THE THE LEGEND LEGEND OF OF LILITH LILITH © ©

The Legend of Lilith: The Origins of Evil and the Fall of Man
Sin in Hebrew is chet. The root means “distance”. One can use his energies of life to draw close to YHWH or cause his
actions to distance himself from YHWH. The further one withdraws from YHWH, distancing himself from the Source of
Truth and Light, the more accustomed to the darkness the person becomes. This is why darkness and evil are linked together
in Scripture. In the Light, all things can be seen clearly and in its rightful state. However, in the dark distinction
between objects becomes hard to perceive and sometimes non-existent.
• Mat 6:22 -24 The lamp of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness,
how great is the darkness! No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or
else he will hold to one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve Elohim and mammon.
• Yochanan 3:18-21 He that believeth on him is not judged: he that believeth not hath been judged already, because
he hath not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of Elohim. And this is the judgment, that the
light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil. For
every one that doeth evil hateth the light, and cometh not to the light, lest his works should be reproved. But he
that doeth the truth cometh to the light, that his works may be made manifest, that they have been wrought in Elohim
• Yochanan 12:35-36 Yahshua, therefore, said to them, `Yet a little time is the light with you; walk while ye have
the light, that darkness may not overtake you; and he who is walking in the darkness hath not known where he
goeth; while ye have the light, believe in the light, that sons of light ye may become.”
• Yochanan 12:46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me may not abide in the
darkness.
From the Torah's perspective, therefore, greatness of character is not measured by our lack of an evil inclination, but by
our success in controlling it. The rabbis of the Talmud also taught that "The greater the scholar, the greater his evil inclination"
(Sukkah 52a). In other words, someone who possesses pronounced capabilities will find himself presented with a
greater number of illicit opportunities around which he will have to exert considerable self-control. For example, it is a
greater moral achievement for a person who has built up his business from scratch to remain scrupulously honest in his
dealings than for one who has always been employed by another, for the latter has less to gain from financial chicanery.
Similarly, it is a greater act of character for a person of good looks and a sensual disposition not to lead a promiscuous life
than for one who does not possess this disposition and is afforded few such opportunities. When a man turns away from
evil: “Then all the klippoth are made null and void, and they vanish, as though they have never been in the presence of the
Master.” 58
• Soncino Zohar, Bereshith, Section 1, Page 23b-is a vestment to the Shekinah, and if man had not been created,
the Shekinah would have been without a vestment like a beggar. Hence when a man sins it is as though he strips
the Shekinah of her vestments, and that is why he is punished; and when he carries out the precepts of the Law, it
is as though he clothes the Shekinah in her vestments. Hence we say that the fringes (tsitith) worn by the Israelites
are to the Shekinah in captivity like the poor man's garments, of which it is said, “for that is his only covering, it
is his garment for his skin, wherein shall he sleep?” (Ex. XXII, 26). Prayer which is not whole-hearted is pursued
by numbers of destructive angels, according to the Scriptural expression: “all her pursuers have overtaken her,
etc.” (Lam. I, 3).Therefore it is well to preface one's prayer with the verse, “but he is merciful and forgiveth iniquity,
etc.” (Ps. LXXVIII, 38). The word “iniquity” signifies Samael, who is the serpent; “he will not destroy” signifies
the destroyer; “he turneth his anger away” refers to the demon Af (anger); “and doth not stir up all his
wrath” refers to the demon Hemah (wrath). To these powers are attached many destructive angels, which are under
seven chiefs with seventy under-chiefs, dispersed in every firmament, and under them are myriads of others.
When an Israelite wearing fringes and phylacteries prays with devotion, then the words of the Scripture are fulfilled:
“All the peoples of the earth shall see that the name of YHWH is called upon thee and they shall fear thee”
(Deut. XXVIII, 10). We have agreed that “the name of YHWH” refers to the phylactery of the head; and when the
58 Zalman, Tanya, Likutei Amarim, Chapter 19,p.81
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