[soc.religion.christian] Lilith

donaldm@eng.auburn.edu (Donald H MacGregor) (06/03/91)

Can someone tell me about Lilith? (including scriptural references)


DM

dhosek@euler.claremont.edu (Don Hosek) (06/04/91)

In article <Jun.3.02.04.26.1991.3119@athos.rutgers.edu>, donaldm@eng.auburn.edu (Donald H MacGregor) writes:
> Can someone tell me about Lilith? (including scriptural references)

Lilith was Adam's first wife (note: before I go any further, let
me indicate that I am simply presenting the legend and not
claiming any of this to be truth). She was born in a gloss on the
verse in Genesis, "And God created them man and woman, man and
woman he created them." She apparently was a bit less submissive
than Eve and became rather upset that Adam wouldn't let her be on
top. In a fit of rage, she used God's holy name to give her the
power to leave the Garden of Eden and flew to the shores of the
Red Sea where she met with the demons: the demons, in Jewish
mythology were leftover souls from creation which had no bodies.
They were also all male. As such, they were more than willing to
let Lilith be on top. In these circumstances, she became their
queen (with Asmodeus as her King).

She is a frequent figure in Jewish folktales, often associated
with the Queen of Sheba. The only explicit reference to her in
the Bible (other than the Genesis "mention" above) is in Psalm 34
(although some translations render this "Screech owl" or "night
monster"). She is said to menace pregnant women and children and
to haunt deserted ruins. The legend appears in its earliest
extant form in the Talmud (don't know exactly where) and is
believed to be of Babylonian origin.

A good source for stories about her is a collection of Jewish
folktales edited by Howard Schwartz entitled "Lilith's Cave". I
had a chance to hear a talk on the topic by Schwartz a few years
back in Chicago (it was a rather interesting experience being not
only the only gentile in the room, but also apparently the only
person not collecting from their pension plan, but at lunchtime
on a Monday at the something Institute of Judaica, what does one
expect?) and it was really quite fascinating. I definitely
recommend reading any of Schwartz' collections for those
interested in Judaica or folktales.

-dh

pha50@seq1.keele.ac.uk (P.J. Mitchell) (06/04/91)

From article <Jun.3.02.04.26.1991.3119@athos.rutgers.edu>, by donaldm@eng.auburn.edu (Donald H MacGregor):
> Can someone tell me about Lilith? (including scriptural references)

What scriptural references ?

As far as I know Lilith is medieval invention, the mythical first wife
of Adam and queen of witches (or something like that).

The only place I've ever come across references to her myself are in
George MacDonald's book of the same name. This book is very surreal
and was written in the late ninteenth century (1898 ?) and I really
didn't undrstant it at all :-). There was a very appreciative
prologue by C.S. Lewis saying how he thought that MacDonald told
great stories.

BTW there is a hymn or two by MacDonald (I'm pretty sure it's the same
one) in the current British Methodist hymn book (Hymns and Psalms).
-- 
Paul Mitchell (CMA#86(18) MAG#65715 DoD#0145)  | Physics Department,
JANET:  p.j.mitchell@uk.ac.keele.seq1          | Keele University, Keele,
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amadeus@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Susan Harwood Kaczmarczik) (06/05/91)

In article <Jun.3.02.04.26.1991.3119@athos.rutgers.edu>
donaldm@eng.auburn.edu (Donald H MacGregor) writes:
>Can someone tell me about Lilith? (including scriptural references)

Lilith was Adam's first wife, and her existence as such is a relic of
an early rabbinical attempt to assimilate the Sumero-Babylonian
Goddess Belit-ili, or Belili, to Jewish mythology.  To the Canaanites,
she was Baalat.

The story goes that God (or rather, Elohim, as he/she was called at
the time) created man and woman, Adam and Lilith, as two sides of the
same thing, equal but different.  Hebraic tradition tells of how Adam
tried to force Lilith to lie beneath him (the missionary position
being used as a metaphor for man trying to dominate woman) and how she
refused.  Lilith fled, and there was no amount of persuasion or force
that would bring her back.  So Eve was created from Adam's rib to make
a more docile replacement.

You won't find Lilith in the Bible.  Try the Talmud, other Jewish
folklore, and women's studies (for the goddess Lilith as opposed to
the demon).

>DM
-- 
-----Susan Harwood Kaczmarczik-------------------------------*<:-)-------------
"The whims that we're weeping for our parents would be beaten for."--Kate Bush
----------amadeus@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu---------The University of Texas @Austin---

jclark@sdcc6.ucsd.edu (John Clark) (06/10/91)

In article <Jun.3.22.47.51.1991.8560@athos.rutgers.edu> pha50@seq1.keele.ac.uk (P.J. Mitchell) writes:
+From article <Jun.3.02.04.26.1991.3119@athos.rutgers.edu>, by donaldm@eng.auburn.edu (Donald H MacGregor):
+> Can someone tell me about Lilith? (including scriptural references)
+
+What scriptural references ?

One author, Barbara Koltuv, in "The Book of Lilith" lists Isaiah
34:14 as a reference. However, in my KJV there is only reference to
a "screach owl", one must then use the 'fact' that Lilith is
assocciated with the screach owl. I couldn't find the other
translations around the house to see what others have done with the
verse.
-- 

John Clark
jclark@ucsd.edu

[NRSV and NJPSV have Lilith and "the lilith" respectively.  The Oxford
Annotated footnote says that Lilith is a storm demon found in
abandoned places, and wild animals.  NJPSV says it is some sort of
demon.  Is this the same Lilith?  --clh]