Who/What/Where/When
Lilith is (referred to by name) according to the bible, a demon (Issiah 34:14) whom is shunned by the Prophet Isaiah. In the middle Ages she appears as the first wife of Adam in Jewish Mythology. She has been written about (mostly derogatorily) as early as 3-5 C.E. in ancient Babylonian texts. The female Lilith also exists in the earlier versions of the Bible prior to the King James Version. In the Book of Genesis she (or a female human being) is mentioned 3 times. We want to emphasize that this female is said to have been created at the same time and the same way as Adam (Genesis 1:27). To me it means she was created equal in HIS image and in her own right. She has her own destiny to fulfill and it is intertwined with mans destiny. It also mentions that more or less. she did neither conform or acquiesce to Adam’s requests nor obey God’s rules. Lilith is kicked out of the Garden for her disobedience. Consequently, in the Bible she is named as the demon whom Isaiah overcomes. During the Renaissance, Michelangelo and even Dante make artistic creations representing Lilith.
Why
It seems apparent and immutable that later another female is created, (Genesis 2:22) in a specifically different way. And that this was done purposefully to achieve a different result. Although Eve is created from Adam’s rib as opposed to how the female in Genesis 1:27 was created. I believe she was created that way to forevermore be a part of him (man). She was created to stand beside him.
Yet this second female, Eve, was also disobedient and did not resist temptation and ate from the Tree of Forbidden Fruit/Knowledge. There are some interesting theological theories and evidences for what this fruit was in another blog/link about the Tree and truly what the tree was or represents. That is another debate and research issue. Furthermore, she Eve, coaxed and coerced Adam to eat from this fruit as well. As the story goes, then they knew shame as they realized they were naked. In addition, and purportedly because of this female, women down thru the generations since creation, suffer from the “Curse of Eve” every month. Also they suffer pain from childbirth as the story goes. Punishment for sins of the ancestors.
But we must get back to the topic of this female being. This female Lilith, considered herself to be of the same status as Adam. Made from clay in her own right, exactly as he was. The story goes that they argued and she refused to (lay/lie) be below him. She was powerful and knowledgeable enough to utter the ineffable name, the Tetrgrammaton and then ….fly away. Tetragrammaton, meaning the four letter word that is the most important of God’s Names. It is the four-letter name represented by the Hebrew letters Yod-Hei-Vav-Hei (YHVH) and is directly related to the Hebrew root Hei-Yod-Hei (to be). An affirmation and powerful word. There is power in words and using the proper or correct name(s). And this power of the spoken word is another topic for a later post.
Back to Lilith. Is there more than one family tree? Daughters of Eve and Daughters of Lilith? Is that why some women are different in their opinions and actions? What happened to Lilith? Why was she ostracized? And why was she conspired against and written about as a demon not as Adams first wife (not by name anyway) in the the Bible like she was in Jewish texts?
How
How is this important to us as women? You have to ask yourself this question. Are you a daughter of Eve or of Lilith? In other words, what are you utilizing and tapping into? How are you using your creation as a source of power (in HIS or HER image) and independence (Free Will)?
There are some modern day feminists who do use her namesake to be defenders of battered women, spread literacy and as the title of a Jewish women’s magazine, Lilith Magazine. As women who are becoming more independent like their male counterparts gain more of the monetary power previously only granted to men, are we becoming better as human beings/females? Are you a temptress or a defender of your own fate? Lilith’s namesake is also used in the annual traveling Festival/ Concert series named the “Lilith’s Fair” who donates all proceeds to support Battered Women shelters and Breast Cancer research. This music festival is a tribute to women in music to provide solidarity and monetary help to other women.
And I’m certain that the pagan culture celebrates Lilith and utilize her or worship her in other ways as well.