The Netflix series 'Lucifer' is where I first heard about the character Lilith. When I hear Adam's wife I always thought of Eve. So, when I heard the story of Lilith, it really caught my attention and I started searching the Jewish Mythology online.
Interestingly, Lilith is known as the first feminist. I know I know, don't run away yet XD. Her story is actually quite inspiring. Before I tell you the story, let me just state that I mean no offence and I'm just writing down what I read.
An ancient Jewish myth contests that Eve was the first woman. This myth states that before Eve, there was another woman- Lilith. Unlike Eve who came from Adam’s rib, Lilith emerged from clay along with Adam. Since she was created by God in the same way as Adam, Lilith did not submit to her husband’s commands because she thought she was equal to him and did not accept Adam’s domination.
Lilith and Adam inherited the Garden of Eden. But Lilith's rebellion put her in a situation where she was forced to choose between submitting to her husband or leaving the Garden of Eden. Lilith was not willing to give up her independence, therefore she opted to leave Adam and the Garden of Eden behind. The first woman ever created went into exile and settled herself near the Red Sea. God sent angels in an attempt to convince Lilith to return to the Garden of Eden. But she turned her back on God.
Without his wife, Adam started to feel lonely. God seeing that he was struggling with loneliness decided to create a new woman for him - Eve.
Due to her decision to reject the Creator, Lilith was demonized. She was now considered a woman shaped demon.
Stories refer that Lilith was jealous of Adam and Eve’s happy life led in paradise and as an act of revenge, she resumed the shape of a serpent and tricked Eve, forcing her and Adam to taste the forbidden fruit, which caused the couple to be expelled from paradise. Whereas some stories say that the serpent was Satan trying to manipulate God’s creation.
This story of Lilith is not included in the Christian Bible and it is rejected by both Catholics and Protestants. The version in which she would have been Adam's first wife is found in the Cerec Alphabet texts. The date of the writings are unknown. But it is believed that they were created already in the mediaeval era.
The myth of Lilith is found in Hebrew, Babylonian, Sumerian and Assyrian mythology. The figure of Lilith in Mesopotamia was seen as an evil deity, or when associated with the moon she was regarded as a goddess with different phases and therefore different moods. That way she could be seen as a fertility goddess, but also as a devilish figure.
There are theories that state that Lilith's absence from the Bible was created during the counsels that defined the canonical books that constitute the Bible as we know it today.
The figure of Lilith as an independent and strong woman will go against the patriarchal structure, one of the cornerstones of the Judeo-Christian culture. For this reason, Lilith was embraced by the feminist movement. She is often regarded as the first feminist. The movement claims that Lilith was unfairly demonized, like most women in our history who have attempted to defy the patriarchy.
Whether as a demonic figure or as a woman's struggle, Lilith's story is still a subject of much interest.
