Thriller Thursday: Lilith

In Jewish mysticism Lilith is said to be Adam’s first wife before God created Eve from Adam’s rib. Lilith was said to have been created at the same time as Adam, not after, making her his equal and just as powerful. Lilith refused to be subservient to Adam’s will and apparently cheated on him with the archangel Samuel who in Jewish folklore is the angel of death, tethering between good and evil.

Lilith left Eden and Adam behind and started a life of her own outside of what was considered paradise. Adam in turn is left alone and begging God for a new mate. God makes Adam a new mate taking one of Adam’s own ribs to do this (does this mean man originally had three ribs?) Eve is created and is clearly less intelligent than Lilith, so really, what does that tell you about Adam?! 

Lilith, now living outside of Eden becomes viewed as the greatest demon on earth. The ‘mother’ of all demons, a woman who in actuality is more powerful than her male counterpart. She left Adam, she didn’t need him and therefore she became an image to fear; strong, mighty, powerful. 

Before Adam begged God to create him a new mate, she begged God to bring Lilith back to him. She refused and in turn her offspring were murdered by angels and Lilith took revenge for their deaths by indulging in the young of humankind, devouring babies while their parents slept. By consuming the young Lilith was able to keep her fair looks and this led to her mothering a host of vampires and demons who mettled with humans and created more of these kinds of offspring of their own. 

In some cases Lilith is considered to be the serpent itself who tempted Eve with the forbidden fruit, causing Adam and Eve to be banished from Eden and completing her revenge on Adam for having her children murdered.  

Today Lilith can be found in a lot of popular culture, she is still mostly seen as a sort of super-villain in comic books, literature, television and film but in a lot of cases she is viewed as a strong and powerful female role model. 

What do you think? Mother of all vampires and all things evil? Empowered woman who lives by her own rules? Or, a little of both?