According to Jewish folklore, LILITH, the first wife of Adam, left her husband and their children to be with the demon Sammael. Together they dwelt in and near the Red Sea where LILITH became a demon herself. Every day she gave birth to one hundred demonic offspring. These vampiric demons, her children, are called lilim, although some sources say that all of her female children, even those she had with her first husband, Adam, were called the lilim. Some sources say that if the demon was male, it was called lili or SHAITANS. The ancient Greeks called these beings lilim lamiae, EMPOUSE, and the daughters of Hecate (see GREEK VAMPIRES). Ancient Christians referred to them as the Harlots of Hell and SUCCUBUS.

Lilim feed their bloodlust by attacking children, deer, fish, menstruating women, pregnant women, and men who have sex with their wives while fantasizing about other women. Lilim also have the right to plague newborn male children for eight days or until they have been circumcised, as well as are allowed to attack newborn females until they are 20 days old, kidnapping them to consume if the opportunity presents itself. When lilim attack adults, they have SUCCUBUS-like tendencies. They also have the interesting ability to look into a person’s eyes and see what, if any, doubts he may have about anything.

To prevent attack, monks who have taken a vow of celibacy must sleep with their hands over their genitals, clutching a CRUCIFIX. Wearing Hasidic amulets of protection work as well. Lilim can only be destroyed by God, as He had decreed that 100 lilim a day will die until LILITH returns to her husband.

Source: Eason, Fabulous Creatures, 26-27; Koén-Sarano, King Solomon and the Golden Fish, 63; Koltuv, Book of Lilith, 35; Turner, Dictionary of Ancient Deities, 166