LILITH
The myth of Lilith, all by itself, is reason enough to study mythology. Originally a storm demon, she was a sexual predator who ravaged men in their sleep, causing them to have nocturnal emissions and making it impossible for them to find satisfaction with ordinary women. She attacked women by causing barrenness, miscarriage, and difficulties in childbirth. She was even a threat to babies, for she loved to tickle their feet in their sleep, make them laugh, and strangle them.
From those pernicious beginnings, she rose through the ranks until she became nothing less than the wife of God. Yet Lilith is almost entirely absent in the Bible. The opening passing reference she receives, in Isaiah 34:14, is often translated as :screech owl," "night hag" or simply "demon". Yet in folklore, Talmudic commentaries, and the Zohar, the kabbalistic pamphlets of the thirteenth-century mystic Moses de Leon, her presence is vivid and unforgettable. Here is her story:
The myth of Lilith, all by itself, is reason enough to study mythology. Originally a storm demon, she was a sexual predator who ravaged men in their sleep, causing them to have nocturnal emissions and making it impossible for them to find satisfaction with ordinary women. She attacked women by causing barrenness, miscarriage, and difficulties in childbirth. She was even a threat to babies, for she loved to tickle their feet in their sleep, make them laugh, and strangle them.
From those pernicious beginnings, she rose through the ranks until she became nothing less than the wife of God. Yet Lilith is almost entirely absent in the Bible. The opening passing reference she receives, in Isaiah 34:14, is often translated as :screech owl," "night hag" or simply "demon". Yet in folklore, Talmudic commentaries, and the Zohar, the kabbalistic pamphlets of the thirteenth-century mystic Moses de Leon, her presence is vivid and unforgettable. Here is her story:
In the beginning, Adam was married to Lilith. Like Adam, she was created from earth but when God made Lilith, he used unclean dirt, with predictable results. Lilith was not a good wife. Whenever Adam and Lilith slept together, she objected to his being on top, noting that, as in chapter one of Genesis, they were created equally. he insisted. So she uttered the sacred name of God and flew off to the Red Sea where she cavorted with Demons so promiscuously that she gave birth to over a hundred baby demons a day.
Adam missed her tremendously. At his request, God sent three angels - Senoy, Sansenoy, and Semangelof - to convince her to return to her mate. After the angels threatened Lilith in various ways, they reached a compromise. She agreed that one hundred of her children, demons all, would be killed every day. She also agreed to forfeit her power over babies whenever she saw the names of those three angels written on a door or an amulet near a newborn. But she refused to return to Adam.
So God made Adam another wife. He constructed her from the inside out, starting with bones, adding various organs and muscles and blood, covering it all with skin, and then finishing it off with bits of hair here and there. However, he foolishly allowed Adam to watch. Adam was so disgusted by what he saw that God realized the match would never work. he took his creation away, no one knows to where, and tried again. This time he did it the easy way. He put Adam to sleep, removed a rib, and - as in chapter two of Genesis - fashioned Eve.
Eve was more docile than Lilith but she wasn't submissive enough, and when Lilith snuck into Eden in the form of a serpent, she easily convinced Eve to taste the fruit of the tree of knowledge. Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden.
As penance, Adam entered a period of celibacy that lasted 130 years. During that time he did not sleep with Eve but he could not control Lilith and the other demons. They came to him in the night, coupled with him while he was dreaming, and gave birth to many demons. One of them was Lilith's child (or twin) Samael, who became her mate. To underline his opposition to the match, God castrated Samael, thereby forcing Lilith to continue satisfying her desires in the arms of sleeping men.
When the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed, God was shaken. In his despair, he turned away from his true wife, the Shekhinah, the female face of God, and embraced Lilith. Thus Lilith, once no better than a demon, became the consort of God. And that, thirteenth-century commentators tell us, is how things will be until the coming of the Messiah, when God will reject Lilith and return once again to the Shekhinah, his true mate.
Adam missed her tremendously. At his request, God sent three angels - Senoy, Sansenoy, and Semangelof - to convince her to return to her mate. After the angels threatened Lilith in various ways, they reached a compromise. She agreed that one hundred of her children, demons all, would be killed every day. She also agreed to forfeit her power over babies whenever she saw the names of those three angels written on a door or an amulet near a newborn. But she refused to return to Adam.
So God made Adam another wife. He constructed her from the inside out, starting with bones, adding various organs and muscles and blood, covering it all with skin, and then finishing it off with bits of hair here and there. However, he foolishly allowed Adam to watch. Adam was so disgusted by what he saw that God realized the match would never work. he took his creation away, no one knows to where, and tried again. This time he did it the easy way. He put Adam to sleep, removed a rib, and - as in chapter two of Genesis - fashioned Eve.
Eve was more docile than Lilith but she wasn't submissive enough, and when Lilith snuck into Eden in the form of a serpent, she easily convinced Eve to taste the fruit of the tree of knowledge. Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden.
As penance, Adam entered a period of celibacy that lasted 130 years. During that time he did not sleep with Eve but he could not control Lilith and the other demons. They came to him in the night, coupled with him while he was dreaming, and gave birth to many demons. One of them was Lilith's child (or twin) Samael, who became her mate. To underline his opposition to the match, God castrated Samael, thereby forcing Lilith to continue satisfying her desires in the arms of sleeping men.
When the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed, God was shaken. In his despair, he turned away from his true wife, the Shekhinah, the female face of God, and embraced Lilith. Thus Lilith, once no better than a demon, became the consort of God. And that, thirteenth-century commentators tell us, is how things will be until the coming of the Messiah, when God will reject Lilith and return once again to the Shekhinah, his true mate.
This was taken from
"The Friendly Guide to Mythology" Written by Nancy Hathaway
"The Friendly Guide to Mythology" Written by Nancy Hathaway
Legend of Lilith
A Sumerian relief. Lilith stands on lions and is flanked by owls.
An 18th century amulet of protection against Lilith. Bound with her arms spread out On her body it is written "Protect this Newborn child from harm"
A silver Kurdistan amulet. The top portion of the amulet's outer rim contain the supposed name of God.
Another amulet. On the left side is a picture of the three angels. This was used to protect children.