Lilith as the Serpent
by Margi B.
2004-2005

from LilithGate Website

Lilith’s link to the garden of Eden is symbolized in Christian iconography that may have been inspired by the Zohar. Also, Lilith as Serpent is not limited by her functions in Eden, but also as other important figures such as Blind Dragon and Leviathan.

There are many passages that define Lilith as Serpent. The most obvious passage, says Lilith as the Serpent had an affair with Eve before she had intercourse with Adam. This is the most expressive passage relating to Lilith that contains a description of being both a Serpent and using temptation.

Quoting Bacharach, ’Emeq haMelekh 23c-d -

"And the Serpent, the Woman of Harlotry, incited and seduced Eve through the husks of Light which in itself is holiness. And the Serpent seduced Holy Eve, and enough said for him who understands. An all this ruination came about because Adam the first man coupled with Eve while she was in her menstrual impurity -- this is the filth and the impure seed of the Serpent who mounted Eve before Adam mounted her.

 

Behold, here it is before you: because of the sins of Adam the first man all the things mentioned came into being. For Evil Lilith, when she saw the greatness of his corruption, became strong in her husks, and came to Adam against his will, and became hot from him and bore him many demons and spirits and Lilin."

However, Lilith being described with male qualities capable of intercourse with other women is also explained as Lilith being joined with Sammael as one being and both being a part of the temptation in the Garden of Eden:

Quoting Moses b. Solomon of Burgos - "Both Samael, king of the demons, and Lilith were born in a spiritual birth androgynously. The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil is an epithet for both Samael and Grandmother Lilith (e.g. the Northerner). As a result of Adam’s sin, both of them came and confused the whole world, both the Upper one and the Nether one."

Another quote that describes Lilith and Sammael as androgynous:

Quoting Zohar Sitrei Torah 1:147b-148b, Jacob’s Journey -

"The secret of secrets:
Out of the scorching noon of Isaac,
out of the dregs of wine,
a fungus emerged, a cluster,
male and female together,
red as a rose,
expanding in many directions and paths.
The male is called Sama’el,
his female is always included within him.
Just as it is on the side of holiness,
so it is on the other side:
male and female embracing one another.
The female of Sama’el is called Serpent,
Woman of Whoredom,
End of All Flesh, End of Days.
Two evil spirits joined together:
the spirit of the male is subtle;
the spirit of the female is diffused in many ways and paths
but joined to the spirit of the male."

Lilith and Sammael also have intercourse through a "snake" like intermediary also.

Quoting Treatise on the Left Emanation

"You already know that evil Samael and wicked Lilith are like a sexual pair who, by means of an intermediary, receive an evil and wicked emanation from one and emanate to the other. [...] The heavenly serpent is a blind prince, the image of an intermediary between Samael and Lilith. Its name is Tanin’iver[24] The masters of tradition said that just as this serpent slithers without eyes, so the supernal serpent has the image of a spiritual form without color--these are "the eyes." The tradiationists call it an eyeless creature, therefore its name is Tanin’iver. He is the bond, the accompaniment, and the union between Samael and Lilith. If he were created whole in the fullness of his emanation he would have destroyed the world in an instant."

The Treatise goes on to describe Lilith as the Blind Dragon itself:

Quoting Treatise on the Left Emanation

" I found written in the name of an ancient traditionist and in the name of the perfect Hasid of blessed memory that Lilith is also Taninsam. They said that this name is based on the serpent who is in the image of an intermediary between Lilith and her mate."

Not only is Lilith Blind Dragon, but is also Leviathan:

Quoting Treatise on the Left Emanation

"I shall explain this relying on the esoteric meaning in the verse "In that day the Lord will punish with His great, cruel, mighty sword Leviathan the twisted serpent and Leviathan the tortuous serpent"--this is Lilith--"and He will slay the dragon of the sea" (Isaiah 27:1). As there is a pure Leviathan in the sea and it is called a serpent, so there is a great defiled serpent in the sea in the literal sense. The same holds true above in a hidden way."

Lilith and Sammael are also described as serpents of two qualities; the Slant Serpent and the Torturous Serpent.

Quoting Moses Cordovero, Pardes Rimmonim 186d

"And about this mystery it is written, And on that day the Lord with His sore and great and strong sword will punish Leviathan the Slant Serpent, and Leviathan the Tortuous Serpent, and He will slay the Dragon that is in the sea (Isa. 27:1). Leviathan is the connection and the coupling between the two who have the likeness of serpents. Therefore it is doubled: the Slant Serpent corresponding to Samael, and the Tortuous Serpent corresponding to Lilith...."

Although this page only outlines Lilith’s Serpentine attributes, the reader is faced with the challenge of interpreting it about how it affects Lilith’s image and lesson to devotees. I personally interpret Lilith as governing the aspect of consciousness of the Sammael/Lilith androgyny. The intermediary, Blind Dragon, may be seen as symbolic of the Kundalini serpent energy that is connected to our unseen abilities and everyday consciousness. Lilith is Blind Dragon, and is both Serpent energy and consciousness to control that energy in the use of witchcraft and magick.

Sammael may be seen as the physical serpent, Lilith’s connection to the air can also be seen as breath used to form words to speak to Eve to convey the importance of partaking in Knowledge and understanding what existence is like when living without dignity with Adam.

Most of all, Lilith is the guardian of the Tree of Knowledge, her Serpent self symbolic of the Tree of Knowledge energy, the Tree’s own Kundalini that flows up through it’s branches like a wellspring of undefiled wisdom.

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Kabbala: Lilith, Samael and Blindragon

from AlanHumm Website

Lilith’s husband, Samael, has been castrated. In order to have sexual union with him, they must use a third character, BlindDragon. I’m not sure I want to know how this works.
 

Bacharach, ’Emeq haMelekh, 84b, 84c, 84d

Lilith is a harlot who fornicates with men. She has no mating with her husband, for He [God] castrated the male and cooled the female. And she becomes hot from the fornication of men, through spontaneous emission. And enough of this.... (Patai81:463)

 

This Lilith -- the Merciful One save us!-- has dominion over children who issue from a man who has intercourse at candlelight, or with his wife naked, or at times when he is forbidden to have intercourse. All those children who issue from these mentioned, Lilith can kill them any time she wants to , because they are delivered into her hand. And this is the secret of the children laughing in their sleep when they are small: it is from Lilith who plays with them.

 

And I heard that when a small child laughs during the Sabbath night or the night of the New Moon, it is because Lilith is playing with him, and it is well that his father or mother or anyone who sees him laugh should tap his nose with his finger and say: "Go from here, you accursed one, for you have no resting place here!" Let him say this three times, and each time he recites this incantation let him tap the child’s nose. And this is very good, for it is in the power of Lilith to kill them when she wants to. And since she has permission to kill these infants, these souls are called Oppressed Souls. (Patai81:463f)

 

Blind Dragon rides Lilith the Sinful -- may she be extirpated quickly in our days, Amen!-- And this Blind Dragon brings about the union between Samael and Lilith. And just as the Dragon that is in the sea (Isa. 27:1) has no eyes, likewise Blind Dragon that is above, in the likeness of a spiritual form, is without eyes, that is to say, without colors.... (Patai81:458)

 

Samael is called the Slant Serpent, and Lilith is called the Tortuous Serpent (Isa 27:1). She seduces men to go in tortuous ways.... And know that Lilith too will be killed. For the groomsman [BlindDragon] who was between her and her husband [Samael] will swallow a lethal potion at a future time, from the hands of the Prince of Power. For then, when he rises up, Gabriel and Michael will join forces to subdue and bring low the government of evil which will be in heaven and earth. (Patai81:468)

Bacharach, ’Emeq haMelekh, 121b

And he [Blind Dragon] is castrated so that he cannot beget, lest [his offspring] annihilate the world. (Patai81:458)

Bacharach, ’Emeq haMelekh, 140b

The Blind Dragon is between Samael and the Evil Lilith. And he brings about a union between them only in the hour of pestilence, the Merciful One save us! And he is castrated so that the eggs of the viper should not dome forth into the world. For were it not so, they would annihilate the world. And that kind which is called Lilin are full of hair from their heads down to their feet, but on their heads they have no hair and all their body and face is full of hair. And this Lilith has fourteen evil times and evil names and evil factions. And all are ordained to kill the children -- may we be saved!-- and especially through the witches who are called Kinder Benimmerins in the language of the Ashkenaz [German]. (Patai81:458f)

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Kabbala: Lilith as God’s Consort

from AlanHumm Website

In this striking passage we see Lilith becoming the consort of God! This resulting from God’s regular consort, the Matronit, being in exile. While they are apart, the Matronit is abused by the left emanations (bad guys) while Lilith takes her place at God’s side. Keep in mind here that ’God ’ in this context refers to one of the emanations of God, not the absolute (Ein Sof).

Of course, it would be tempting to combine this with the ’Adam’s first wife’ streams of the tradition, leaving us with a story in which Lilith is at first rejected by Adam only to be elevated to be the mate of God himself. I suspect, however, that these stories come from different places and cannot be justifiably combined.

Zohar 3:69a

One day the companions were walking with Rabbi Shim’on bar Yohai. Rabbi Shim’on said:

"We see that all these nations have risen, and Israel is lower than all of them. Why is this? Because the King [God] sent away the Matronit from Him, and took the slave woman [Lilith] in her place. Who is this slave woman? The Alien Crown, whose firstborn the Holy One, blessed be He, killed in Egypt. At first she sat behind the handmill, and now this slave woman inherited the place of her mistress."

And Rabbi Shim’on wept and said:

"The King without the Matronit is not called king. The King who adhered to the slave woman, to the handmaid of the Matronit, where is his honor? He lost the Matronit and attached Himself to the place which is called slave woman. This slave woman was destined to rule over the Holy Land of below, as the Matronit formerly ruled over it. But the Holy One, blessed be He, will ultimately bring back the Matronit to her place as before. And then, what will be the rejoicing? Say, the rejoicing of the King and the rejoicing of the Matronit. The rejoicing of the King because He will return to her and separate from the slave woman, and the rejoicing of the Matronit, because she will return to couple with the King. (Patai81:468)

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The Angelic Influence

by Margi B.
2004-2005

from LilithGate Website

Most materials I have found relevant to Lilith focus solely on the demonized aspects of her character. Lilith, however, has less than obvious origins in angelic mythology. While there is not a specific "angel named Lilith" there are clues that point to her origins sharing angelic traits and similar functions as the Cherubim.

The paradox of the demonic and the angelic contained in Lilith seems rather conflicting until I came across an explanation in the Zohar.

Quoting Zohar 3:76b-77a

"Therefore, all the spirits and demons have one half from man below, and the other half from the angels of the supernal realm."

It appears that after uttering the Ineffable Name of God that Lilith then became half angel and half human, flying away on heavenly wings and by default becoming a "demonic" entity. However, Lilith’s specific "Cherubim" qualities seem to appear after she left Eden, and offering the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge to Eve.

While looking through Alan Humm’s Lilith pages, I studied the pictures of Lilith that relate to the Serpent in the Garden of Eden that tempted Adam and Eve. Most intriguing was the Cherub depiction of the Serpent, while all the rest are clearly feminine in form.

I found another picture of Lilith as the Serpent from the same time period for comparison:

Above left - Detail from "The Fall of Man" c. 1570. (Titian c. c. 1480-1576)
Above Right - Detail from Bosch’s Paradise. c. 1510.

How is Lilith connected or related to the Cherubim? I searched through Alan Humm’s older sources from the Zohar to discover that Lilith appears to originate from an energy, or quality of the Cherubim’s flaming swords:

Quoting from Zohar 1:119b

"She approached the gates of Paradise on earth, and saw the Cherubim guarding the gates of Paradise, and sat down facing the Flaming Sword, for she originated from that flame. When that flame revolved, she fled."

Lilith’s earliest connection to the Cherubim has roots in Mesopotamia. Various definitions of "Cherub" are proposed to be "to be blessed" (to be propitious or blessed - a name applied to spirits who served the Gods as advisors and intermediaries" [De Vaux, 1961])^[1] and "to be near" (near ones, familiars, personal servants, bodyguards, courtiers) ^[3]. The earliest representations of Cherubs were protective spirits, and guardians of the Gods in temples where they were carved.

Temple Decoration
Nimrud, Assyria 900 B.C.E.
 

That would designate Lilith as guardian of the Tree of Knowledge. Cherubim were also associated with great wisdom and keepers of knowledge and records - could this be why Lilith as the Serpent had the power to offer the symbolic source of knowledge?

Also intriguing is that the Cherubim guard the fixed stars, and the fixed constellations. In a previous essay, I explained how Lilith governs Algol, a fixed star in the constellation of Taurus. This definitely solidifies the link between Lilith and the Cherubim.

Perhaps Lilith is an anti-Cherub - instead of protecting, she preys. Instead of protecting knowledge, she gives it out freely. Also, The Ancient Fragment of the Key of Solomon has some particularly interesting information concerning Lilith, Cherubim, and the bull (Algol is in the constellation of Taurus):

"The ninth Number is nine. The ninth Sephira is Yesod, or the fundamental principle.

"The Spirits of Yesod are the Cherubim or Angels, those powers which fecundate the earth, and which are represented in Hebrew symbolism under the form of bulls. Their empire is that of fecundity. They correspond to true ideas.

"They have for adversaries the Gamaliel or obscene, whose Queen is Lilith, the Demon of debaucheries."
 

Footnotes:

[1] Cherub - Wikipedia
[2] Cherub - Jewish Encyclopedia
[3] Cherubim - Catholic Encyclopedia

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Lilith in Astrology

by Margi B.
2004-2005

from LilithGate Website

Any enthusiast of Lilith will eventually stumble upon the fact that Lilith is also used in some special parts of astrology. Although her myths are a recent addition to astrology, many professionals use Lilith and her three aspects in interpreting client’s charts.

I will do my best attempt to explain, as there is much conflicting information about the Three Liliths in astrology. Some sites point out that there is merely one Lilith, but I will include them all for the purposes of this essay.

• First, there is asteroid Lilith. Like Lilith herself, the Three Liliths only have one real "physical" incarnation, Asteroid Lilith would be the only actual physical body in the sky. The two others are hypothetical points in the sky. Asteroid Lilith’s number is 1181. There are different ways people interpret Asteroid Lilith, but I would interpret this body as being in tune with Lilith’s earthly life in Eden. I see it as governing aspects of independence, sexual aggressiveness and manipulation, and one’s intelligence and ability to obtain and use information to personal benefit.
   

• Secondly is the Dark Moon Lilith. Most people have heard of this, and confused it with Black Moon Lilith instead. Actually, the Dark Moon is supposedly a non-reflective body orbiting the earth. So far, nobody has been able to pinpoint this "orbiting cluster of spacedust" in the sky, leading many to believe that it doesn’t exist at all. However, it still doesn’t account for the accurate astrological calculations and it could reasonably be used as yet another hypothetical point in the sky. Dark Moon Lilith is seen as governing illness, emotionally charged issues related to motherhood, and an individual’s darker aspects, sexual abnormalities, and secretive habits.
   

• Third and last but not least, there is Black Moon Lilith. Black Moon Lilith is different from Dark Moon Lilith, as it is not proposed to be an actual body as Dark Moon Lilith is supposed to be. Black Moon Lilith is a hypothetical point in the sky, midway between the Earth and the Lunar apogee. Some astrologists just use the apogee instead, but I thought I’d mention both.

To explain a little further, the perigee of the Moon is the full moon, round and bright. The apogee of the Moon is the actual New Moon, our favorite orb in a dark and non-reflective state. A fitting place for Lilith, especially since the New Moon is on the threshold between the "death" of a previous Moon, and the "birth" of a new one. I could see how this might be a new way to view the terminology of "between the worlds" in witchcraft, but I digress.

Okay, back to Lilith in the Moon. Lilith is already associated with the Moon long before astrologers decided to in the Zohar. To quote:

And she goes and roams the world at night, and makes sport with men and causes them to emit seed. And wherever men are found sleeping alone in a house, they [these spirits] descend upon them and get hold of them and adhere to them and take desire from them and bear from them. And they also afflict them with disease, and the men do not know it. And all this is because of the diminishing of the moon.

Zohar 1:19b

And when Lilith comes and sees that child, she knows what happened, and she ties herself to him and brings him up like all those other sons of Naamah. And she is with him many times, but does not kill him. This is the man who becomes blemished on every New Moon, for she never gives him up. For month after month, when the moon becomes renewed in the world Lilith comes forth and visits all those whom she brings up, and makes sport with them, and therefore that person is blemished at that time.

Zohar 3:76b-77a

And on every New Moon that spirit of evil appearance becomes stirred up by Lilith, and at time that man suffers harm from the spirit, and falls to the ground and cannot get up, or even dies.

Zohar 2:267b

Clearly, Lilith is mostly associated with the New Moon, the anti-heroine of Moon lore that seems to get the "death and destruction" stereotype.

But just like Lilith isn’t all death and sex and destruction, neither Black Moon or Dark Moon are all doom and gloom. In fact, I speculate that the Dark Moon and Black Moon might be indicators of where our psychic talents might come from in our inner self, or how they manifest themselves in our life. There are also many more occult phenomena in our lives besides our psychic ability, Lilith may also govern those as well.

Lilith’s powers are not limited to the Moon, however. Algol, in Hebrew legends is Lilith’s star and is also the eye of Medusa that Perseus used to turn his enemies into stone. It is also known as the "Demon Eye" star, and as "the blinking Demon" (due to it’s being a binary star, causing it to "look" like it’s blinking) some interpret Algol as "The Ghoul" star, associated with all kinds of murder and genocide.

However, it is ironic to note that Henry Cornelius Agrippa says that you can make an Algol talisman for "good success to petitions, and make him go carried it bold and magnanimous, and preserved the members of the body sound; also it helped against witchcraft, and reflected evil endeavors, and wicked incantations upon our adversaries." Good health, success, and protection against malefic magick? It seems almost ludicrous that Algol is being labeled or being compared to death spirits, but that’s not so unfamiliar to Lilith at all.

After all, Lilith and Medusa could be considered sisters of a similar paradigm, the paradigm being demonized female after sexual oppression. Comparing the Hebrew myth of Lilith and Medusa, it is clear why they are associated with each other. Lilith, after escaping Adam’s sexual oppression by uttering the Ineffable Name of God, went to go live in a cave by the Red Sea. Medusa, after being defiled by Poseidon in Athena’s temple, was cursed and banished to the depths of a cave in a faraway land.

There are other interesting correspondences between Medusa and Lilith, which are too numerous and require a separate exploration of the myths.

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Lilith and the Moon

by Margi B.
2004-2005

from LilithGate Website

Lilith’s connection with the Moon is found mostly in the Zohar, which contributed much to expand her myths. Further references to Lilith being associated with heavenly bodies can be found in my other essay concerning astrology.

It is no surprise that Lilith is associated with the Moon, as the Moon seems to be a universal representation of the Feminine in spirituality. Lilith, though, seems more associated with a specific phases of the moon; which expresses mythical quality about the influence of the Lunar cycle.

Lilith’s specific influence seems to govern the waxing and waning phases.

Quoting Zohar 1:19b -

"And she roams in the world, and finds children liable to punishment, and caresses them, and kills them. And all this is because of the diminishing of the moon which reduced its light.... When Cain was born, she could not attach herself to him. But later she approached him and bore spirits and winged demons. For 130 years Adam had intercourse with female spirits, until Naamah came. Because of her beauty the sons of God went astray after her, ’Ussa and ’Azael, and she bore from them, and from her spread evil. spirits and demons in the world....

(Patai81:454f)

 

And she goes and roams the world at night, and makes sport with men and causes them to emit seed. And wherever men are found sleeping alone in a house, they [these spirits] descend upon them and get hold of them and adhere to them and take desire from them and bear from them. And they also afflict them with disease, and the men do not know it. And all this is because of the diminishing of the moon.

(Patai81:461) "

Lilith’s more sexual and predatory aspects seem to be associated with the waxing phase of the Moon:

Quoting Zohar 3:76b-77a -

"At times it happens that Naamah goes forth into the world to become hot from the sons of man, and a man finds himself in a connection of lust with her, and he awakens from his sleep and takes hold of his wife and lies with her. And this desire comes from that lust which he had in his dream.

 

Then the child that she begets comes from the side of Naamah, for the man was driven by his lust for her. And when Lilith comes and sees that child, she knows what happened, and she ties herself to him and brings him up like all those other sons of Naamah. And she is with him many times, but does not kill him.

 

This is the man who becomes blemished on every New Moon, for she never gives him up. For month after month, when the moon becomes renewed in the world Lilith comes forth and visits all those whom she brings up, and makes sport with them, and therefore that person is blemished at that time.

(Patai81:457f)"

Quoting Zohar 2:267b -

"And that spirit which is called Asirta becomes stirred up...and goes to the female who is beneath all females. And she is Lilith the mother of demons. And a man may become stirred up by that evil spirit called Asirta, which attaches himself to that man and ties himself to him permanently. And on every New Moon that spirit of evil appearance becomes stirred up by Lilith, and at time that man suffers harm from the spirit, and falls to the ground and cannot get up, or even dies.

(Patai81:462)"

Quoting Bacharach, ’Emeq haMelekh, 84b, 84c, 84d -

"And this is the secret of the children laughing in their sleep when they are small: it is from Lilith who plays with them. And I heard that when a small child laughs during the Sabbath night or the night of the New Moon, it is because Lilith is playing with him, and it is well that his father or mother or anyone who sees him laugh should tap his nose with his finger and say: "Go from here, you accursed one, for you have no resting place here!" Let him say this three times, and each time he recites this incantation let him tap the child’s nose. "

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