From Eden to Exile: The Evolution of Lilith and the Construction of Feminine Otherness in Jewish Thought and Feminist Reinterpretation

Abstract

This study examines the multifaceted figure of Lilith within Jewish tradition, tracing her evolution from a mythic first wife of Adam to a symbol of rebellion, sexuality, and demonic influence. Drawing on biblical texts, rabbinic commentaries, mystical writings such as the Zohar, and later folkloric and feminist interpretations, the analysis explores how Lilith embodies the complex cultural construction of feminine otherness and transgression. The research situates Lilith within broader comparative frameworks that include figures like Pandora and Eve, highlighting how these narratives collectively function to portray women as sources of moral disorder, temptation, and social instability. Despite Judaism’s foundational monotheism and rational theology, such mythic stories reveal the persistence of patriarchal efforts to assert male dominance by associating women with negative traits such as deceit, uncontrolled sexuality, and spiritual danger. This paper contends that Lilith’s enduring presence in religious and cultural imagination reflects deep-rooted anxieties about gender and power, illustrating how theology and mythology intersect to shape enduring gender hierarchies and social norms.

Keywords: Jewish Tradition, Adam & Eve, Lilith in Jewish Tradition, Rabbanic Tradition, Story of Fall, Zohar & Mysticism