Who is Lilith and What Significance Does This Mythical Character Have Today?

There are many notable oral tales and legends surrounding the mythical figure of Lilith, throughout history.

Versions abound of the Lilith story from various sources that portray her character as everything from being Adam's first non-submissive wife that first appeared in medieval times in a collection of satirical writings of the ancient kabbalistic text, (Jewish mysticism) in which the figure of Lilith appears as the archetypal seductress that overtakes men, as revealed in the Talmud, which is the oral representation of the ancient writings of the Torah, (the Jewish written interpretation of the first five books of the Bible.)

So who is Lilith and what significance does this figure hold for us today? Just a few years ago, a group of female artists got together and performed a series of concert tours known as "The Lilith Fair." The name denotes a sense of mystical feminine power. Throughout history, the figure of Lilith has always been associated with power, even if that power is for destructive purposes as one story refers to Lilith as being a demon, who hates men and who threatens women and babies in childbirth. She seems to represent a formidable character; the epitome of the ancient struggle between men and women for dominance.

What we, as people struggle with, as portrayed in the character Lilith above all else, is the idea that man and woman can be separate and different in many aspects but equal in worth. From the representation of rebellion against God, to the idea of non-compliance with Adam and his sexual preferences, the idea of Lilith whether good or evil certainly represents a woman striving for independence and a sense of worth equal to men.

Especially in America, we worship the idea of independence. It does make sense. The idea of independent thought, is why we have today's inventions that have been such a blessing in our lives. Technology is a gift, and it signifies independence.

These erroneous myths, like Lilith, points to the faultiness of the monetary system, the modern day form of enslavement that society has created that perpetuates the myth that man and women are not equal and usually points to men as having a more important role than woman. It goes back to the idea that the breadwinner has the most important job. If we had a system that was not based on money and power, instead based on resources and the equal distribution of them, the ancient struggle of women for independence, as represented in the mythical character of Lilith in all its forms, simply would not exist.

So, the notion of the modern day character of Lilith shows us that there is still a long way to go in the changing of people's minds to that of equality between the sexes and it shows us that, as long as we remain faithful to ancient traditions and institutions perpetuated by the outdated economic system we live under, the myths of inequality between man and woman will continue to prevail.