Samael

Also spelled Smil, Samil, or Samiel.

He’s an archangel in Talmudic & post-Talmudic tradition. He’s a figure who is the accuser or adversary (Satan in the Book of Job), seducer, & destroying angel (in the Book of Exodus).

Although many of his functions resemble the Christian idea of Satan, to the point of being sometimes classified as a fallen angel. He’s not necessarily evil, since his functions also result in good, like destroying sinners.

In Midrashic texts, he’s considered to be a member of the heavenly host, often with grim & destructive duties. 1 of Samael’s most significant roles in Jewish lore is that of the main angel of Death & the head of satans. He appears frequently in the story of the Garden of Eden & engineered the Fall of Adam (& Eve) with a snake in writings, during the Second Temple period. However, the serpent isn’t a form of Samael. But a beast he rode, like a camel.

In a single account, he’s also believed to be the father of Cain. As well as the partner of Lilith.

In early Talmudic & Midrashic literature, he hasn’t yet been associated with Satan. Only in later Midrashim is he given the title “head of satans.”

As a guardian angel & prince of Rome, he’s Israel’s archenemy. By the beginning of Jewish culture in Europe, Samael had been established as a representative of Christianity due to his identification with Rome.

In some Gnostic cosmologies, Samael’s role as a source of evil became identified with the Demiurge, the creator of the material world.

Samael was 1st mentioned during the Second Temple period & immediately after its destruction. He’s 1st mentioned in the Book of Enoch, which is a part of the Jewish apocrypha, along with other rebellious angels. In 1 Enoch, he’s 1 of the Watchers who descended to Earth to have adult spicy time with human women. Although he’s not their leader. Samayaza is their leader. (A post about Samyaza is coming soon. Research on him is ongoing, right now.)

In the Greek Apocalypse of Baruch, he’s the dominant evil figure. Samael plants the actual Tree of the Knowledge of Good & Evil. He’s then banished & cursed by God. To take revenge, he tempts Adam & Eve into sin by taking the form of the serpent.

He further appears as the embodiment of evil in the Ascension of Isaiah & is called by various names:

• Melkira, “King of evil/wicked.”
• Malkira/Malchira, “Messenger of evil.”
• Belkira, “Lord of the Wall.”
• Bechira, “Elect/Chosen of evil.”

The names Belial & Satan are also applied to him. He gains control of King Manasseh to accuse Isaiah of treason.

In Talmudic & Midrash, Samael’s role as an agent of evil is relatively marginal. From the 5th or 6th century onward, he becomes 1 of the most prominent among the demonic entities. Samael hasn’t been identified with the angel of Death in the Talmud.

In the Exodus Rabbah (the Exodus Midrash), Samael is pictured as the accuser in the heavenly court & tempter to sin, while Michael defends Israel’s actions. Here, Samael is identified with Satan. While “Satan” describes his function as an “accuser,” Samael is considered his real/proper name.

He also fulfills the role of the Angel of Death when he comes to take the body of Moses & is called the leader of Satan.

The title of “satan” is also applied to him in the Midrash Pirkei De-Rabbi Eliezer, where he was the chief of the fallen angels, & a 12-winged seraph. According to the text, Samael opposed the creation of Adam & descended to Earth to tempt him into evil.

Riding the serpent, he convinces Eve to eat the Forbidden Fruit. His role here might be inspired by the Islamic idea of Iblis, who refused to prostrate himself before Adam because he consists of fire & Adam merely of dust. This Midrash also reveals that Samael sired Cain with Eve.

In the smaller Midrash, he’s the ruler of Hell. Several sources (like Yalkut Shimoni) describe him as the guardian angel of Esau, relating him to Rome, the 1 who wrestled with Jacob, the angel who ordered Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, & a patron of Edom. Which makes sense because Esau was the “father” of Edom.

In Kabbalah, Samael is described as the “severity of God.” He is listed as 5 of the archangels of the world of Beri’ah. Among his portions are Esau, the people who inherit the sword & bring war; the goats & se’irim (demons); & the destroyer angel.

Both Samael & Lilith are major demons in earlier Jewish literature traditions. They don’t appear paired together until the 2nd half of the 13th century, when they’re introduced together. Lilith is a demon created alongside Adam. She wasn’t originally created as a demon. She morphed into a demoness down the road. She was originally created as Adam’s (1st) wife. Lilith then becomes Samael’s bride. With her, Samael created a host of demon kids, including a son, the “Sword of Samael” (or of Asmodai).

In the Kabbalistic work Treatise on the Left Emanation, Samael is part of the qlippoth (Qlippoth is the representation of evil/impure spiritual forces in Jewish mysticism), prince of all demons, & husband of Lilith. The 2 are said to parallel Adam & Eve being emanated together from the Throne of Glory as a counterpart. Asmodeus is also mentioned to be subservient to Samael & married to a young (or alternate), lesser Lilith.

In the Zohar (1 of Kabbalah’s principal works), Samael is described as a leader of the divine forces of destruction, part of the qlippoth. He’s mentioned again as the serpent’s rider. He’s also described as having mated with Eisheth Zenunim (a princess of the qilppoth); Na’amah (She originated from & is often mixed with another Naamah, sister to Tubal-Cain); & Agrat bat Mahlat (a demoness), all being “angels” of sacred prostitution.

It’s also said that the founder of Hasidic Judaism, Baal Shem Tov, summoned Samael to make him do his bidding.

Samael is also pictured as the angel of Death & 1 of the 7 archangels, the ruler over the 5th Heaven (This refers to 1 of the 7 firmaments, or physical layers, located above the open sky.) & commander of 2 million angels, such as the chief of all destroying angels. Think about the angel(s) who destroyed the Egyptians who didn’t have the lamb’s blood on their doorframes (Exodus 11).

In 3 separate Gnostic texts (found in the Nag Hammadi library), Samael is 1 of the 3 names of the Demiurge. He had 2 other names in these texts: Yaldabaoth & Saklas. After Yaldabaoth claims sole divinity for himself, the voice of Sophia (“wisdom,” the personification of wisdom) comes forth calling him Samael, due to his ignorance.

In Hypostasis of the Archons, Samael is the 1st sinner. The First Epistle of John calls the devil a sinner from the beginning. His appearance is that of a lion-faced serpent.

Make a one-time donation

Your contribution is appreciated.

Make a monthly donation

Your contribution is appreciated.

Make a yearly donation

Your contribution is appreciated.

''Görmüyor musun, iblis gibi dimdiksin...''

#iblis #şeytan #kibir #ego #bencillik #benlik #günah

Islamic Mythology

This is a body of myths that are associated with Islam & the Quran. These include a creation myth & a vision of the afterlife. The 2 types of myth & legends that make up Islamic mythology are cosmogony & eschatology.

The creation myths are based on the Quran, & expanded on in habits, Arabic & Persian writings, histories (Qisas al-anbiya), Muslim poetry, philosophical essays, & mystical writings.

There’s no 1 single story of creation, unlike in Christianity. It’s made clear that God is the 1 who created the world. The number of days in the creation story varies between 6-8 days.

In Islam, God created the angels as inhabitants of the heavens & jinn (& humans) as inhabitants of the earth. The 1st entities who lived on earth were the jinn. However, they fought each other until God sent an army of angels headed God sent an army of angels headed by Iblis (a.k.a. Satan), against them. Adam, a representative for mankind as a whole, was created as their successor.

In the Christian bible, God says He’s going to make mankind, in the plural: “…let us make man in our image, in our likeness.” It’s not clear to whom God is speaking to. In Jewish midrashism, it’s thought God is talking to the angels, maybe.

The Quran is explicit about it: “When your Lord said to the angels…” In an exegesis of the Quran, after the angels defeated the jinn, they settled on earth. It’s these angels whom God addressed when he announced to create Adam (mankind) as a deputy of God.

The angels, either only from the angels of the earth or from all angels oppose the creation of Adam for a variety of reasons. One major reason is due to the sins Adam’s successor will commit, which is explicitly mentioned in the Quran.

Another reason is that angels consider themselves superior to Adam, in terms of knowledge. The angelic opposition derives from a faulty analogy between Adam & the jinn. The angels don’t know that from among mankind, there will be saints & prophets. Despite the sinners among them. Eventually, the angels bow down, except for Iblis. Angels who remained in opposition to Adam became devils/demons.

According to Islam, Adam isn’t only the 1st human being, & man, but also the 1st prophet. The Quran says that Adam & Eve lives in the Garden of Eden. Adam & Eve both eat from the forbidden “Tree of Eternity.” According to the Quran, as punishment God declares the earth as a dwelling place for humans.

Only due to free will, humans are able to produce good. Although Adam’s disobedience created evil, only this made it possible to create good. The disobediences of Adam & Eve were already forgiven by God during their life.

According to a common narrative, God ordered the Archangels to collect a handful of soil from earth. But every time an archangel approached earth, the Earth sought refuge in God, that it might not be distorted.

All the archangels returned empty-handed. Except for Azrael, who succeeded because he sought refuge in God before, for that he’ll not return unsuccessful.

Another common tradition pictured the body of Adam lying on the ground for 40 years, whereupon Iblis became curious about the new creation. After investigating the lifeless body, he promised that, if he’ll gain authority over it, he’ll destroy it.

In another tradition, it’s not Azrael, but Iblis, included among the archangels, who succeeded in collecting soil from the earth. Thus he later declined to prostrate/bow himself before whose creation/formation he just helped.

The heavens span in a dome-like structure over the earths (yep, plural), arranged in horizontal layers 2 upon another. At the top sits Big G’s (or in this case, Big A’s) Throne (Al-‘Arsh) separated from the 7 heavens below.

The lowest heaven is often associated with a firmly-enclosed water of a celestial ocean. Below the heavens are the 7 earths. The Earth’s are also part of the supernatural cosmos & serve as gradual stages of hell.

The surface is inhabited by humans, the lower stages are abode of destructive winds & djinn, followed by brimstones of hell, scorpions, & vipers. With the devil, eventually, at the bottom.

According to Islamic mythology, God instructed Adam to construct a building (the Kaaba) to be the earthly counterpart of the House of Heaven & that Ibrahim (Abraham) & Ismail (Ishmael) later rebuilt it on its original foundations after it was destroyed in the flood of Nuh (Noah).

According to other versions, Ibrahim & his son, Ismail, were the 1st to build the Kaaba. As Ismail was searching for a stone to mark a corner with, he met with the angel Jibrail (Gabriel). Jibrail gave Ismail the Black Stone.

According to the Hadith, the Black Stone is reported to have milky white after being descended from Heaven but was made black due to the sins of the people, who had touched it. The Black Stone itself isn’t worshipped by Muslims.

The Kaaba was originally intended as a symbolic house for the 1 monotheistic God. After Ibrahim’s death, people started to fill the Kaaba with “pagan idols.” When Muhammad conquered Mecca after his exile, he removed the idols from the Kaaba.

The inside of the Kaaba is empty. It’s now an important pilgrimage site. All Muslims are supposed to visit at least 1 time, if they are able to (called the Hajj). Muslims are supposed to pray 5x a day while facing the Kaaba/Mecca’s direction.

Make a one-time donation

Your contribution is appreciated.

Donate

Make a monthly donation

Your contribution is appreciated.

Donate monthly

Make a yearly donation

Your contribution is appreciated.

Donate yearly

#Adam #AlArsh #Arabic #Archangel #BlackStone #ChristianBible #Djinn #Eve #Gabriel #GardenOfEden #Hajj #Iblis #Ibrahim #Ishmael #Islam #IslamicMythology #Ismail #Jibrail #Jinn #Kaaba #Midrash #Muslim #Noah #Nuh #Persian #QisasAlAnbiya #Quran #Satan #SevenHeavens #TreeOfEternity