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Sunday, January 13, 2013

Adam & His Wives?

Adam (Hebrew: אָדָם; Arabic: آدم) is a well known literary figure in the Book of Genesis, the Qur'an and the Kitáb-i-Íqán (Bahai' Faith) and considered the first historical human. According to theories of the Abrahamic religions this person known as Adam was created by the god of Israel and made in His [God's] own image. The term "adam" also refers to the general creation of mankind. God blessed Adam and put him in charge of the Garden of Eden and ordained him to have dominion "over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth." (Genesis 1:26-27) He is credited with giving all living animals, plants and creatures their names. The Bahá'í Faith, Islam and some Christian denominations consider Adam to be the first Prophet.

Creating A Wife:

Lilith (Hebrew: לילית) is a Hebrew name for a female figure in Jewish mythology, and first developed in the Babylonian Talmud. According to ancient Mesopotamian texts, Lilith was generally thought to be in part derived from a class of female demons known as Līlīṯu. Her detailed story dates back to the 13th century (AD) and can be found in the Zohar (Book of Splendor) and the Alphabet of Ben Sira (religious texts that surfaced during Medieval times and based upon traditions dating back to antiquity). Lilith, who was briefly referenced in the Christian Bible/Jewish Tanakh (Isaiah 34:14) and who scarcely appears in the Jewish Talmud, was a prominent literary figure of Mesopotamian mythology as well. In the Dead Sea Scrolls and Songs of the Sage the name 'Lilith' first occurs in a list of monsters.

There are many legends attributed to this figure named Lilith, but all agree she was a female demon and a bearer of disease, illness, and death. Modern biblical scholars attribute the creation of Lilith to the first mention of woman in Genesis 1:27.  While it is a debatable subject among mankind today, Lilith was purported to bare demon offspring to Adam, as well as his firstborn son, Cain. Some theologians believe that Lilith was made at the same time as Adam, attached to his hip, and God separated them.

In the 13th Century writings of Rabbi Isaac ben Jacob ha-Cohen, he describes: Lilith left Adam after she refused to become subservient to him and then would not return to the Garden of Eden after she mated with the archangel, Samael. Other sources contend that Lilith was born out the Great Abyss (Underworld). Regardless of her beginnings, she was evicted from the Garden of Eden and Eve was created.

Creating A New Wife:

Eve (Hebrew: חַוָּה, Arabic: حواء) was considered by the Abrahamic religions to be the first woman made by the Creator. Like Adam, she was made from the 'dust of the earth' in the Garden of Eden, but given one of the ribs of Adam [a covenant of subservience]. She is the first woman mentioned in the Christian and Jewish Bibles. God decides that "It is not good that the man should be alone" (Genesis 2:18)

According to Christian, Islamic and Jewish ancient history, the world’s civilizations were descended from a common set of parents known as Adam and Eve. By all accounts, after Eve's creation she disobeyed the commandment of God to "watch over the garden" (Genesis 2:15) and ate the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. In her defense, she claimed she was coerced by a serpent. In Christian tradition, the serpant (or snake) is literally defined as Satan.


Eve, along with Adam, was expelled from the Garden of Eden for her disobedience (because Eve ate the fruit and Adam allowed it). After being evicted from the fruitful garden, the pair faced many hardships for the remainder of their life. In Christian doctrine, this is commonly known as the "Fall of Man".

In the Qur'an, Eve is not mentioned by name, but she is referred to as Adam's spouse, and the Islamic tradition refers to her as Hawa (or Hawwā). The following verses of the Sura - 2:30-39; 7:11-25; 15:26-42; 17:61-65; 18:50-51; 20:110-124; and, 38:71-85 - are ascribed to her. The story of Eve in Islamic texts, such as the Qur'an and the books of Sunnah (Hadith), are similar but slightly different from the Torah and Bible.

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Even during antiquity, the presence of two distinct females was duly noted and regarded with curiosity. The first account says God created male and female (Genesis 1:27) and the second account mentions Eve was fashioned from Adam's rib (Genesis 2:18). Some medieval rabbis suggested that these two women were separate individuals, Lilith and Eve, respectively.

Individual interpretations and beliefs regarding the story of Adam, Lilith and Eve vary across the different religious sects and factions. Many religions also differ on how they view Adam's subsequent behavior and to the consequences that those actions had on the rest of humanity. While Islamic teachings hold fast that both were equally responsible for their iniquity against the Creator and later forgiven, Christian and Jewish writings state a different level of responsibility for the "Fall". Christians believe redemption [for Adam and Eve] occurred through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

While some Christian denominations believe the "Fall" corrupted the entire natural world, causing mankind to be born into original sin, other religions, such as Judaism and Islam, do not recognize the theory of orginal sin and believe all are accounted for their own sins.

Regardless of the theories and controversy about the first human beings, the Creator "drove mankind out from the Garden of Eden and placed, on the east side of the garden, a cherubim and a flaming sword to guard the Tree of Life". (Genesis 3:24)


"God deliberated from what member He would create woman, and He reasoned with Himself thus: I must not create her from Adam's head, for she would be a proud person, and hold her head high. If I create her from the eye, then she will wish to pry into all things; if from the ear, she will wish to hear all things; if from the mouth, she will talk much; if from the heart, she will envy people; if from the hand, she will desire to take all things; if from the feet, she will be a gadabout. Therefore I will create her from the member which is hid, that is the rib, which is not even seen when man is naked." ~ Rabbi Joshua


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