Azazel's intercourse with Adam and Eve?

[Sariell]

I recently found interesting idea about Azazel's intercourse with Adam and Eve in the Apocalypse of Abraham (see below). Does anybody knows about existance such tradition in other texts (medieval magical, Kabbalistic? etc???)


An excerpt from A. Orlov, Dark Mirrors: Azazel and Satanael in Early Jewish Demonology, pp. 21-25
“… Apocalypse of Abraham 23:4–11 unveils the following enigmatic tradition that draws
on peculiar protological imagery:
‘And I looked at the picture, and my eyes ran to the side of
the garden of Eden. And I saw there a man very great in
height and terrible in breadth, incomparable in aspect, entwined
with a woman who was also equal to the man in
aspect and size. And they were standing under a tree of Eden,
and the fruit of the tree was like the appearance of a bunch
of grapes of the vine. And behind the tree was standing, as it
were, a serpent in form, but having hands and feet like a man,
and wings on its shoulders: six on the right side and six on the
left. And he was holding in his hands the grapes of the tree and
feeding the two whom I saw entwined with each other. And I
said, “Who are these two entwined with each
other, or who is this between them, or what is the fruit which
they are eating, Mighty Eternal One?” And he said, “This is the
reason of men, this is Adam, and this is their desire on earth,
this is Eve. And he who is in between them is the Impiety of
their pursuits for destruction, Azazel himself.’
In this vision, which the patriarch receives while standing at the place
of God’s theophany near the divine Throne, Abraham beholds Azazel’s
protological manifestation in the lower realm where the demon’s presence
is placed in the midst of the protoplasts. The depiction is also interesting
in that it renders the abode of Azazel through the primordial imagery of
the Tree situated in the Garden of Eden.
There are no doubts that the text offers to its audience the portrayal
of the infamous Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil—the arboreal
symbol of the protological corruption of the first human couple. The peculiar
features of the scene, and the reference to the “grapes of vine” as the fruit
of the Tree, bring to memory the cluster of familiar motifs associated in the
Jewish lore with the legendary paradisal plant. While some features of the
scene look familiar, others are not. One novel detail baffling the reader’s
imagination is the portrayal of Azazel between the intertwined protoplasts
under the Tree.
This intriguing tradition has long puzzled students of the Slavonic
apocalypse. Although the imagery of the intertwined protoplasts is known
from Jewish and Christian lore about the serpentine Eve, the depiction
found in the Apocalypse of Abraham appears to unveil some novel, perplexing
symbolism. Some scholars have noted an erotic dimension in this portrayal
suggesting that the demon and the intertwined protoplasts form here some
sort of a ménage à trois. What might be the theological significance of this
ominous intercourse involving the demonic spirit and the human couple?
Is it possible that, in this scene depicting an enigmatic union of the
arch‑demon and the protoplasts, one might have not merely a scandalous
illustration of the protological corruption of the first humans, but also the
disclosure of one of the most mysterious and controversial epiphanies of Azazel?
If it is indeed possible, then here, as in some biblical and pseudepigraphic
accounts, the erotic imagery and the symbolism of the conjugal union might
be laden with theophanic significance.....
… It should be noted that the imagery of the intertwined primordial
couple holding the presence of the spiritual agent is quite unique in the
Adamic lore. Yet it invokes the memory of another important theophanic
tradition of the divine presence, where God’s presence is portrayed through
the imagery of the intertwined cherubic pair in the Holy of Holies.
The treatise Yoma of the Babylonian Talmud contains two passages that
offer striking, if not scandalous, descriptions of the intertwisted cherubim in
the Holy of Holies. Thus, b. Yoma 54a reads:
‘R. Kattina said: Whenever Israel came up to the Festival, the
curtain would be removed for them and the Cherubim were
shown to them, whose bodies were intertwisted with one another,
and they would be thus addressed: Look! You are beloved before
God as the love between man and woman.’
In view of these developments, it is quite possible that this theophanic
dimension of the conjugal union might be also negatively evoked in the
depiction of the intertwined protoplasts in chapter 23 of the Apocalypse
of Abraham. Could it be possible that the erotic ordeal of the protological
couple holding in their midst the presence of Azazel somehow serves as a
negative counterpart of the cherubic couple holding the divine presence in
the Holy of Holies?.....”

[Stukov]

I didn't read the whole thing, but just by I find this rather interesting, because in my book I have it written that Adam's first wife is Lilith (who he sacrifices cuz he don't like her) and Eve is his daughter. He then rapes his daughter, Eve, and right afterwards she goes to Azazel who also ends up having sex with her (they were actually in love) and Eve gives birth to two different sons, Cain (son of Azazel) and Abel (son of Adam). However, in my book Azazel isn't evil and Adam isn't really "good". Cain does kill Abel but its something more justifiable or accidental (haven't written that part yet but have it generally fleshed out).

[dRider]

To me, having a greater being between the two humans brings to mind the Tantrik idea of the union of man and woman being a ritual act to bring the two closer to an understanding of the God's and Goddess' existence, place in the universe, how to reach greater enlightenment, etc. Of course, the Sumerian idea of humanity being created by beings from the stars in "clay jars" is also brought to mind. Maybe it prophetically/symbolically depicts how humanity was taught to procreate rather than just be made? Along this line of thought, maybe the scene with Azazel depicts him as evil because the creator race didn't want us to come upon such understandings to beign with, but now that we have... "The victor always writes history." Many ideas to ponder..

Otherwise, Where in the heck do you guys find all these other books?!? I've searched for many years, and maybe I'm hindered living in Tulsa, Oklahoma, very near the heart of the Bible belt, but I've never even heard of some of these books and biblical level compilations. Of course, I've found the "Gnostic Gospels" online here and there, like the Gospel of Thomas, but there's just so much more that you seem to have to be part of a secret sect to have access to.

[Stukov]

What books are you talking about? I was talking bout mine I wrote.

[dRider]

I understood that the book where "Azazel wasn't bad, and Adam wasn't necessarily good" were of a book you were putting to gether, Stukov, I was talking about Sariell's books that say the information from the first post's text.

For instance, while it's a movie, not even an accurate movie for all I know:

In the movie Constantine, they talk about the Bible of the damned, with the same stuff of the Earthly Bible, but with WAY more books and chapters from each book. Again, this was a movie, but the premise is the same. There are books out there on the more occult side of even mainstream texts like the Bible that I've simply never even heard the titles of. I was just wondering where you go to find these tomes.

[dedevoce]

I understood that the book where "Azazel wasn't bad, and Adam wasn't necessarily good" were of a book you were putting to gether, Stukov, I was talking about Sariell's books that say the information from the first post's text.

For instance, while it's a movie, not even an accurate movie for all I know:

In the movie Constantine, they talk about the Bible of the damned, with the same stuff of the Earthly Bible, but with WAY more books and chapters from each book. Again, this was a movie, but the premise is the same. There are books out there on the more occult side of even mainstream texts like the Bible that I've simply never even heard the titles of. I was just wondering where you go to find these tomes.

See if this helps: http://www.earlyjewishwritings.com/

There are a few listed on here. Generally a good university library, if you have one near, will have a good deal of non-canonical Jewish literature as well. While they have been adapted by a number of occult groups, these texts have been available. The Bible makes references to the Book of Adam and Eve, Enoch, and Jesus alludes to the matters in the Testament of Solomon shortly after he exercises someone. They are not a part of the Canon, but are often studied in rabbinical schools and seminaries.

Stukov's story of Adam actually killing his first wife (if I am understanding the description correctly) is more rare (I haven't seen references of it in Rabbinical literature.) However, there is a reference to the idea in a medieval French work called Bestiary of Love, where the author uses a similar rendition of the tale (Eve was listed as a second wife after Adam murdered "Lilith") in order to justify the education of women.

[dRider]

Ahh, thank you. Most excellent