Why did ancient Jews practice blood sacrifice?
by 
AntigoneRising
ANSWERS: 8
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Probably for the same reason that ancient pagans did - it was the way of the times.
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It was ordained by God in order to show the perfect sacrifice made in Christ. Without the shedding of blood there can be no forgiveness for sin. That is God's principle, not mine and I know you will probably not appreciate the answer too well but I am answering from the bible perspective!
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Jews NEVER performed blood sacrifices on humans... They to bring up sacrifices of animals to the holy temples for many different reasons... that's as far as i'm aware of jewish 'blood sacrifice'
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Due to ancient Caananite ritual which the Proto-Jews absorbed, it was from this branch of Western-semitic people who worshipped Ba'al as their lord that this rite was practiced, i.e. sacrifice of the first child especially to the fertility goddess of the field more than likely. And before the famous Isaac except more than likely the Abrahamic Jews from Ur practiced the same rituals as previously noted. Their moral growth helped them eventually learn that what their aboriginal neighbors was doing was sinful and later only sacrificed animals which the Canaanites also did, with a bull as the usual victim.
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exodus 29:36 says that the sacrifice was "a sin offering for atonement [of sins]"
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Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness for sins.
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Sacrifice is offering something of great value to a higher power, and seeking something in return. The ancient people did not know much about anatomy. They observed blood, but did not understand it's function. They believed blood had magical,transformative properties,and was the foundation of life. They also observed people die from blood loss. Therefore blood became associated with life and death. What better to offer a deity whose gratuitude was considered necessary for survival.
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Most cultures did and have up until very recently, some still do. It's a primitive practice.
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