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Samael (/ˈsæməˌɛl/;Hebrew:סַמָּאֵל,Sammāʾēl, "Venom of God";[1]Arabic:سمسمائيل,Samsama'il orسمائل,Samail; also spelledSmil,Samil, orSamiel)[2][3][4] is anarchangel inTalmudic and post-Talmudic tradition; a figure who is the accuser or adversary (Satan in theBook of Job),seducer, anddestroying angel (in theBook of Exodus).
Although many of his functions resemble the Christian notion ofSatan, to the point of being sometimes identified as afallen angel,[5][6][7]: 257–60 he is not necessarily evil, since his functions are also regarded as resulting in good, such as destroying sinners.[3]
He is considered inMidrashic texts to be a member of theheavenly host with often grim and destructive duties. One of Samael's most significant roles in Jewish lore is that of the mainangel of death and the head ofsatans. He appears frequently in the story of theGarden of Eden and engineered thefall of Adam and Eve with a snake in writings during theSecond Temple period.[5] However, the serpent is not a form of Samael, but a beast he rode like acamel.[8] In a single account he is also believed to be thefather ofCain,[6][9] as well as the partner ofLilith. In early Talmudic and Midrashic literature, he has not yet been identified with Satan. Only in later Midrashim is he entitled "head of satans."[10]
Asguardian angel and prince ofRome, he is the archenemy ofIsrael. By the beginning ofJewish culture in Europe, Samael had been established as a representative ofChristianity due to his identification with Rome.[11][7]: 263
In someGnostic cosmologies, Samael's role as a source of evil became identified with theDemiurge, the creator of the material world. Although probably both accounts originate from the same source, the Gnostic development of Samael differs from the Jewish development of Samael, in which Samael is merely an angel and messenger of God.
Samael was first mentioned during theSecond Temple period and immediately after its destruction. He is first mentioned in theBook of Enoch, which is a part of theJewish apocrypha, along with other rebellious angels. In Enoch 1, he is one of theWatchers who descended to Earth tocopulate with human women, although he is not their leader,[5] this beingSamyaza.[6]
In theGreek Apocalypse of Baruch,[5] he is the dominant evil figure. Samael plants theTree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, thereupon he is banished and cursed by God.[7]: 257–60 To take revenge, he temptsAdam and Eve into sin by taking the form of the serpent.[5][6]
He appears further as the embodiment of evil in theAscension of Isaiah and is called by various names:
The namesBelial andSatan are also applied to him, and he gains control of KingManasseh to accuseIsaiah of treason.[6]
InTalmudic andmidrash, Samael's role as an agent of evil is relatively marginal. However, from the fifth or sixth century onward, he becomes one of the most prominent among the demonic entities.[7]: 257–60 Samael has not been identified with the angel of death in the Talmud.[12]
In theExodus Rabbah, Samael is depicted as the accuser in the heavenly court and tempter to sin, whileMichael defends Israel's actions.[13] Here, Samael is identified withSatan. WhileSatan describes his function as an "accuser," Samael is considered his proper name. He also fulfills the role of the Angel of Death when he comes to take the body ofMoses and is called the leader of Satan.
The title ofsatan is also applied to him in the midrashPirkei De-Rabbi Eliezer, where he is the chief of thefallen angels,[7]: 257–60 and a twelve-wingedseraph.[14] According to the text, Samael opposed the creation of Adam and descended to Earth to tempt him into evil. Riding the serpent, he convinces Eve to eat the forbidden fruit.[6] His role here might be inspired by theIslamic idea ofIblis,[15] who refused to prostrate himself before Adam because he consists of fire and Adam merely from dust.[16][17] The midrash also reveals Samael fatheredCain with Eve.[6]
In thesmaller midrashim, he is the ruler of hell. Several sources, such asYalkut Shimoni (I, 110) describe him as theguardian angel ofEsau relating him toRome, the one whowrestled withJacob, the angel who orderedAbraham to sacrificeIsaac, and apatron ofEdom.[2][18]
InKabbalah, Samael is described as the "severity of God" and is listed as fifth of thearchangels of the world ofBeri'ah. Among his portions are Esau, the people who inherit the sword and bring war; the goats andse'irim (demons); and thedestroyer angels.[10]
Although both Samael andLilith are major demons in earlier Jewish traditions, they do not appear paired until the second half of the thirteenth century, when they are introduced together.[19] Lilith is a demon created alongsideAdam, originally created for the roleEve would fill, who then becomes Samael's bride. With her, Samael created a host of demon children, including a son, the "Sword of Samael"[20] (or ofAsmodai).[21]
In the Kabbalistic workTreatise on the Left Emanation, Samael is part of theqlippoth, prince of all demons, and spouse of Lilith.[6] The two are said to parallel Adam and Eve, being emanated together from the Throne of Glory as a counterpart.Asmodeus is also mentioned to be subservient to Samael and married to a younger or alternate, lesser Lilith.[22] According to the treatise (secondary source) which is unconfirmed, Godmonorchid Samael in order not to fill the world with their demonic offspring.[6]
In theZohar, one of Kabbalah's principal works, Samael is described as a leader of the divine forces of destruction, part of the qlippoth. He is mentioned again as the serpent's rider,[8] and is described as having mated withEisheth Zenunim,Na'amah, andAgrat bat Mahlat, all being "angels" ofsacred prostitution.[23] Notably, the same work later calls himAzazel,[8] which might be a case of mistaken identity, as Azazel may be himself in Zoharistic lore a combination of the angelsOuza andAzrael.[24]
It is also said that theBaal Shem Tov summoned Samael to make him do his bidding.[25]
Samael is also depicted as the angel of death and one of the seven archangels, the ruler over theFifth Heaven and commander of two million angels such as the chief of all thedestroying angels.
According to the apocryphalGedulat Moshe (The Apocalypse of Moses, "The Ascension of Moses" inTheLegends of the Jews byLouis Ginzberg) Samael is also mentioned as being in 7th Heaven:
In the last heaven Moses saw two angels, each five hundredparasangs in height, forged out of chains of black fire and red fire, the angels Af, "Anger", and Hemah, "Wrath", whom God created at the beginning of the world, to execute His will.Moses was disquieted when he looked upon them, butMetatron embraced him, and said, "Moses, Moses, thou favorite of God, fear not, and be not terrified," and Moses became calm. There was another angel in the seventh heaven, different in appearance from all the others, and of frightful mien. His height was so great, it would have taken five hundred years to cover a distance equal to it, and from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet he was studded with glaring eyes. "This one," said Metatron, addressing Moses, "is Samael, who takes the soul away from man." "Whither goes he now?" asked Moses, and Metatron replied, "To fetch the soul ofJob the pious." Thereupon Moses prayed to God in these words, "O may it be Thy will, my God and the God of my fathers, not to let me fall into the hands of this angel."[26]
In theApocryphon of John,On the Origin of the World, andHypostasis of the Archons, found in theNag Hammadi library,Samael is one of three names of thedemiurge, whose other names areYaldabaoth andSaklas.
After Yaldabaoth claims sole divinity for himself, the voice ofSophia comes forth calling himSamael, due to his ignorance.[27][28] InOn the Origin of the World, his name is explained as "blind god" and his fellowArchons are said to be blind, too. This reflects the characteristics of the Christian devil, making people blind, as does the devil in2 Corinthians 4. Also Samael is the first sinner in theHypostasis of the Archons and theFirst Epistle of John calls the devil as sinner from the beginning. These characteristics combined with his boasting conflates the Jewish god with the devil.[29] His appearance is that of a lion-faced serpent.[30] Although the Gnostics and Jewish originally used the same source, both depictions of Samael developed independently.[7]: 266
Samael is sometimes confused in some books withCamael, who appears in theCoptic Gospel of the Egyptians also as an evil power, whose name is similar to words meaning "like God" (but Camael with awaw missing). The name might be explained, because in Jewish traditions, the snake had the form of a camel, before it was banished by God.[7]: 259
Toanthroposophists, Samael is known as one of the sevenarchangels:Saint Gregory gives the seven archangels asAnael,Gabriel,Michael,Oriphiel,Raphael, Samael, andZerachiel.[citation needed] They are all imagined to have a special assignment to act as a globalzeitgeist ('time-spirit'), each for periods of about 360 years.[31]
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