Lilith, the Queen of Sitra Ahra, a primordial being of immense beauty, with flowing midnight-black hair and eyes that sparkled with both mystery and defiance.  The ancient name “Lilith” derives from a Sumerian word for female wind spirits, carrying liberation and freedom. She held the keys to the mysteries of the universe and was revered as a guide for those who sought enlightenment and transformation. Many brave souls ventured into the depths of the night, seeking Lilith's wisdom and liberation from societal constraints.

Her character has evolved throughout the years. She began as a female demon common to many Middle Eastern cultures. She was described as threatening the sexual and reproductive aspects of life, especially childbirth. Goddess Lilith is often associated with the serpent, emblematic of knowledge, seduction, and rebirth; the owl, with its nocturnal prowess which represents Lilith's dominion over the mysteries of the night, and the lion because of her strength, authority, and fierce independence. Her captivating charm enticed both gods and mortals alike.  Her energy was electric, drawing others into her orbit, but she remained fiercely autonomous, never allowing herself to be possessed or controlled.

 

According to midrashic literature, Adam's first wife was not Eve but  Lilith, who was created in the first Genesis account. Only when Lilith rebelled and abandoned Adam did God create Eve, in the second account, as a replacement. According to the Alphabet of Ben Sira, Lilith union with Adam was unsuccessful as they didn’t see eye-to-eye on matters of sex because Adam always wanted to be the dominant one while Lilith also wanted a turn in the dominant sexual position. When they could not agree, Lilith decided to leave Adam. She uttered God’s name and flew into the air, leaving Adam alone in the Garden of Eden. "God" sent three angels after her and commanded them to bring her back to her husband by force if she did not come willingly. But when the angels found her by the Red Sea they were unable to convince her to return and could not force her to obey them.  Because she disobeyed God,  She was considered a dark and evil entity.

 

But Her origins go back much earlier than the "sacred scriptures" The earliest surviving mention of Lilith’s name appears in Gilgamesh and the Huluppu-Tree, a Sumerian epic poem found on a tablet at Ur and dating from approximately 2000 B.C.E. She is also found in the Babylonian scripts and next migrated to the world of the ancient Hittites, Egyptians, Israelites and Greeks. She makes a solitary appearance in the Bible, in Isaiah 34:14 as a wilderness demon dangerous to pregnant women and infants.  In most Christian manifestations of her story, Lilith represents chaos, seduction, and ungodliness, that have cast a spell on humankind. She had a fearsome reputation as a kidnapper murderer of children and seducer of men. But according to Sumerians and Babylonians, Lilith was with God when he created animals and man. The Zohar asserts that Lilith, the soul, is both the animating and instinctual force of every animal of the field (Zohar I 34a).

 

Another aspect of Lilith is representing authenticity and rebellion against societal norms. Inspired by her energy, She is guiding us to embark on a journey of personal transformation by cultivating authenticity and embracing our unique self-expression. She is associated with intuition following one's inner guidance,  and developing trust in our inner voice.

 

With the advent of the feminist movement in the 1960s she acquired her present high status as a model for independent women. She is the liberator of women. She is the patron of strong women and a Goddess of women’s rights. Lilith represents sexual liberation and pleasure. 

Each of us has a little of Lilith inside. When we speak with courage when we rebel in circumstances we don't like, in our desire for freedom, when we rise to be who we are.  

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Paola Luciani Fulbright