 12/02/07   50.   #41 NEXT TIME SOMEONE KNOCKS OUT YOUR TEETH YOU CAN TELL 10:49  |  paul harris 12/02/07   51.   The Middle-Age -the time of the superstition 10:59  |  Lena 12/02/07   52.   Correction-What a WEAK argument 11:01  |  El_Justiciero 12/02/07   53.   To 31- Physicist -We need to read "Mein Kampf"? 11:03  |  Vital 12/02/07   54.   OVER-REACTING 11:08  |  True Say 12/02/07   55.   # 47 Esther 11:11  |  Swiss (Dino) 12/02/07   56.   A wrongheaded and even evil action 11:13  |  Shalom Freedman 12/02/07   57.   Blood libel book ... 11:22  |  Shoshana 12/02/07   58.   #3 Ralph - That sounds familiar 11:41  |  Skandar 12/02/07   59.   Prof. Tauff 11:44  |  Raviv Byron 12/02/07   60.   Thank you Walid 11:48  |  Shai 12/02/07   61.   OK,let`s "pogrom" the Romanians,then,too 11:51  |  Hastaroth 12/02/07   62.   Blood Libel Myth 11:57  |  fk 12/02/07   63.   #48 - One criminal act should not condemn an entire nation 11:57  |  Eric 12/02/07   64.   TOAFF HAS BEEN DISPROVEN 40,000 TIMES 12:06  |  Ben 12/02/07   65.   Keith 12:09  |  rich 12/02/07   66.   Inflammatory? You bet 12:28  |  Raviv Byron 12/02/07   67.   anyone can have an opinion 13:05  |  jake 12/02/07   68.   massaraksh 13:07  |  Daniel 12/02/07   69.   It is wrong to blame Jews of today for what happened 13:21  |  Khalid 12/02/07   70.   -I directed the research at intelligent people,- 13:22  |  Nathan 12/02/07   71.   Dave #1, the Professor is not lying 13:23  |  Richard 12/02/07   72.   Cotroversy is a marketing angle... 13:33  |  Zuriel 12/02/07   73.   Suing the publisher. 13:35  |  Vital 12/02/07   74.   There is no proof of acts of murder, Toaff said 13:42  |  PETER SM 12/02/07   75.   Stop to this irresponsible non-sense 13:54  |  H.H.M 12/02/07   76.   Vampire jews? 13:57  |  Suger 12/02/07   77.   Crucified? Any Freudians Out There? 14:00  |  Tony Anthony 12/02/07   78.   ISLAM STILL PRACTICES RITUAL OF BLOOD SPILLING 14:11  |  BUNCHA KOOKS 12/02/07   79.   What`s the point? 14:24  |  whodey 12/02/07   80.   To 71-A dark spot. 14:30  |  Vital 12/02/07   81.   Jewish Vampires? 14:34  |  John Mackie 12/02/07   82.   Donations to Bar-Ilan University should be frozen till Toaff..... 14:35  |  Vittorio 12/02/07   83.   KHALID."Uncontrolled religion".You mean Global Jihad? 14:36  |  PETER SM 12/02/07   84.   Bar-Ilan prof defiant on blood libel book ´ even if crucified 14:39  |  `Claude Hasson 12/02/07   85.   Bar Ilan hires David Irving as chairman of history 14:48  |  Herbert Kaine 12/02/07   86.   What Money Can Do... 14:49  |  Ariel 12/02/07   87.   Exactly Whodey.. 14:50  |  Midguided Professor 12/02/07   88.   with jimmy carter, achminajad and now toaff... 15:18  |  common sense 12/02/07   89.   Toaff stained the reputable University.The response is expected. 15:33  |  Vittorio 12/02/07   90.   # 81 About Vampires , Okay...and so? 15:34  |  Tony Anthony 12/02/07   91.   To True Say and Lena 15:40  |  Elizabeth Foster 12/02/07   92.   religion and blood. 15:45  |  curious 12/02/07   93.   "Even If Crucified" 15:45  |  Hindanow 12/02/07   94.   it is more then a little possible 15:57  |  flashman 12/02/07   95.   Once again, Jews never... 15:58  |  Edith 12/02/07   96.   #82 16:00  |  Hindanow 12/02/07   97.   DEFIANCE 16:01  |  JEWISH DEFENDER 12/02/07   98.   #24 16:03  |  Hindanow 12/02/07   99.   81mackie and jewish vampires. 16:13  |  curious 12/02/07   100.   Bar-Ilan 16:17  |  Abravanel 12/02/07   101.   And Where Is the Context of All This?? 16:31  |  Yaakov Sullivan 12/02/07   102.   Walid 17:15  |  ODP 12/02/07   103.   Walid- most sensible comment thus far 17:32  |  Psalm 12/02/07   104.   To "Curious" Mummies... 17:37  |  John Mackie 12/02/07   105.   ODP- Walid is Right 17:38  |  Psalm 12/02/07   106.   #14 17:44  |  Hindanow 12/02/07   107.   Sullivan 17:55  |  Psalm 12/02/07   108.   ODP 17:59  |  Walid 12/02/07   109.   #92 Curious- Yes, Christianity 18:06  |  Psalm 12/02/07   110.   #104 MACKKIE IF YOURE FASCINATED BY BLOOD 18:15  |  paul harris 12/02/07   111.   #95 Edith 18:15  |  Psalm 12/02/07   112.   Ingesting blood in communion 18:21  |  John Mackie 12/02/07   113.   Edith, were you aware that... #95 18:21  |  Yaakov Sullivan 12/02/07   114.   104mackie 18:27  |  curious 12/02/07   115.   #112 John Mackie 18:29  |  Psalm 12/02/07   116.   Being an academic does not mean you can not be a total idiot 18:31  |  A.K. 12/02/07   117.   Thank you very much Yaakov 18:38  |  Edith 12/02/07   118.   Superstitions 18:56  |  Ryan 12/02/07   119.   #117 Edith 18:57  |  Psalm 12/02/07   120.   Edith, by the time of these accusations..#117 19:05  |  Yaakov Sullivan 12/02/07   121.   Psalm 19:22  |  ODP 12/02/07   122.   Professor 19:24  |  JK 12/02/07   123.   Walid 19:25  |  ODP 12/02/07   124.   Bloddy nonsense 19:33  |  Danite 12/02/07   125.   Historiographic Crucifixion 19:34  |  Galgal ha-Khozer 12/02/07   126.   To the Board 19:35  |  Danite 12/02/07   127.   ODP 19:46  |  Danite 12/02/07   128.   Major flaw in prof`s reasoning 19:46  |  Absolute Sweden 12/02/07   129.   Blood Libel Myth 19:54  |  CHGODMK 12/02/07   130.   The Passion of Ariel Toaff 20:06  |  Disciple 12/02/07   131.   Hindanow - There was once a jew who confronted jews and was 20:07  |  Sam 12/02/07   132.   Has Anyone on this site seen his evidence? 20:13  |  Yaakov Sullivan 12/02/07   133.   ODP 20:17  |  Walid 12/02/07   134.   "evidence" under torture is no evidence 20:28  |  Annie H. Cotten 12/02/07   135.   Danite 20:31  |  Walid 12/02/07   136.   Even if crucified? 20:32  |  AV 12/02/07   137.   Prof. Toaff 20:40  |  Wade 12/02/07   138.   Walid Anyone Can Write What They Want But... 20:43  |  Yosemite 12/02/07   139.   ODP 20:48  |  Psalm 12/02/07   140.   Walid re: ODP #133 20:49  |  CHGODMK 12/02/07   141.   Re #1 `The Book will sell well...` et al, et al 20:50  |  Colin Wright 12/02/07   142.   I`ve Read Transcripts Too! Of The Spanish Inquisition! 20:54  |  Yosemite 12/02/07   143.   133walid. Quite wrong. 20:56  |  common sense 12/02/07   144.   Danite 20:57  |  ODP 12/02/07   145.   Shrinks please? 21:00  |  Siggy Freud 12/02/07   146.   #129 CHGODMK 21:00  |  Psalm 12/02/07   147.   re #132 `has anyone on this site seen his evidence.` 21:10  |  Colin Wright 12/02/07   148.   Walid 21:10  |  ODP 12/02/07   149.   Psalm #146 21:13  |  CHGODMK 12/02/07   150.   17Jason. "Fakaktoh Potz." 21:19  |  curious 12/02/07   151.   re #128 `Major flaw in prof`s reasoning` 21:25  |  Colin Wright 12/02/07   152.   Academia 21:25  |  Stephen Connor 12/02/07   153.   re #145 `Shrinks please?` 21:33  |  Colin Wright 12/02/07   154.   Explaining is not excusing 21:49  |  W 12/02/07   155.   # 120 Yaakov 21:51  |  Edith 12/02/07   156.   CHGODMK, your attack is groundless #149 21:57  |  Yaakov Sullivan 12/02/07   157.   Walid 2try 22:21  |  danite 12/02/07   158.   ODP 22:24  |  Danite 12/02/07   159.   Toaff, a man truly worthy of my talents as a novelist. 22:31  |  bram stoker 12/02/07   160.   I found something 22:51  |  Edith 12/02/07   161.   TOAFF uses the emotive"crucified",designed to evoke hatred 23:49  |  PETER SM 12/02/07   162.   blood libel 23:53  |  Michela Caracciolo 12/02/07   163.   # 148 ODP 00:04  |  Swiss (Dino) 13/02/07   164.   Read the book first 00:08  |  Alfred 13/02/07   165.   # 154 Danite 00:16  |  Swiss (Dino) 13/02/07   166.   BAR ILAN PROFESSOR DEFIANT ON BLOOD LIBER BOOK 00:56  |  Elisabetta Ventura 13/02/07   167.   Do not crucify him ,but give him the same punishment Eichman got. 01:00  |  Joseph 13/02/07   168.   What a scoundrel Toaff is doing in BarIlan? Fire him immediately! 01:25  |  Vittorio 13/02/07   169.   re #160 `Do not crucify him but...` 01:47  |  Colin Wright 13/02/07   170.   SWISS "just too bizarre" has never stopped antisemites 01:54  |  PETER SM 13/02/07   171.   Colin and other folks 02:54  |  KT 13/02/07   172.   Swiss Dino 03:24  |  Danite 13/02/07   173.   Why ashkenazim? 03:28  |  Dr. Ari Nir 13/02/07   174.   #160 And who do you argue are the 03:57  |  ballistic 13/02/07   175.   OY 04:39  |  Harry D 13/02/07   176.   If Bar-Ilan hesitates to fire "IL CRETINO", boycott Bar-Ilan 04:47  |  Vittorio 13/02/07   177.   Response to John Mackie #41 04:51  |  Harry D 13/02/07   178.   Bar Ilan Prof. 05:11  |  Amused 13/02/07   179.   re #162 `Colin and other folks` 06:08  |  Colin Wright 13/02/07   180.   He is the Noam Chamsky of Israel - instigator, a liar and fraud 06:14  |  Marwan مروان خو 13/02/07   181.   So what`s the big hairy deal about this? 07:06  |  Bousameer 13/02/07   182.   What a liar 09:11  |  abbba 13/02/07   183.   As a former Bar Ilan student I am outraged 09:15  |  Beth Landau 13/02/07   184.   ODP to Walid 09:27  |  sh 13/02/07   185.   I Wonder How Much Money He Is Hoping To Make Out Of... 09:27  |  Tim R 13/02/07   186.   Bousameer - Here`s Why its a Big Deal 09:40  |  Eli 13/02/07   187.   To John Mackie 09:40  |  Tim R 13/02/07   188.   # 83 Peter SM to Khalid 09:46  |  sh 13/02/07   189.   " The Beilis Affair". 09:47  |  Vital 13/02/07   190.   The link between Pessah and blood 09:54  |  sh 13/02/07   191.   To Harry #177 - Bloody Moses 12:37  |  John Mackie 13/02/07   192.   CHGODMK 16:11  |  Puzzled 13/02/07   193.   Wacky Mackie 16:37  |  Harry D 13/02/07   194.   Uncle "arry" 16:59  |  John Mackie 13/02/07   195.   No cause for alarm 18:26  |  Nick Ferriman 13/02/07   196.   keith #14 and research 18:50  |  natan 13/02/07   197.   #69 Hebron 19:17  |  natan 13/02/07   198.   even if? welcome to the jungle. 20:33  |  cristina 13/02/07   199.   In defense of Ariel Toaff 22:02  |  Jean-Luc Ngarambe 13/02/07   200.   About Jewish resistance,defending Ariel Toaff 22:15  |  Jean-Luc Ngarambe 13/02/07   201.   Let`s all calm down! 22:34  |  Yitzhak 13/02/07   202.   #71 Richard where is your proof? 01:50  |  Dave 14/02/07   203.   Anti Jewish myths, plain and simple 02:27  |  Sarit Wishnefsky 14/02/07   204.   Now he can go to the caiman islands 03:22  |  Ali Ben Boobi 14/02/07   205.   100,000 radiations 05:06  |  ny observer 14/02/07   206.   #204, right on target! 07:46  |  Beth Landau 14/02/07   207.   Magic blood and flesh 12:12  |  John Matthews 14/02/07   208.   Magic blood and flesh 12:22  |  John 14/02/07   209.   Hey Todd #2 03:06  |  Czarkazem13 15/02/07   210.   A fakakte potz 02:29  |  manuel garcis 16/02/07   211.   Toaf 17:29  |  Karim 21/02/07   212.   Too true Karim ... 17:02  |  amadawn 25/02/07   213.   Re: Bar Ilan Universityy 12:10  |  mandehu 28/02/07

Today Online Safed chief rabbi calls on state to exact 'revenge' against Arabs Responses: 211 Blair: Middle East peace process a 'race against time' Responses: 140 Mubarak: Gaza tension brings Iran threat closer Responses: 55 PA fails in fight against terror, U.S. officials determine Responses: 79 Top Fatah official: Housing Min. inviting Palestinians to start a fresh Intifada Responses: 48 Rosner's Domain Obama rejects advisor's comments on American Jews and peace process Poll: what percentage Jews will vote McCain? Kurtzer: The pro-Israel lobby, not obstacle for peace How many voters will abandon the Democratic Party? (WTR) Slight preference for Clinton among Jewish Democrats More Headlines 02:49 Barak, Fayyad discuss W. Bank security, economy 02:50 Two Sderot residents lightly hurt in fresh Qassam barrage 22:25 Knesset panel to consider recognition of Armenian genocide 01:38 Top rabbis: Harvesting organs of the brain dead is `bloodshed` 22:51 Netanyahu slams decision to give PA more security equipment 21:57 IDF soldier dies of wounds sustained in gun cleaning accident 19:41 IDF captures Hamas man behind 2002 Passover bombing at Netanya hotel 20:41 Olmert threatens 'painful' steps against Hamas, rules out truce 20:46 Obama: I disagree with aide who blamed 'NY, Miami' for failed peace talks 20:53 Arab League: Syria summit to adopt Yemen plan for Hamas-Fatah truce 17:19 PA to probe ex-Arafat aide over multi-million dollar Aqaba project 00:36 Abducted soldier's father slams PM, military for son's capture Previous Editions Select Day 26 mar 25 mar 24 mar 23 mar 21 mar 20 mar 19 mar 18 mar 17 mar 16 mar 14 mar 13 mar

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