The Myth of Lilith

1
The Myth of Lilith

• Tirzah McMillan
• Womens Studies 301
• Dr. Sparks

2
Why I Chose Lilith

• I was immediately intrigued by the idea of Lilith
  when I first heard about her. I have attended
  church all my life, so imagine my surprise when I
  read that Lilith, not Eve, may have actually been
  the first wife of Adam. The entire notion that
  Eve had a predecessor was fascinating. However,
  there is more to this legend than Lilith just
  being Adams alleged first wife.

3
The Biblical Creation

• Most people know the story of creation in the
  Bible as said in Genesis
• the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the
  ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath
  of life, and the man became a living being
  (Genesis 27)
• God decided it was not good for the man to be
  alone so he decided to make a helper suitable
  for him (Genesis 218)
• God then put Adam into a deep sleep and took one
  of Adams ribs and closed the place with flesh
  (Genesis 221).

4
Biblical Creation Continued

• Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he
  had taken out of the man, and he brought her to
  the man. The man said, This is now bone of my
  bones and flesh of my flesh she shall be called
  woman, for she was taken out of man (Genesis
  222-23).
• Since Eve was made from Adam, symbolically she is
  subservient and submissive to him.

5
The Basic Myth of Lilith

• The basic myth implies that Lilith, not Eve, was
  Adams first wife.
• Lilith and Adam were both created using dust from
  the earth. From day one the two argued
  constantly. Lilith refused to be submissive
  saying that both of them were created from the
  same dust, therefore making them equals. Neither
  Adam nor Lilith would give in, so Lilith uttered
  the Ineffable Name of the Creator and fled away,
  soaring up to regions celestial (Rappoport 96).

6
Basic Myth Continued

• Adam then went to God to complain about Lilith
  leaving. God then sent at once three angels
  Sanui, Sansanui, and Smangaluf to find Lilith
  and return her to Adam (96).
• Lilith was found in the sea among the waves. The
  angels told her that she must return to Adam at
  once or she will see one hundred of her children
  die every day. Lilith refused to return so she
  accepted that she would see her demon children
  die every day because this fate was far better
  than submitting to Adam (96).

7
Basic Myth Continued

• Lilith then proclaimed that she would slay the
  children of Adam. She swore to attack children,
  and even their mothers during childbirth.
  Lilith also vowed to attack men in their sleep.
  She would steal their semen to give birth to more
  demon children, which would replace those slain
  each day (Khephera).
• With Lilith gone for good Adam was left without a
  partner. The myth says that this is when God
  creates Eve from Adams rib.

8
Origin of Myth

• The only problem with this story of Lilith,
  states Eliezer Segel, is that it is not actually
  found in any Rabbinic tradition. There is no
  ancient Jewish text that tells the complete
  story of Lilith (Segel).
• The actual story of Lilith originated during
  medieval times in the work the Alphabet of
  Ben-Sira (Segel).
• Alphabet is seen by some as a collection of
  risque folk-tales and an anti-Jewish satire
  (Segel). Even so, the myth of Lilith has been
  widely accepted by many Jewish women and men.

9
Possible Biblical Reference

• Isaiah 3414
• Wildcats shall meet with hyenas, goat demons
  shall call to each other there too Lilith shall
  repose, and find a place to rest. There shall
  the owl nest and lay and hatch and brood in its
  shadow.
• My Bible has this version of Isaiah 3414
• Desert creatures will meet with hyenas, and wild
  goats will bleat to each other there the night
  creatures will also repose and find for
  themselves places of rest.

10
Biblical Reference Continued

• Different versions of the Bible will each have a
  different version of Isaiah 3414. While some
  actually have the name Lilith, others, like mine,
  just refer to a night creature. Lilith is seen
  as a nocturnal creature, and my Bible verse
  supports this view.

11
The Many Views of Lilith

• Female demon in Jewish mythology
• Nocturnal creature
• First vampire
• Child killer
• Symbol of sensual lust
• First wife of Adam-first Eve

• Wife of Satan
• Mother or Queen of Demons
• Goddess
• Role model

12
Lilith as a Child-Killing Demoness

• According to the myth, Lilith kills babies in
  their cribs during the night this is possibly
  the folk explanation of Sudden Infant Death
  Syndrome (Smith).
• Baby boys are most vulnerable to Lilith during
  the first eight days of life just before
  circumcision. Many Jews developed the custom of
  the Watch-night to counter her. This
  Watch-night was a vigil around the baby boys
  crib the night before circumcision (Smith).
• Baby girls are vulnerable to Lilith the first
  twenty days of life (Khephera).

13
Demoness Continued

• In folklore, Lilith is blamed for still-born
  babies, mothers dying during childbirth, SIDS,
  and erotic dreams among men (Khephera).

14
Lilith as a Role Model

• Many Jewish women look to Lilith as a role model.
  Although in some legends she is a child-killer,
  vampire, and night creature, Jewish women admire
  Liliths strength and independence.

15
Role Model Continued

• The Independent Jewish womans magazine Lilith
  was named after the fiery independent spirit of
  Lilith.

16
Religious Interpretation of Lilith

• In Christian beliefs, Lilith is believed to be
  the wife of Satan. According to the Bible Satan
  was the serpent that tempted Eve in the Garden of
  Eden. However, many people believe that Lilith
  herself was the serpent and Satan provided the
  voice which tempted Eve. On the Sistene Chapel
  ceiling, Lilith is portrayed by Michelangelo as
  half-snake and half-woman (Khephera).

17
Religious Continued

• Lilith represents that which appears beautiful
  on the outside. She is sex, indulgence, and
  everything that one desires to do which breaks
  the Laws of God. She is all of the things in
  life which tempts and seduces the man off of the
  Path of God, and into the ways of evil
  (Khephera).

18
Lilith Fair

• Lilith Fair was a completely new concept in the
  music industry. In 1997, singer and songwriter
  Sarah McLachlan created a concert tour that
  featured all-female performers. The tour was a
  phenomenal success and continued for three years.
  

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Lilith Fair

• There was controversy concerning the all-female
  tour, but McLachlan says "It doesn't exclude men,
  it simply celebrates women.
• Sarah McLachlan knows that women are finally
  getting the attention they deserve in the music
  industry. Three years ago promoters were really
  scared to put two women on the same bill. Now,
  the climate has changed dramatically. We've
  proved it can be done. This tour is a huge step
  in the right direction for women's rights, but it
  isn't a soapbox for extremist feminism. It isn't
  about dissing men, it's about quality in every
  aspect of life between men and women -- so that's
  part feminist, part humanist. I just think
  everybody is equal."

20
Lilith Fair

• Although Lilith Fair was short-lived, it had a
  huge impact on women in the music industry. Many
  female artists were finally getting the attention
  they rightfully deserved.

21
The Artistic Lilith

• Lilith has been portrayed numerous times by
  several artisits. Most interpretations portray
  Lilith as a beautiful woman or a temptress. She
  is usually near the ocean or the Garden of Eden
  surrounded by serpents.

22
Images of Lilith

• This painting Lady Lilith by Dante Gabriel
  Rosetti is my favorite. She looks like she is up
  to something. Rosetti has Lilith being very
  beautiful with the look of a temptress. The next
  slide contains the accompanying poem.

23
Lilith (for a picture)

• OF Adam's first wife, Lilith, it is
  told      (The witch he loved before the gift of
  Eve,)      That, ere the snake's, her sweet
  tongue could deceive,And her enchanted hair was
  the first gold.And still she sits, young while
  the earth is old,      And, subtly of herself
  contemplative,      Draws men to watch the
  bright net she can weave,Till heart and body and
  life are in its hold.The rose and poppy are her
  flowers for where      Is he not found, O
  Lilith, whom shed scentAnd soft-shed kisses and
  soft sleep shall snare?      Lo! as that youth's
  eyes burned at thine, so went      Thy spell
  through him, and left his straight neck bent,And
  round his heart one strangling golden hair.

24
Images of Lilith

• This image by Davide Bigazzi possibly depicts
  Lilith after she fled from Adam and God. She is
  shown over a pentacle on the ocean. The other
  figures may be the Enforcer Angels sent by God to
  retrieve her.

25
Images of Lilith

• This image of Lilith by Boris Vallejo also
  surrounds Lilith with the ocean and serpents.
  This image portrays Lilith as a very strong woman.

26
Songs Dealing with Lilith

• This is a list of several bands that have songs
  about Lilith.
• Ani Difranco-Adam and Eve
• Inkubus Sukkubus-Heart of Lilith and Whore of
  Babylon
• Concentration-Lilith-Eve
• Indigo Girls-Letter to Eve
• Legendary Pink Dots- Lilith
• Peff-Succubus

27
Songs Continued

• Bjork - Lilith

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My Interpretation of Lilith

• As I said before, the myth of Lilith fascinates
  me. It is interesting that so many Jewish women
  see Lilith as a role model even though many
  legends portray her as a seductress and
  child-killer. Being a Christian I believe that
  Eve was the first wife of Adam, but all of this
  Lilith stuff really makes you wonder. By doing
  this research I can really see why so many Jewish
  feminists (or just Jewish women) see Lilith as a
  role model. Who wouldnt want to look up to an
  independent and strong woman? Lilith knew that
  she was created equally with Adam, therefore why
  should she have to be submissive? Although I do
  not necessarily believe that this myth is true I
  do feel that the spirit of Lilith has always been
  alive. Women need independence and strength and
  Lilith gives them just that.

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Works Cited

• The Bible. Genesis 27-23
• The Bible. Isaiah 3414
• Lilit, malkah ha-shadim. The Lilith Shrine. 5
  Nov 1997. www.lilitu.com/lilith/lilit.html (19
  Nov 2000).
• Lilith Fair Festival Tour to Celebrate
  Excellence in Womens Music. Lilith Fair 1999.
  26 Mar 1997. www.lilithfair.com/scrapbook (2 Dec
  2000).
• Looking for Lilith. Eliezer Segels Home Page.
  15 Nov 2000. www.ucalgary.ca/esegal/Shokel/95020
  6_Lilith.html (19 Nov 2000).
• The Mythos Liliths Defiance. The Lilith
  Shrine. 5 Nov 1997. www.lilitu.com/lilith/khephfr
  ames.html (15 Nov 2000).
• Rappoport, Angelo. The Folklore of the Jews.
  London The Soncino Press, 1972.