Lilin

Lilin (Hebrew:לילין) or lilim (singular 'lili') are night spirits. They are demonic legendary creatures in Akkadian mythology and shedim in Jewish folklore.

Etymology

The following is disputed:

• The masculine of lili is lilu.^{[citation needed]}
• In Akkadian, Ardat-lili.
• Cuneiform script inscriptions Līlīt and Līlītu refer to disease-bearing wind spirits.
• In Sumerian lil means "air"
• For a complete etymological discussion, see Lilith.

History

See Lilith

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 angels (Senoy, Sansenoy, and Semangelof) and placed around the neck of newborn boys 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.^{[citation needed]}

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.^{[citation needed]}

In the Talmud, King Solomon, who commanded all spirits, had the lilin dance before him. (Targ. Sheni Esth. i. 3)

See also

• Lilin in popular culture