Answers to Quora Questions by Yair Davidiy
How did the Jews defend themselves against the many false accusations leveled against them throughout history?
They did the best they could. Very often it was as if they had to defend themselves with one hand tied behind their back. The Jews needed to be careful while defending themselves not to offend the sensibilities of their Gentile host nations. Frequently what they were accused off were the offences of their Christian or Muslim neighbors.
This is illustrated by the Damascus Affair of 1840.
On February 5, 1840, Father Thomas, a French citizen originally from Sardinia, and the superior of a Franciscan convent at Damascus, disappeared along with his servant.
It appears that the monk had quarreled with Arab traders and been killed by them.
The French consul at Damascus wished to promote the interests of Christian businessmen in place of the Jews. He caused the Egyptian governor of Syria to seize a Jewish barber and torture him. Under torture the Jew allegedly confessed. The whole Jewish community was accused of ritual murder. A number were arrested and tortured. Some of them died as a result.
The Jewish community in France as well as the Governments of Britain and the USA intervened and the Jewish community in Syria was saved.
The blood libel however remained and is still resuscitated by Arab propaganda.
So too, throughout history Gentile victims (often a young boy but also females and adults) would be killed and abused by their fellow Gentiles. The Jews would then be blamed for it.
These are extreme cases but by extrapolation the same principle applies all along the line.
The Jews were blamed for sins of the Gentiles.
They still are.
Even now,
Arab "Palestinians" attack and molest Jews and Jews are condemned for defending themselves.
The psychological pressure is not negligible.
There are Jews who seem to feel a need to apologize for their own existence.
Nevertheless, the Jews are still here and will remain so:
Psalms 44:
11 YOU have given us like sheep appointed for food; and have scattered us among the nations.
12 YOU sell your people for nothing, and do not increase YOUR wealth by their price.
13 YOU make us a reproach to our neighbors, a scorn and a derision to them that are round about us.
14 YOU make us a byword among the nations, a shaking of the head among the people.
15 My confusion is continually before me, and the shame of my face has covered me,
16 For the voice of him that reproaches and blasphemes; because of the enemy and avenger.
17 All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten YOU, neither have we dealt falsely in YOUR covenant.
18 Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from YOUR way;
19 Though YOU have severely broken us in the place of jackals, and covered us with the shadow of death.
20 If we have forgotten the name of our GOD, or stretched out our hands to a strange god;
21 Shall not GOD search this out? for HE knows the secrets of the heart.
22 Yea, for YOUR sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.
23 Awake, why sleep you, O LORD? arise, cast us not off forever.
24 Why hide YOU YOUR face, and forget our affliction and our oppression?
25 For our soul is bowed down to the dust: our body cleaves unto the earth.
26 Arise for our help, and redeem us for YOUR mercies' sake.
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