Lilin
Encyclopedia
Lilin or lilim (singular 'lili') are demonic legendary creatures in Akkadian mythology and shedim
in Jewish folklore.
In Talmudic Jewish folklore
, Lilith
is the name of Adam
's first wife, who was created at the same time and from the same earth as Adam. She would not become subservient to Adam, left him, and refused to return to the Garden of Eden
after she mated with archangel
Samael
.
According to legend Lilin are the demonic children of Lilith and Samael. Lilith was warned that unless she returned to the Garden of Eden, one hundred of her children would die daily as her punishment. She refused, and so it is said, that one hundred lilin die daily. In order to avenge their death, Lilith kills human newborn children. Lilin also prey on newborn children, up to eight days after birth for boys, and twenty days for girls. A Hebrew tradition exists in which an amulet
is inscribed with the names of three angel
s (Senoy, Sansenoy, and Semangelof) and placed around the neck of newborn boy
s in order to protect them from the lilin until their circumcision
.
Pregnant women fall under the domain of the lilin, and need to be protected. They can cause barrenness, miscarriages, and complications during childbirth.
If a man's thoughts wander while having relations with his wife, and he thinks of another woman, his unborn child is fair game to the lilin.
In the Talmud
, King Solomon, who commanded all spirits, had the lilin dance before him. (Targ. Sheni Esth. i. 3)
Shedim
Shedim is the Hebrew word for demons. The word shedim appears only twice in the Tanakh, at and . It was possibly a loan-word from Akkadian in which the word sedu referred to a protective, benevolent spirit...
in Jewish folklore.
Etymology
The following is disputed:- The masculine of lili is lilu.
- In Akkadian, Ardat-lili.
- Cuneiform scriptCuneiform scriptCuneiform script )) is one of the earliest known forms of written expression. Emerging in Sumer around the 30th century BC, with predecessors reaching into the late 4th millennium , cuneiform writing began as a system of pictographs...
inscriptions Līlīt and Līlītu refer to disease-bearing wind spiritSpiritThe English word spirit has many differing meanings and connotations, most of them relating to a non-corporeal substance contrasted with the material body.The spirit of a living thing usually refers to or explains its consciousness.The notions of a person's "spirit" and "soul" often also overlap,...
s. - In SumerianSumerian languageSumerian is the language of ancient Sumer, which was spoken in southern Mesopotamia since at least the 4th millennium BC. During the 3rd millennium BC, there developed a very intimate cultural symbiosis between the Sumerians and the Akkadians, which included widespread bilingualism...
lil means "air" - For a complete etymological discussion, see LilithLilithLilith is a character in Jewish mythology, found earliest in the Babylonian Talmud, who is generally thought to be related to a class of female demons Līlīṯu in Mesopotamian texts. However, Lowell K. Handy notes, "Very little information has been found relating to the Akkadian and Babylonian view...
.
History
- See LilithLilithLilith is a character in Jewish mythology, found earliest in the Babylonian Talmud, who is generally thought to be related to a class of female demons Līlīṯu in Mesopotamian texts. However, Lowell K. Handy notes, "Very little information has been found relating to the Akkadian and Babylonian view...
In Talmudic Jewish folklore
Jewish mythology
Jewish mythology is generally the sacred and traditional narratives that help explain and symbolize the Jewish religion, whereas Jewish folklore consists of the folk tales and legends that existed in the general Jewish culture. There is very little early folklore distinct from the aggadah literature...
, Lilith
Lilith
Lilith is a character in Jewish mythology, found earliest in the Babylonian Talmud, who is generally thought to be related to a class of female demons Līlīṯu in Mesopotamian texts. However, Lowell K. Handy notes, "Very little information has been found relating to the Akkadian and Babylonian view...
is the name of Adam
Adam
Adam is a figure in the Book of Genesis. According to the creation myth of Abrahamic religions, he is the first human. In the Genesis creation narratives, he was created by Yahweh-Elohim , and the first woman, Eve was formed from his rib...
's first wife, who was created at the same time and from the same earth as Adam. She would not become subservient to Adam, left him, and refused to return to the Garden of Eden
Garden of Eden
The Garden of Eden is in the Bible's Book of Genesis as being the place where the first man, Adam, and his wife, Eve, lived after they were created by God. Literally, the Bible speaks about a garden in Eden...
after she mated with archangel
Archangel
An archangel is an angel of high rank. Archangels are found in a number of religious traditions, including Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Michael and Gabriel are recognized as archangels in Judaism and by most Christians. Michael is the only archangel specifically named in the Protestant Bible...
Samael
Samael
Samael is an important archangel in Talmudic and post-Talmudic lore, a figure who is accuser, seducer and destroyer, and has been regarded as both good and evil...
.
According to legend Lilin are the demonic children of Lilith and Samael. Lilith was warned that unless she returned to the Garden of Eden, one hundred of her children would die daily as her punishment. She refused, and so it is said, that one hundred lilin die daily. In order to avenge their death, Lilith kills human newborn children. Lilin also prey on newborn children, up to eight days after birth for boys, and twenty days for girls. A Hebrew tradition exists in which an amulet
Amulet
An amulet, similar to a talisman , is any object intended to bring good luck or protection to its owner.Potential amulets include gems, especially engraved gems, statues, coins, drawings, pendants, rings, plants and animals; even words said in certain occasions—for example: vade retro satana—, to...
is inscribed with the names of three angel
Angel
Angels are mythical beings often depicted as messengers of God in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles along with the Quran. The English word angel is derived from the Greek ἄγγελος, a translation of in the Hebrew Bible ; a similar term, ملائكة , is used in the Qur'an...
s (Senoy, Sansenoy, and Semangelof) and placed around the neck of newborn boy
Boy
A boy is a young male human , as contrasted to its female counterpart, girl, or an adult male, a man.The term "boy" is primarily used to indicate biological sex distinctions, cultural gender role distinctions or both...
s in order to protect them from the lilin until their circumcision
Circumcision
Male circumcision is the surgical removal of some or all of the foreskin from the penis. The word "circumcision" comes from Latin and ....
.
Pregnant women fall under the domain of the lilin, and need to be protected. They can cause barrenness, miscarriages, and complications during childbirth.
If a man's thoughts wander while having relations with his wife, and he thinks of another woman, his unborn child is fair game to the lilin.
In the Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
, King Solomon, who commanded all spirits, had the lilin dance before him. (Targ. Sheni Esth. i. 3)