The Demon Lilith in Jewish Tradition
In demonology, and in Jewish folklore in particular, Lilith is the name given to an evil female spirit that seduces humans, specifically men, and hence is a succubus. She also known for murdering children.
However. in the earlier stages of the folklore, Lilith was said to be Adam’s first wife, being the first woman or Eve that God created. Yet, unlike Eve who was formed from the side of Adam Lilith is believed to have been created from the dust of the ground just like Adam, and therefore didn’t originate from him.
Later traditions elaborate that she was rebellious and strongheaded who tried to exert her will over Adam. One of the ways in which she showed her dominance was by refusing to lay down for Adam during intimacy, but rather chose to assume the top position.
In this post I will reference some of the many statements about Lilith which are found in the Jewish Talmud. All emphasis will be mine.
Chapter 22
וְהָאָדָם יָדַע אֶת חַוָּה אִשְׁתּוֹ וגו’ (בראשית ד, א), (תהלים כה, ו): זְכֹר רַחֲמֶיךָ ה’ וַחֲסָדֶיךָ כִּי מֵעוֹלָם הֵמָּה, לָא מִן דְּכַדּוּן, אֶלָּא כִּי מֵעוֹלָם הֵמָּה, אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁע בַּר נְחֶמְיָה שֶׁבָּם נִהַגְתָּ עִם אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן, שֶׁכָּךְ אָמַרְתָּ לוֹ (בראשית ב, יז): כִּי בְּיוֹם אֲכָלְךָ מִמֶּנּוּ מוֹת תָּמוּת, וְאִלּוּלֵי שֶׁנָּתַתָּ לוֹ יוֹם אֶחָד מִשֶּׁלָּךְ שֶׁהוּא אֶלֶף שָׁנָה, הֵיאַךְ נִזְקָק לְהַעֲמִיד תּוֹלָדוֹת.
“And the man was intimate with Eve his wife and she conceived and gave birth to Cain, and said: I have acquired a man with the Lord”(Genesis 4:1).
And the man was intimate with Eve his wife” – “Remember, Lord, Your mercy and kindness, for they are eternal” (Psalms 25:6). They are not from now, but rather, they are eternal. Rabbi Yehoshua bar Neḥemya said: With them You conducted Yourself with Adam the first man, as You said to him: “As on the day that you eat of it you shall die” (Genesis 2:17). Had You not given him one of Your days, which is one thousand years, *Psalms 90:4. how could he have consorted to produce offspring?…וַיֹּאמֶר קַיִן אֶל הֶבֶל אָחִיו וַיְהִי בִּהְיוֹתָם וגו’ (בראשית ד, ח), עַל מָה הָיוּ מִדַּיְּנִים, אָמְרוּ בּוֹאוּ וְנַחֲלֹק אֶת הָעוֹלָם, אֶחָד נָטַל הַקַּרְקָעוֹת וְאֶחָד נָטַל אֶת הַמִּטַּלְטְלִין, דֵּין אָמַר אַרְעָא דְּאַתְּ קָאֵם עֲלָהּ דִּידִי, וְדֵין אָמַר מַה דְּאַתְּ לָבֵישׁ דִּידִי, דֵּין אָמַר חֲלֹץ, וְדֵין אָמַר פְּרַח, מִתּוֹךְ כָּךְ (בראשית ד, ח): וַיָּקָם קַיִן אֶל הֶבֶל אָחִיו וַיַּהַרְגֵּהוּ, רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ דְּסִכְנִין בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר שְׁנֵיהֶם נָטְלוּ אֶת הַקַּרְקָעוֹת, וּשְׁנֵיהֶן נָטְלוּ אֶת הַמִּטַּלְטַלִין, וְעַל מָה הָיוּ מִדַּיְּנִין, אֶלָּא זֶה אוֹמֵר בִּתְחוּמִי בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ נִבְנֶה וְזֶה אוֹמֵר בִּתְחוּמִי בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ נִבְנֶה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיְהִי בִּהְיוֹתָם בַּשָּׂדֶה, וְאֵין שָׂדֶה אֶלָּא בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, הֵיךְ מַה דְּאַתְּ אָמַר (מיכה ג, יב): צִיּוֹן שָׂדֶה תֵחָרֵשׁ, וּמִתּוֹךְ כָּךְ (בראשית ד, ח): וַיָּקָם קַיִן אֶל הֶבֶל אָחִיו וגו’. יְהוּדָה בַּר אָמֵי אָמַר עַל חַוָּה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה הָיוּ מִדַּיְּנִין, אָמַר רַבִּי אַיְבוּ חַוָּה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה חָזְרָה לַעֲפָרָהּ וְעַל מָה הָיוּ מִדַּיְּנִין, אָמַר רַבִּי הוּנָא תְּאוֹמָה יְתֵרָה נוֹלְדָה עִם הֶבֶל, זֶה אוֹמֵר אֲנִי נוֹטְלָהּ שֶׁאֲנִי בְּכוֹר, וְזֶה אוֹמֵר אֲנִי נוֹטְלָהּ שֶׁנּוֹלְדָה עִמִּי, וּמִתּוֹךְ כָּךְ וַיָּקָם קַיִן.
“Cain said to Abel his brother. It was when they were in the field. Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him” (Genesis 4:8).
“Cain said to Abel his brother. It was when they were…” – about what were they quarreling? They said: ‘Let us divide the world between us.’ One took the land and one took the movable property. This one said: ‘The land on which you are standing is mine.’ That one said: ‘What you are wearing is mine.’ That one said: ‘Take it off.’ This one said: ‘Fly.’ As a result: “Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.”
Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: Both of them took the land and both of them took the movable property. Regarding what, then, were they quarreling? Rather, this one said: ‘The Temple shall be built in my domain,’ and that one said: ‘The Temple shall be built in my domain,’ as it is stated: “It was when they were in the field,” and “field” is nothing other than the Temple, as it says: “Zion will be plowed like a field” (Micah 3:12). As a result: “Cain rose up against Abel his brother…”
Yehuda bar Rabbi said: They were quarreling over [who would wed] the first Eve. *See Bereshit Rabba 17:7, 18:4. Rabbi Aivu said: The first Eve had returned to dust. Regarding what, then, were they quarreling? Rabbi Huna said: An extra twin sister was born with Abel. *Two sisters were born together with Abel. This one [Cain] said: ‘I will take her, as I am the firstborn.’ That one [Abel] said: ‘I will take her, as she was born with me.’ As a result: “Cain rose up.” (Bereshit Rabbah 22)
בְּמַתְנִיתָא תָּנָא: מְגַדֶּלֶת שֵׂעָר כְּלִילִית, וְיוֹשֶׁבֶת וּמַשְׁתֶּנֶת מַיִם כִּבְהֵמָה, וְנַעֲשֵׂית כַּר לְבַעְלָהּ.
It was taught in a baraita that the three additional curses are: She grows her hair long like Lilit, a demon; she sits and urinates, like an animal; and serves as a pillow for her husband during relations. (Talmud Bavli, Eruvin 100b)
This next one is rather intriguing since it claims that Adam actually fathered demonic spirits, as punishing for eating from the forbidden tree:
וְאָמַר רַבִּי יִרְמְיָה בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר: כָּל אוֹתָן הַשָּׁנִים שֶׁהָיָה אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן בְּנִידּוּי, הוֹלִיד רוּחִין וְשֵׁידִין וְלִילִין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיְחִי אָדָם שְׁלֹשִׁים וּמְאַת שָׁנָה וַיּוֹלֶד בִּדְמוּתוֹ כְּצַלְמוֹ״, מִכְּלָל דְּעַד הָאִידָּנָא לָאו כְּצַלְמוֹ אוֹלֵיד.
Having cited an aggadic statement of Rabbi Yirmeya ben Elazar, the Gemara cites other statements of his: Rabbi Yirmeya ben Elazar said: All those years during which Adam was ostracized for the sin involving the Tree of Knowledge, he bore spirits, demons, and female demons, as it is stated: “And Adam lived a hundred and thirty years, and begot a son in his own likeness, after his image, and called his name Seth” (Genesis 5:3). By inference, until now, the age of one hundred thirty, he did not bear after his image, but rather bore other creatures. (Talmud Bavli, Eruvin 18b)
There’s more regarding Lilith:
אמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל המפלת דמות לילית אמו טמאה לידה ולד הוא אלא שיש לו כנפים תנ”ה א”ר יוסי מעשה בסימוני באחת שהפילה דמות לילית ובא מעשה לפני חכמים ואמרו ולד הוא אלא שיש לו כנפים
§ Rav Yehuda says that Shmuel says: In the case of a woman who discharges a fetus that has the form of a lilith, a female demon with wings and a human face, its mother is impure with the impurity of a woman after childbirth, as it is a viable offspring, only it has wings. This is also taught in a baraita: Rabbi Yosei said: An incident occurred in Simoni involving a certain woman who discharged a fetus that had the form of a lilith, and the incident was brought before the Sages; and they said that it is a viable offspring, only it has wings. (Talmud Bavli, Niddah 24b)
אָמַר רַבָּה: לְדִידִי חֲזֵי לִי הוּרְמִין בַּר לִילִית, כִּי קָא רָהֵיט אַקּוּפְיָא דְּשׁוּרָא דְמָחוֹזָא, וְרָהֵיט פָּרָשָׁא כִּי רְכִיב חֵיוְתָא מִתַּתָּאֵיהּ, וְלָא יָכֵיל לֵיהּ. זִמְנָא חֲדָא הֲוָה מְסָרְגָאן לֵיהּ תַּרְתֵּי כּוּדַנְיָיתֵי, וְקָיְימָן
§ Rabba said: I have seen the one called Hurmin, son of Lilith, when he was running on the pinnacles of the wall of the city of Meḥoza, and a horseman was riding an animal below him but was unable to catch up to him. Once, they saddled for him two mules and they stood
73b
אַתְּרֵי גִישְׁרֵי דְרוֹגְנַג; וְשָׁוַאר מֵהַאי לְהַאי וּמֵהַאי לְהַאי, וְנָקֵיט תְּרֵי מִזְגֵי דְחַמְרָא בִּידֵיהּ, וּמוֹרִיק מֵהַאי לְהַאי וּמֵהַאי לְהַאי, וְלָא נָטְפָא נִיטּוּפְתָּא לְאַרְעָא; וְאוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם ״יַעֲלוּ שָׁמַיִם יֵרְדוּ תְהוֹמוֹת״ הֲוָה. עַד דִּשְׁמַעוּ בֵּי מַלְכוּתָא, וְקַטְלוּהוּ.
on the two bridges of the river Rognag, and he jumped from this one to that one, and from that one to this one. And he was holding two cups of wine in his hands and was pouring from this one to that one, and from that one to this one, and not one drop fell to the ground. And that day was stormy, similar to the description in a verse dealing with seafarers: “They mounted up to the heavens, they went down to the deeps; their soul melted away because of trouble” (Psalms 107:26). He continued in this manner until word of his behavior was heard in the house of the king, and they killed him. (Talmud Bavli, Bava Batra 73a)
אָמַר רַב פָּפָּא, נְקִיטִינַן: אַרְיֵה אַבֵּי תְּרֵי — לָא נָפֵיל. הָא קָא חָזֵינַן דְּנָפֵיל? הָהוּא כִּדְרָמֵי בַּר אַבָּא. דְּאָמַר רָמֵי בַּר אַבָּא: אֵין חַיָּה שׁוֹלֶטֶת בָּאָדָם עַד שֶׁנִּדְמָה לוֹ כִּבְהֵמָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אָדָם בִּיקָר בַּל יָלִין נִמְשַׁל כַּבְּהֵמוֹת נִדְמוּ״. אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא: אָסוּר לִישַׁן בַּבַּיִת יְחִידִי, וְכׇל הַיָּשֵׁן בַּבַּיִת יְחִידִי — אֹחַזְתּוֹ לִילִית.
Rav Pappa said: We hold that a lion does not pounce upon two people. The Gemara challenges this: But how can that be? We see that it does pounce upon two people. The Gemara answers: That statement of Rav Pappa must be in accordance with that which Rami bar Abba said: An animal does not overpower a person until he appears to it as an animal, as it is stated: “But man does not abide in honor, he is like the beasts that perish” (Psalms 49:13). However, animals do not attack people who are human in their spiritual character. In a similar vein, Rabbi Ḥanina said: It is prohibited to sleep alone in a house, and anyone who sleeps alone in a house will be seized by the evil spirit Lilith. (Talmud Bavli, Shabbat 151b)
The Talmud even has a tradition where Moses tries to dissuade God from wiping out the Israelites lest the nations accuse him of being like Lilith who murders her children!
אָמַר לוֹ משֶׁה (במדבר יד, יד טו): שָׁמְעוּ כִּי אַתָּה ה’ בְּקֶרֶב הָעָם הַזֶּה, וְהֵמַתָּה אֶת הָעָם הַזֶּה כְּאִישׁ אֶחָד, שֶׁלֹא יִהְיוּ אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם אוֹמְרִים אֱלֹהֵי כְּנַעַן קָשִׁים הֵם מֵאֱלֹהֵי מִצְרַיִם, אֱלֹהֵיהֶן שֶׁל מִצְרַיִם שֶׁקֶר הֵם אֲבָל שֶׁל כְּנַעַן שֶׁל בַּעַל הֵם, (במדבר יד, יד-טו): וְאָמְרוּ אֶל יוֹשֵׁב, מִבִּלְתִּי יְכֹלֶת ה’, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁלֹא הָיָה לוֹ יְכוֹלֶת לְהוֹסִיף לָהֶם מְזוֹנוֹת הוֹצִיאָם לַהֲמִיתָם בַּמִּדְבָּר, וְאֵין לְשׁוֹן יְכֹלֶת אֶלָּא מְזוֹנוֹת, כְּמָה דְתֵימָא (מלכים א ה, כה): עֶשְׂרִים אֶלֶף כֹּר חִטִּים מַכֹּלֶת לְבֵיתוֹ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, שֶׁלֹא יִהְיוּ אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם נוֹהֲגִין בְּךָ כְּאַכְזָרִי, לוֹמַר בָּא דּוֹר הַמַּבּוּל וְאִבְּדָן, בָּא דּוֹר הַפְלָגָה וּבָאוּ סְדוֹמִים וּבָאוּ מִצְרִים וְאִבְּדָן, אַף אֵלּוּ שֶׁקְּרָאָן (שמות ד, כב): בְּנִי בְּכוֹרִי, הֲרֵי הוּא מְכַלֶּה אוֹתָן, כַּלִּילִית הַזּוֹ שֶׁאֵינָהּ מוֹצְאָה כְּלוּם וְהִיא הוֹפֶכֶת עַל בָּנֶיהָ, כָּךְ מִבִּלְתִּי יְכֹלֶת ה’. אָמַר משֶׁה רִבּוֹן הָעוֹלָמִים (במדבר יד, יד): [כי] אֲשֶׁר עַיִן בְּעַיִן נִרְאָה אַתָּה, מַהוּ [כי] אֲשֶׁר עַיִן בְּעַיִן, אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ הֲרֵי מֹאזְנַיִם מְעֻיָּן, אַתָּה אוֹמֵר (במדבר יד, יב): אַכֶּנּוּ בַדֶּבֶר, וַאֲנִי אוֹמֵר (במדבר יד, יט): סְלַח נָא, נִרְאֶה שֶׁל מִי עוֹמֵד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר יד, כ): וַיֹּאמֶר ה’ סָלַחְתִּי כִּדְבָרֶיךָ, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן לֹא בָּטְלָה גְּזֵרָתוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁאָמַר לְמשֶׁה (במדבר יד, יב): וְאֶעֱשֶׂה אֹתְךָ לְגוֹי גָדוֹל, הֶעֱמִיד מִמֶּנּוּ שִׁשִּׁים רִבּוֹא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברי הימים א כג, יז): וּבְנֵי רְחַבְיָה רָבוּ לְמָעְלָה. וְלֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְכַנְסָן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה מט, יב): הִנֵּה אֵלֶּה מֵרָחוֹק יָבֹאוּ וְהִנֵּה אֵלֶּה מִצָּפוֹן וּמִיָּם וְאֵלֶּה מֵאֶרֶץ סִינִים, וְהַגָּלֻיּוֹת בָּאִים עִמָּהֶם וְהַשְּׁבָטִים שֶׁהֵם נְתוּנִים לִפְנִים מִן סַמְבַּטְיוֹן וְשֶׁלִּפְנִים מִן הָרֵי חשֶׁךְ, הֵם מִתְכַּנְסִין וּבָאִין לִיְרוּשָׁלָיִם. אָמַר יְשַׁעְיָה (ישעיה מט, יב, ט): לֵאמֹר לַאֲסוּרִים צֵאוּ, אֵלּוּ שֶׁנְּתוּנִים לִפְנִים מִן סַמְבַּטְיוֹן, (ישעיה מט, ט): לַאֲשֶׁר בַּחשֶׁךְ הִגָּלוּ, אֵלּוּ שֶׁנְּתוּנִים לִפְנִים מִן עָנָן שֶׁל חשֶׁךְ, (ישעיה מט, ט): עַל דְּרָכִים יִרְעוּ וּבְכָל שְׁפָיִים מַרְעִיתָם, אֵלּוּ שֶׁנְּתוּנִים בְּדָפְנוֹ שֶׁל אַנְטוֹכְיָא, אוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה הֵם נִגְאָלִים וּבָאוּ לְצִיּוֹן בְּשִׂמְחָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה נא, יא): וּפְדוּיֵי ה’ יְשׁוּבוּן וגו’.
Moses said to Him: “They heard that You, the Lord, are in the midst of this people…If You kill this people as one man [the nations who have heard your fame will say: Because of the inability of the Lord to bring this nation to the land which He swore to give them, he killed them in the desert]” (Numbers 14:14–16) – [Do not destroy them] so the nations of the world will not say that the gods of Canaan are stronger than the gods of Egypt. The gods of Egypt are false, but those of Canaan are substantial. “They will say regarding the inhabitants of the land” (Numbers 14:14).
“Due to the Lord’s lack of ability [yekholet]” (Numbers 14:16) – because He did not have the ability to continue providing them with food, He took them out to kill them in the wilderness. The expression yekholet means nothing other than food, just as it says: “Twenty thousand kor of wheat, provision [makolet] for his household” (I Kings 5:25).
Another matter, [do not destroy them] so the nations of the world will not relate to You as cruel, saying: ‘The generation of the Flood came and He eradicated them. The generation of the Dispersion came, the Sodomites came, the Egyptians came, and He eradicated them. These, too, whom He called: “My son, My firstborn” (Exodus 4:22), behold, He is eradicating them, like this Lilit, who does not find anything, and turns against her children.’ So, it is, “due to the Lord’s lack of yekholet.” *This is expounded as though it says: The lack of victims to eradicate [lekhalot].
Moses said: ‘Master of the universe, “That with their very eyes [ayin be’ayin], You, [the Lord], were seen” (Numbers 14:14). What is “ayin be’ayin“? Reish Lakish said: That the scales are equal [me’uyan]. You say: “I will smite them with pestilence” (Numbers 14:12), and I say: “Please pardon” (Numbers 14:19). Let us see whose prevails, as it is stated: “I have pardoned in accordance with your word” (Numbers 14:20). Nevertheless, the decree of the Holy One blessed be He was not voided, as He said to Moses: “I will render you a nation greater [and mightier than they]” (Numbers 14:12), and He produced six hundred thousand from him, as it is stated: “But the sons of Rehavya were very numerous” (I Chronicles 23:17). But in the future, the Holy One blessed be He will gather them, as it is stated: “Behold, these will come from afar, and behold, these from the North and from the West, and those from the land of Sinim” (Isaiah 49:12). The exiles will come with them; the tribes that are situated beyond the Sambatyon River and beyond the mountains of darkness, they will gather and come to Jerusalem. Isaiah said: “To say to prisoners: Emerge” (Isaiah 49:9), these are those situated beyond the Sambatyon River. “To those in darkness: Reveal yourselves” (Isaiah 49:9), these are those situated beyond the clouds of darkness. “They will graze along the ways and on all the bare hills will be their pasture” (Isaiah 49:9), these are those who are situated in Daphne of Antioch. At that moment they will be redeemed, and come to Zion in joy, as it is stated: “The redeemed of the Lord will return and will come to Zion in song” (Isaiah 51:11). (Bamidbar Rabbah 16:25)