You may have heard of a figure known as Lilith who was Adam’s first wife, but who was not subserviant to him such that God created Eve (Chava) to be his ezer c’negdo (“helper opposite to him”). This has led to many modern interpretations to understand her as a near feminist icon, a woman created for Adam who would not submit. However, when this point is given, how much truth is there to each of these details?
In order to get a full picture free of modern reinterpretation or religious apologism, one should examine what sources mention her explicitly, why God would object to her actions, and whereabouts before and after this short glimpse into the Garden of Eden.
Where is She Mentioned?
These are the primary sources where there is a mention of the word לילית (Lilit).
The Tanakh (Isaiah 34:14-15): In the Tanakh, there is a possible reference to Lilith in the Book of Isaiah 34:14-15, from a larger section describing the ruin that Israel is to face in extremely esoteric language: “Wildcats shall meet hyenas, goat-demons shall greet each other; There too lilith shall repose And find herself a resting place. There the arrow-snake shall nest and lay eggs, And shall brood and hatch in its shade. There too the buzzards shall gather with one another.” This does not lend much light on who lilith would be, except that she does not appear to be human or by any account pleasant.
The Alphabet of Ben Sira: The Alphabet of Ben Sira is an anonymous medieval Jewish text that includes a narrative about Lilith. This text is not part of the canonical scriptures, nor clearly based on any one source, but offers a story about the creation of Adam and Lilith. While it is the fullest description, and the one most people rely on, it was attacked in its day and its fragmented writing has no known author. Here’s an excerpt:
"When God created Adam and Lilith, He said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply.’ She said, “I will not lie below,” and he said, “I will not lie below, but above, since you are fit for being below and I for being above.” She said to him, “The two of us are equal, since we are both from the earth. Since Lilith saw [this dispute], she uttered God's ineffable name and flew away into the air."
Yet again we are faced with a description that does not sound natural, as people don’t fly away. This is the clearest depiction of Lilith as people tend to describe the story, but despite her apparently also being created from the dust like Adam, she refuses to have relations in order to fulfill God’s command, desecrates his name and flies away.
Talmudic Literature: Lilith is mentioned in various passages in Talmudic literature, such as in the Babylonian Talmud, Niddah 24b, where her name is associated a fetus born with wings. The exact details of this are beyond the scope here, but this is the most authoritative writing about Lilith, which certainly cements the picture of a winged woman, sometimes also seen with talons, but definitely not normal. It does not relate one way or the other to the Genesis-adjacent story. Notably, Hebrew / Aramaic don’t have an indefinite article, so it is not clearly “like Lilith” or “like a Lilith”, which will be relevant soon.
Midrashic Literature: Lilith is also found in Midrashic texts, which are collections of rabbinic interpretations and commentaries on the Hebrew Scriptures. For example, in Midrash Bereshit Rabbah 18:4 there is a reference to her creation and later, there is a reference to Lilith leaving Adam. In this, she is also fashioned from Adam like Eve was, but she tormented his dreams, and is said to have only been in his dream.
After all this, only one account gives any more description of her than as a demon or other mythological type creature. There are not even clear references about her whereabouts after her creation.
Dead Sea Scrolls
The Dead Sea Scrolls, which are not Jewish but do lend an insight into the ancient nature of the texts of Tanakh, also references Lilith, in a way. Here, in their writing of the Book of Isaiah, the word is used only in the plural, indicating not that Lilith is a woman nor even woman-like being, but rather than liliths are a class of demons or spirits.
Certainly looking at how scant her mentions are, it might be better to understand her along the lines of other monsters like the Leviathan, Tanin, Behemot, or other such creatures that are usually not given much weight, but are used in descriptions of what is to come before the Era of Moshiach.
Other Sources
Other languages and other cultures of the region, like the Akkadian culture have similar words for spirits, or other negative forces. However, given the name לילית (lilit) would appear to come from the word for night לילה (lilah) shared across Semitic languages, getting a clear source is not obvious; it is a strong possibility Akkadian took this from Hebrew.
So, Is Lilith Real?
Lilith is certainly real, but indicating a clear description, or a definite relation to the genesis of Man should not be put out as a matter of fact. Rather, from the little that is concrete, she would be more akin to the other mystical creatures based off of the description of a flying woman who defies God in her obstinance, and clearly was therefore not meant as his wife. It is not to say any mention of such a being or even beings has no basis, but that her significance has been taken up in causes outside the pursuit of Torah knowledge.
