Contents.Etymology In the language of and, the terms lili and līlītu mean spirits. Some uses of līlītu are listed in (CAD, 1956, L.190), in 's (AHw, p. 553), and (RLA, p. 47).The female demons lili have no etymological relation to Akkadian lilu, 'evening'.(1882) considered that Hebrew lilit (or lilith) לילית and the earlier Akkadian līlītu are from. (1902) has this literally translating to 'female night being/demon', although inscriptions from exist where Līlīt and Līlītu refers to disease-bearing wind. Another possibility is association not with 'night', but with 'wind', thus identifying the Akkadian Lil-itu as a loan from the lil 'air' — specifically from, 'lady air', of the (and wife of ) — and itud, 'moon'. Mesopotamian mythology.
Main article: The spirit in the tree in the Gilgamesh cycle (1932, published 1938) translated ki-sikil-lil-la-ke as Lilith in 'Tablet XII' of the dated c.600 BCE. 'Tablet XII' is not part of the Epic of Gilgamesh, but is a later translation of the latter part of the. The ki-sikil-lil-la-ke is associated with a serpent and a. In Gilgamesh, Enkidu, and the Netherworld, a grows in 's garden in, whose wood she plans to use to build a new throne. After ten years of growth, she comes to harvest it and finds a serpent living at its base, a Zu bird raising young in its crown, and that a ki-sikil-lil-la-ke made a house in its trunk.
Gilgamesh is said to have killed the snake, and then the zu bird flew away to the mountains with its young, while the ki-sikil-lil-la-ke fearfully destroys its house and runs for the forest. Identification of ki-sikil-lil-la-ke as Lilith is stated in (1999). According to a new source from Late Antiquity, Lilith appears in a magic story where she is considered to represent the branches of a tree with other demonic figures that form other parts of the tree, though this may also include multiple 'Liliths'.Suggested translations for the Tablet XII spirit in the tree include ki-sikil as 'sacred place', lil as 'spirit', and lil-la-ke as 'water spirit'. But also simply 'owl', given that the lil is building a home in the trunk of the tree.A connection between the Gilgamesh ki-sikil-lil-la-ke and the Jewish Lilith was rejected by (1932) and rejected on textual grounds by Sergio Ribichini (1978). The bird-footed woman in the Burney Relief.
Main article:Kramer's translation of the Gilgamesh fragment was used by (1937) and (1937) to support identification of a woman with wings and bird-feet in the as related to Lilith, but this has been rejected by later sources, including the, which is in current possession of the piece.The terracotta plaque depicts a beautiful, naked goddess-like sylph with bird-like features who stands atop two lions and between two owls. Although once believed to be the actual image of Lilith, it is now thought to possibly represent Inanna, the Sumerian goddess of love, fertility, beauty, war, and sexual desire.
The depiction of the nocturnal and predatory owls, however, have led many to believe the relief is an affirmation of Lilith's role as a demon who flies about the underworld, delivering night terrors to those who sleep.The Arslan Tash amulets. Main article:The are limestone plaques discovered in 1933 at, the authenticity of which is disputed., and others, accepted the amulets as a pre-Jewish source which shows that the name Lilith already existed in the 7th century BCE but (1947) identified the amulets as a later Jewish source.
In the Hebrew Bible The word lilit (or lilith) only in the, while the other seven terms in the list appear more than once and thus are better documented. The reading of scholars and translators is often guided by a decision about the complete list of eight creatures as a whole. Quoting from Isaiah 34 :(12) Her nobles shall be no more, nor shall kings be proclaimed there; all her princes are gone. (13) Her castles shall be overgrown with thorns, her fortresses with thistles and briers. She shall become an abode for jackals and a haunt for ostriches. (14) Wildcats shall meet with desert beasts, satyrs shall call to one another; There shall the Lilith repose, and find for herself a place to rest.
(15) There the hoot owl shall nest and lay eggs, hatch them out and gather them in her shadow; There shall the kites assemble, none shall be missing its mate. (16) Look in the book of the LORD and read: No one of these shall be lacking, For the mouth of the LORD has ordered it, and His spirit shall gather them there. (17) It is He who casts the lot for them, and with His hands He marks off their shares of her; They shall possess her forever, and dwell there from generation to generation.Hebrew text In the. Photographic reproduction of the, which contains a reference to plural liliyyotAs with the Massoretic Text of Isaiah 34:14, and therefore unlike the plural liliyyot (or liliyyoth) in the 34:14, lilit in 4Q510 is singular, this liturgical text both cautions against the presence of supernatural malevolence and assumes familiarity with Lilith; distinct from the biblical text, however, this passage does not function under any socio-political agenda, but instead serves in the same capacity as An Exorcism (4Q560) and Songs to Disperse Demons (11Q11). The text is thus, to a community 'deeply involved in the realm of demonology', an exorcism hymn.Joseph M. Baumgarten (1991) identified the unnamed woman of The Seductress (4Q184) as related to female demon. However, John J.
Collins regards this identification as 'intriguing' but that it is 'safe to say' that (4Q184) is based on the strange woman of Proverbs 2, 5, 7, 9. — 4Q184 Early Rabbinic literature Lilith does not occur in the. There are five references to Lilith in the Babylonian Talmud in on three separate Tractates of the Mishnah:. 'Rab Judah citing ruled: If an abortion had the likeness of Lilith its is unclean by reason of the, for it is a child but it has wings.' (Babylonian Talmud on Tractate Nidda 24b). 'Expounding upon the curses of womanhood In a it was taught: She grows long hair like Lilith, sits when making water like a beast, and serves as a bolster for her husband.'
(Babylonian Talmud on Tractate Eruvin 100b). 'For gira he should take an arrow of Lilith and place it point upwards and pour water on it and drink it. Alternatively he can take water of which a dog has drunk at night, but he must take care that it has not been exposed.' (Babylonian Talmud, tractate Gittin 69b). In this particular case, the 'arrow of Lilith' is most probably a scrap of or a, colloquially known as 'petrified lightning' and treated as antipyretic medicine. 'Rabbah said: I saw how Hormin the son of Lilith was running on the parapet of the wall of Mahuza, and a rider, galloping below on horseback could not overtake him.
Once they saddled for him two mules which stood on two bridges of the Rognag; and he jumped from one to the other, backward and forward, holding in his hands two cups of wine, pouring alternately from one to the other, and not a drop fell to the ground.' (Babylonian Talmud, tractate Bava Bathra 73a-b). Hormin who is mentioned here as the son of Lilith is most probably a result of a scribal error of the word 'Hormiz' attested in some of the Talmudic manuscripts. The word itself in turn seems to a distortion of, the deity of light and goodness. If so, it is somewhat ironic that Ormuzd becomes here the son of a nocturnal demon. 'R. Hanina said: One may not sleep in a house alone in a lonely house, and whoever sleeps in a house alone is seized by Lilith.'
(Babylonian Talmud on Tractate Shabbath 151b)The above statement by Hanina may be related to the belief that nocturnal emissions engendered the birth of demons:. 'R. Eleazar further stated: In all those years 130 years after his expulsion from the Garden of Eden during which Adam was under the ban he begot and male demons and female demons or night demons, for it is said in Scripture: And Adam lived a hundred and thirty years and begot a son in own likeness, after his own image, from which it follows that until that time he did not beget after his own image. When he saw that through him death was ordained as punishment he spent a hundred and thirty years in, severed connection with his wife for a hundred and thirty years, and wore clothes of on his body for a hundred and thirty years. – That statement of R. Jeremiah was made in reference to the which he emitted accidentally.' (Babylonian Talmud on Tractate Eruvin 18b)The collection contains two references to Lilith.
The first one is present in 22:7 and 18:4: according to God proceeded to create a second Eve for Adam, after Lilith had to return to dust. However, to be exact the said passages do not employ the Heb.
Word lilith itself and instead speak of 'the first Eve' (Heb. Chavvah ha-Rishonah, analogically to the phrase Adam ha-Rishon, i.e. The first Adam). Although in the medieval Hebrew literature and folklore, especially that reflected on the protective amulets of various kinds, Chavvah ha-Rishonah was identified with Lilith, one should remain careful in transposing this equation to the Late Antiquity.The second mention of Lilith, this time explicit, is present in 16:25. The midrash develops the story of Moses' plea after God expresses anger at the bad report of the spies.
Moses responds to a threat by God that He will destroy the Israelite people. Moses pleads before God, that God should not be like Lilith who kills her own children. Moses said:God, do not do it i.e. Destroy the Israelite people, that the nations of the world may not regard you as a cruel Being and say: 'The Generation of the Flood came and He destroyed them, the Generation of the Separation came and He destroyed them, the Sodomites and the Egyptians came and He destroyed them, and these also, whom he called My son, My firstborn (Ex.
IV, 22), He is now destroying! As that Lilith who, when she finds nothing else, turns upon her own children, so Because the Lord was not able to bring this people into the land. He hath slain them' (Num.
Incantation bowls. With an inscription around a demon, from, Mesopotamia, 6–7th century.An individual Lilith, along with 'king of the lilits', is one of the demons to feature prominently in protective spells in the eighty surviving Jewish occult from Babylon (4th–6th century CE) with influence from Iranian culture. These bowls were buried upside down below the structure of the house or on the land of the house, in order to trap the demon or demoness. Almost every house was found to have such protective bowls against demons and demonesses.The center of the inside of the bowl depicts Lilith, or the male form, Lilit. Surrounding the image is writing in spiral form; the writing often begins at the center and works its way to the edge. The writing is most commonly scripture or references to the Talmud. The incantation bowls which have been analyzed, are inscribed in the following languages, Mandaic, and Arabic.
Some bowls are written in a false script which has no meaning.The correctly worded incantation bowl was capable of warding off Lilith or Lilit from the household. Lilith had the power to transform into a woman's physical features, seduce her husband, and conceive a child. However, Lilith would become hateful towards the children born of the husband and wife and would seek to kill them. Similarly, Lilit would transform into the physical features of the husband, seduce the wife, she would give birth to a child. It would become evident that the child was not fathered by the husband, and the child would be looked down on. Lilit would seek revenge on the family by killing the children born to the husband and wife.Key features of the depiction of Lilith or Lilit include the following.
The figure is often depicted with arms and legs chained, indicating the control of the family over the demon(ess). The demon(ess) is depicted in a frontal position with the whole face showing. The eyes are very large, as well as the hands (if depicted). The demon(ess) is entirely static.One bowl contains the following inscription commissioned from a Jewish occultist to protect a woman called Rashnoi and her husband from Lilith:Thou liliths, male lili and female lilith, and ghool, I adjure you by the Strong One of Abraham, by the Rock of Isaac, by the of Jacob, by Ha-Shem by Yah his memorial, to turn away from this Rashnoi b. And from Geyonai b. Here is your divorce and writ and letter of separation, sent through holy angels.
Amen, Amen, Selah, Halleluyah! Lilith, illustration by Carl Poellath from 1886 or earlierThe 8th–10th centuries is considered to be the oldest form of the story of Lilith as Adam's first wife. Whether this particular tradition is older is not known.
Scholars tend to date the Alphabet between the 8th and 10th centuries CE. The work has been characterized as.In the text an is inscribed with the names of three (, and ) and placed around the neck of in order to protect them from the until their. The amulets used against Lilith that were thought to derive from this tradition are, in fact, dated as being much older. The concept of Eve having a predecessor is not exclusive to the Alphabet, and is not a new concept, as it can be found in. However, the idea that Lilith was the predecessor may be exclusive to the Alphabet.The idea in the text that had a wife prior to may have developed from an interpretation of the and its dual creation accounts; while Genesis 2:22 describes God's creation of Eve from Adam's rib, an earlier passage, 1:27, already indicates that a woman had been made: 'So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.' The Alphabet text places Lilith's creation after God's words in Genesis 2:18 that 'it is not good for man to be alone'; in this text God forms Lilith out of the clay from which he made Adam but she and Adam bicker. Lilith claims that since she and Adam were created in the same way they were equal and she refuses to submit to him:After God created Adam, who was alone, He said, 'It is not good for man to be alone.'
He then created a woman for Adam, from the earth, as He had created Adam himself, and called her Lilith. Adam and Lilith immediately began to fight. She said, 'I will not lie below,' and he said, 'I will not lie beneath you, but only on top. For you are fit only to be in the bottom position, while I am to be the superior one.' Lilith responded, 'We are equal to each other inasmuch as we were both created from the earth.'
But they would not listen to one another. When Lilith saw this, she pronounced the Ineffable Name and flew away into the air.Adam stood in prayer before his Creator: 'Sovereign of the universe!'
He said, 'the woman you gave me has run away.' At once, the Holy One, blessed be He, sent these three angels, and, to bring her back.Said the Holy One to Adam, 'If she agrees to come back, what is made is good.
If not, she must permit one hundred of her children to die every day.' The angels left God and pursued Lilith, whom they overtook in the midst of the sea, in the mighty waters wherein the Egyptians were destined to drown.
They told her God's word, but she did not wish to return. The angels said, 'We shall drown you in the sea.'
'I was created only to cause sickness to infants. If the infant is male, I have dominion over him for eight days after his birth, and if female, for twenty days.' When the angels heard Lilith's words, they insisted she go back. But she swore to them by the name of the living and eternal God: 'Whenever I see you or your names or your forms in an amulet, I will have no power over that infant.'
She also agreed to have one hundred of her children die every day. Accordingly, every day one hundred demons perish, and for the same reason, we write the angels' names on the amulets of young children. When Lilith sees their names, she remembers her oath, and the child recovers.The background and purpose of The Alphabet of Ben-Sira is unclear. It is a collection of stories about heroes of the and, it may have been a collection of, a refutation of, or other separatist movements; its content seems so offensive to contemporary Jews that it was even suggested that it could be an anti-Jewish, although, in any case, the text was accepted by the Jewish mystics of medieval Germany. In turn, other scholars argue that the target of the Alphabet's satire is very difficult to establish exactly because of the variety of the figures and values ridiculed therein: criticism is actually directed against Adam, who turns out to be weak and ineffective in his relations with his wife. Apparently, the first man is not the only male figure who is mocked: even God cannot subjugate Lilith and needs to ask his messengers, who only manage to go as far as negotiating the conditions of the agreement.
Clutches a child in the presence of the child-snatcher Lilith. Fresco by, basilica of, FlorenceThe Alphabet of Ben-Sira is the earliest surviving source of the story, and the conception that Lilith was Adam's first wife became only widely known with the 17th century of German scholar.In this folk tradition that arose in the early Middle Ages Lilith, a dominant female demon, became identified with, King of Demons, as his queen.
Asmodeus was already well known by this time because of the legends about him in the Talmud. Thus, the merging of Lilith and Asmodeus was inevitable. The second myth of Lilith grew to include legends about another world and by some accounts this other world existed side by side with this one, Yenne Velt is Yiddish for this described 'Other World'.
In this case Asmodeus and Lilith were believed to procreate demonic offspring endlessly and spread chaos at every turn. Many disasters were blamed on both of them, causing wine to turn into vinegar, men to be impotent, women unable to give birth, and it was Lilith who was blamed for the loss of infant life.
The presence of Lilith and her cohorts were considered very real at this time. Two primary characteristics are seen in these legends about Lilith: Lilith as the incarnation of lust, causing men to be led astray, and Lilith as a child-killing witch, who strangles helpless neonates. These two aspects of the Lilith legend seemed to have evolved separately; there is hardly a tale where she encompasses both roles. But the aspect of the witch-like role that Lilith plays broadens her archetype of the destructive side of witchcraft. Such stories are commonly found among Jewish folklore. The influence of the rabbinic traditions Although the image of Lilith of the Alphabet of Ben Sira is unprecedented, some elements in her portrayal can be traced back to the talmudic and midrashic traditions that arose around:.
First and foremost, the very introduction of Lilith to the creation story rests on the rabbinic myth, prompted by the two separate creation accounts in Genesis 1:1–2:25, that there were two original women. A way of resolving the apparent discrepancy between these two accounts was to assume that there must have been some other first woman, apart from the one later identified with Eve. The Rabbis, noting Adam's exclamation, 'this time ( zot hapa‘am) this is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh' (Genesis 2:23), took it as an intimation that there must already have been a 'first time'.
According to Genesis rabah 18:4, Adam was disgusted upon seeing the first woman full of 'discharge and blood', and God had to provide him with another one. The subsequent creation is performed with adequate precautions: Adam is made to sleep, so as not to witness the process itself ( Sanhedrin 39a), and Eve is adorned with fine jewelry (Genesis rabah 18:1) and brought to Adam by the angels Gabriel and Michael (ibid. However, nowhere do the rabbis specify what happened to the first woman, leaving the matter open for further speculation. This is the gap into which the later tradition of Lilith could fit.
Second, this new woman is still met with harsh rabbinic allegations. Again playing on the Heb. Phrase zot hapa‘am, Adam, according to the same midrash, declares: 'it is she zot who is destined to strike the bell zog and to speak in strife against me, as you read, 'a golden bell pa‘amon and a pomegranate' Exodus 28:34.
It is she who will trouble me mefa‘amtani all night' (Genesis Rabbah 18:4). The first woman also becomes the object of accusations ascribed to Rabbi Joshua of Siknin, according to whom Eve, despite the divine efforts, turned out to be 'swelled-headed, coquette, eavesdropper, gossip, prone to jealousy, light-fingered and gadabout' (Genesis Rabbah 18:2).
A similar set of charges appears in Genesis Rabbah 17:8, according to which Eve's creation from Adam's rib rather than from the earth makes her inferior to Adam and never satisfied with anything. Third, and despite the terseness of the biblical text in this regard, the erotic iniquities attributed to Eve constitute a separate category of her shortcomings. Told in Genesis 3:16 that 'your desire shall be for your husband', she is accused by the Rabbis of having an overdeveloped sexual drive (Genesis Rabhah 20:7) and constantly enticing Adam (Genesis Rabbab 23:5).
However, in terms of textual popularity and dissemination, the motif of Eve copulating with the primeval serpent takes priority over her other sexual transgressions. Despite the rather unsettling picturesqueness of this account, it is conveyed in numerous places: Genesis Rabbah 18:6, and BT Sotah 9b, Shabbat 145b–146a and 156a, Yevamot 103b and Avodah Zarah 22b.Kabbalah Part of on.
Main article:attempted to establish a more exact relationship between Lilith and God. With her major characteristics having been well developed by the end of the Talmudic period, after six centuries had elapsed between the texts that mention Lilith and the early Spanish Kabbalistic writings in the 13th century, she reappears, and her life history becomes known in greater mythological detail.Her creation is described in many alternative versions. One mentions her creation as being before Adam's, on the fifth day, because the 'living creatures' with whose swarms God filled the waters included Lilith.
A similar version, related to the earlier Talmudic passages, recounts how Lilith was fashioned with the same substance as Adam was, shortly before. A third alternative version states that God originally created Adam and Lilith in a manner that the female creature was contained in the male. Lilith's soul was lodged in the depths of the Great Abyss. When God called her, she joined Adam. After Adam's body was created a thousand from the Left (evil) side attempted to attach themselves to him. However, God drove them off.
Adam was left lying as a body without a soul. Then a cloud descended and God commanded the to produce a living soul. This God into Adam, who began to spring to life and his female was attached to his side. God separated the female from Adam's side.
The female side was Lilith, whereupon she flew to the Cities of the Sea and attacked. Yet another version claims that Lilith emerged as a divine entity that was born spontaneously, either out of the Great Supernal Abyss or out of the power of an aspect of God (the ). This aspect of God, one of his ten attributes (Sefirot), at its lowest manifestation has an affinity with the realm of evil and it is out of this that Lilith merged with.An alternative story links Lilith with the creation of luminaries. The 'first light', which is the light of Mercy (one of the ), appeared on the first day of creation when God said 'Let there be light'. This light became hidden and the Holiness became surrounded by a husk of evil. 'A husk (klippa) was created around the ' and this husk spread and brought out another husk, which was Lilith. Midrash ABKIR The first medieval source to depict Adam and Lilith in full was the (c.
10th century), which was followed by the Zohar and Kabbalistic writings. Adam is said to be perfect until he recognizes either his sin or Cain's fratricide that is the cause of bringing death into the world. He then separates from holy Eve, sleeps alone, and fasts for 130 years.
During this time Lilith, also known as Pizna, desired his beauty and came to him against his will.Treatise on the Left Emanation. Main article:The mystical writing of two brothers Jacob and Isaac Hacohen, which predates the by a few decades, states that and Lilith are in the shape of an being, double-faced, born out of the emanation of the and corresponding in the spiritual realm to Adam and Eve, who were likewise born as a. The two twin androgynous couples resembled each other and both 'were like the image of Above'; that is, that they are reproduced in a visible form of an androgynous deity.19.
In answer to your question concerning Lilith, I shall explain to you the essence of the matter. Concerning this point there is a received tradition from the ancient Sages who made use of the Secret Knowledge of the Lesser Palaces, which is the manipulation of demons and a ladder by which one ascends to the prophetic levels. In this tradition it is made clear that Samael and Lilith were born as one, similar to the form of Adam and Eve who were also born as one, reflecting what is above. This is the account of Lilith which was received by the Sages in the Secret Knowledge of the Palaces.Another version that was also current among Kabbalistic circles in the establishes Lilith as the first of Samael's four wives: Lilith,. Each of them are mothers of demons and have their own hosts and unclean spirits in no number. The marriage of and Lilith was arranged by 'Blind Dragon', who is the counterpart of 'the dragon that is in the sea'.
Blind Dragon acts as an intermediary between Lilith and Samael:Blind Dragon rides Lilith the Sinful – may she be extirpated quickly in our days, Amen! – And this Blind Dragon brings about the union between Samael and Lilith. And just as the Dragon that is in the sea (Isa. 27:1) has no eyes, likewise Blind Dragon that is above, in the likeness of a spiritual form, is without eyes, that is to say, without colors. (Patai 81:458) Samael is called the Slant Serpent, and Lilith is called the Tortuous Serpent.The marriage of Samael and Lilith is known as the 'Angel Satan' or the 'Other God', but it was not allowed to last. To prevent Lilith and Samael's demonic children Lilin from filling the world, God castrated Samael. In many 17th century Kabbalistic books, this mythologem is based on the identification of ' the Slant Serpent and Leviathan the Torturous Serpent' and a reinterpretation of an old Talmudic myth where God castrated the male Leviathan and slew the female Leviathan in order to prevent them from mating and thereby destroying the earth.
Cain Concept Library Edition 2001 Free
After Samael became castrated and Lilith was unable to fornicate with him, she left him to couple with men who experience nocturnal emissions. A 15th or 16th century Kabbalah text states that God has 'cooled' the female Leviathan, meaning that he has made Lilith infertile and she is a mere fornication. The Fall of Man by (1592), showing the serpent in the Garden of Eden as a womanThe says that there are two Liliths, the lesser being married to the great demon.The Matron Lilith is the mate of Samael.
Both of them were born at the same hour in the image of Adam and Eve, intertwined in each other. Asmodeus the great king of the demons has as a mate the Lesser (younger) Lilith, daughter of the king whose name is Qafsefoni. The name of his mate is Mehetabel daughter of Matred, and their daughter is Lilith.Another passage charges Lilith as being a tempting serpent of.And the Serpent, the Woman of Harlotry, incited and seduced Eve through the husks of Light which in itself is holiness.
And the Serpent seduced Holy Eve, and enough said for him who understands. And all this ruination came about because Adam the first man coupled with Eve while she was in her menstrual impurity – this is the filth and the impure seed of the Serpent who mounted Eve before Adam mounted her. Behold, here it is before you: because of the sins of Adam the first man all the things mentioned came into being.
For Evil Lilith, when she saw the greatness of his corruption, became strong in her husks, and came to Adam against his will, and became hot from him and bore him many demons and spirits and Lilin. (Patai81:455f)Zohar References to Lilith in the include the following:She wanders about at night, vexing the sons of men and causing them to defile themselves (19b)This passage may be related to the mention of Lilith in Talmud Shabbath 151b (see above), and also to Talmud Eruvin 18b where nocturnal emissions are connected with the begettal of demons.Raphael Patai states that older sources state clearly that after Lilith's Red Sea sojourn (mentioned also in 's Legends of the Jews), she returned to Adam and begat children from him. In the Zohar, however, Lilith is said to have succeeded in begetting offspring from Adam during their short-lived sexual experience.
Lilith leaves Adam in Eden, as she is not a suitable helpmate for him. She returns, later, to force herself upon him. However, before doing so she attaches herself to Cain and bears him numerous spirits and demons.According to, the author of the Zohar, was aware of the folk tradition of Lilith. He was also aware of another story, possibly older, that may be conflicting. According to the Zohar, two female spirits, Lilith and — found Adam, desired his beauty which was like that of the sun disk, and lay with him. The issue of these unions were demons and spirits called 'the plagues of humankind'. The added explanation was that it was through Adam's own sin that Lilith overcame him against his will.17th-century Hebrew magical amulets.
Medieval Hebrew amulet intended to protect a mother and her child from LilithA copy of 's translation of the Zohar in the contains an inserted late 17th Century printed Hebrew sheet for use in magical amulets where the prophet confronts Lilith.The sheet contains two texts within borders, which are amulets, one for a male ('lazakhar'), the other one for a female ('lanekevah'). The invocations mention Adam, Eve and Lilith, 'Chavah Rishonah' (the first Eve, who is identical with Lilith), also devils or angels: Sanoy, Sansinoy, Smangeluf, Shmari'el (the guardian) and Hasdi'el (the merciful). A few lines in Yiddish are followed by the dialogue between the prophet Elijah and Lilith when he met her with her host of demons to kill the mother and take her new-born child ('to drink her blood, suck her bones and eat her flesh'). She tells Elijah that she will lose her power if someone uses her secret names, which she reveals at the end: lilith, abitu, abizu, hakash, avers hikpodu, ayalu, matrota.In other amulets, probably informed by, she is Adam's first wife. (, 1:34b, 3:19 )Tree of Life (Kabbalah) Lilith is listed as one of the, corresponding to the in the Kabbalistic.
The demon Lilith, the evil woman, is described as a beautiful woman, who transforms into a blue, butterfly-like demon, and it is associated with the power of seduction. The Qliphah is the unbalanced power of a Sephirah. Malkuth is the lowest Sephirah, the realm of the earth, into which all the divine energy flows, and in which the divine plan is worked out. However, its unbalanced form is as Lilith, the seductress. The material world, and all of its pleasures, is the ultimate seductress, and can lead to materialism unbalanced by the spirituality of the higher spheres.
This ultimately leads to a descent into animal consciousness. The balance must therefore be found between Malkuth and, to find order and harmony. Greco-Roman mythology. By (1866–1868, 1872–1873)The, which developed around 1848, were greatly influenced by Goethe's work on the theme of Lilith.
In 1863, of the Brotherhood began painting what would later be his first rendition of, a painting he expected to be his 'best picture hitherto'. Appearing in the painting allude to the 'femme fatale' reputation of the Romantic Lilith: (death and cold) and white (sterile passion). Accompanying his Lady Lilith painting from 1866, Rossetti wrote a entitled Lilith, which was first published in Swinburne's pamphlet-review (1868), Notes on the Royal Academy Exhibition. Of Adam's first wife, Lilith, it is told(The witch he loved before the gift of Eve,)That, ere the snake's, her sweet tongue could deceive,And her enchanted hair was the first gold.And still she sits, young while the earth is old,And, subtly of herself contemplative,Draws men to watch the bright web she can weave,Till heart and body and life are in its hold.The rose and poppy are her flower; for whereIs he not found, O Lilith, whom shed scentAnd soft-shed kisses and soft sleep shall snare?Lo! As that youth's eyes burned at thine, so wentThy spell through him, and left his straight neck bentAnd round his heart one strangling golden hair. — Collected Works, 216The poem and the picture appeared together alongside Rossetti's painting Sibylla Palmifera and the sonnet Soul's Beauty. In 1881, the Lilith sonnet was renamed ' Body's Beauty' in order to contrast it and Soul's Beauty.
The two were placed sequentially in The House of Life collection (sonnets number 77 and 78).Rossetti wrote in 1870:Lady Lilith. Represents a Modern Lilith combing out her abundant golden hair and gazing on herself in the glass with that self-absorption by whose strange fascination such natures draw others within their own circle. — Rossetti, W. Rossetti's emphasisThis is in accordance with Jewish folk tradition, which associates Lilith both with long hair (a symbol of dangerous feminine seductive power in culture), and with possessing women by entering them through mirrors.The poet re-envisioned Lilith in his poem 'Adam, Lilith, and Eve'.
First published in 1883, the poem uses the traditional myths surrounding the triad of Adam, Eve, and Lilith. Browning depicts Lilith and Eve as being friendly and complicitous with each other, as they sit together on either side of Adam. Under the threat of death, Eve admits that she never loved Adam, while Lilith confesses that she always loved him. — Browning 1098Browning focused on Lilith's emotional attributes, rather than that of her ancient demon predecessors.Scottish author also wrote a fantasy novel entitled, first published in 1895.
MacDonald employed the character of Lilith in service to a spiritual drama about sin and redemption, in which Lilith finds a hard-won salvation. Many of the traditional characteristics of Lilith mythology are present in the author's depiction: Long dark hair, pale skin, a hatred and fear of children and babies, and an obsession with gazing at herself in a mirror. MacDonald's Lilith also has vampiric qualities: she bites people and sucks their blood for sustenance.Australian poet and scholar (1870–1932), included a section titled 'Lilith' in his major work 'Poems: 1913' (Sydney: G. Philip and Son, 1914).
The 'Lilith' section contains thirteen poems exploring the Lilith myth and is central to the meaning of the collection as a whole.' S 1940 story Fruit of Knowledge is written from Lilith's point of view. It is a re-telling of the as a between Lilith, Adam and Eve – with Eve's eating the forbidden fruit being in this version the result of misguided manipulations by the jealous Lilith, who had hoped to get her rival discredited and destroyed by God and thus regain Adam's love.British poet 's 2011 collection Full Blood has a suite of 11 poems called The Tree of Life, which features Lilith as the divine feminine aspect of God. A number of the poems feature Lilith directly, including the piece Unwritten which deals with the spiritual problem of the feminine being removed by the scribes from The Bible.Lilith is also mentioned in,. The character ascribes the ancestry of the main antagonist, Jadis the, to Lilith.
In Armenian literature The poem 'Lilith' by the renowned 20th century Armenian writer Avetic Isahakyan is based on the Jewish legend. Isahakyan wrote 'Lilith' in 1921 in Venice. His heroine was a creature who emerged from fire. Adam fell in love with Lilith, but Lilith was very indifferent, sympathy being her only feeling for the latter because Adam was a creature made of soil, not fire.As the origin of the term 'lullaby' It has been claimed by some etymologists that the term 'lullaby' derives from 'Lilith-Abi' ( for 'Lilith, begone'). To guard against Lilith, Jewish mothers would hang four amulets on nursery walls with the inscription 'Lilith – abei' 'Lilith – begone'. In modern occultism. See also:The depiction of Lilith in Romanticism continues to be popular among and in other modern.
A few orders dedicated to the undercurrent of Lilith, featuring initiations specifically related to the arcana of the 'first mother', exist. Two organizations that use initiations and magic associated with Lilith are the and the. Lilith appears as a in 's De Arte Magica. Lilith was also one of the middle names of Crowley's first child, Nuit Ma Ahathoor Hecate Sappho Jezebel Lilith Crowley (1904–1906), and Lilith is sometimes identified with in writings. Many early occult writers that contributed to modern day expressed special reverence for Lilith. Associated with Lilith:, says Leland, is, who was regarded in folklore as being associated with as chief of the witches.
Leland further notes that Herodias is a name that comes from West Asia, where it denoted an early form of Lilith.asserted that there was continuous historical worship of Lilith to present day, and that her name is sometimes given to the being personified in the coven by the priestess. This idea was further attested by, who cited her as a presiding goddess of the Craft: 'the personification of erotic dreams, the suppressed desire for delights'.
In some contemporary concepts, Lilith is viewed as the embodiment of, a designation that is thought to be shared with what these faiths believe to be her counterparts:,. According to one view, Lilith was originally a Sumerian, Babylonian, or Hebrew mother goddess of childbirth, children, women, and sexuality who later became demonized due to the rise of patriarchy.Other modern views hold that Lilith is a dark moon goddess on par with the Hindu.Many modern consider Lilith as a. She is considered a goddess of independence by those Satanists and is often worshipped by women, but women are not the only people who worship her. Lilith is popular among theistic Satanists because of her association with Satan. Some Satanists believe that she is the wife of Satan and thus think of her as a mother figure. Others base their reverence towards her based on her history as a succubus and praise her as a sex goddess.
A different approach to a Satanic Lilith holds that she was once a fertility and agricultural goddess. Modern Kabbalah and Western mystery tradition The associates Lilith with the of kabbalah. In The Pistis Sophia Unveiled writes that homosexuals are the 'henchmen of Lilith'. Likewise, women who undergo willful abortion, and those who support this practice are 'seen in the sphere of Lilith'.
Writes, 'The Virgin Mary is reflected in Lilith', and that Lilith is the source of 'lustful dreams'. Popular culture.
BackgroundPhysical activity is considered as a major component of a healthy lifestyle. However, few studies have examined the relationships between the spatial accessibility to sport facilities and sport practice with a sufficient degree of specificity. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between the spatial accessibility to specific types of sports facilities and the practice of the corresponding sports after carefully controlling for various individual socio-demographic characteristics and neighborhood socioeconomic variables. MethodsData from the RECORD Study involving 7290 participants recruited in 2007–2008, aged 30–79 years, and residing in the Paris metropolitan area were analyzed. Four categories of sports were studied: team sports, racket sports, swimming and related activities, and fitness. Spatial accessibility to sport facilities was measured with two complementary approaches that both take into account the street network (distance to the nearest facility and count of facilities around the dwelling).
Associations between the spatial accessibility to sport facilities and the practice of the corresponding sports were assessed using multilevel logistic regression after adjusting for individual and contextual characteristics. ResultsHigh individual education and high household income were associated with the practice of racket sports, swimming or related activities, and fitness over the previous 7 days. The spatial accessibility to swimming pools was associated with swimming and related sports, even after adjustment for individual/contextual factors. The spatial accessibility to facilities was not related to the practice of other sports. High neighborhood income was associated with the practice of a racket sport and fitness. BackgroundRegular physical activity is known to prevent chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and some cancers -.
Previous studies on the effects of residential environments on physical activity have highlighted the positive influence that the presence of sport facilities may have on people’s physical activity behavior. Accordingly, the spatial accessibility to sport facilities is a major issue for many types of stakeholders in policy making in the fields of transport, urban planning, marketing, and public health -. A limited body of research has examined associations between the spatial availability to facilities as assessed through objective (rather than self-reported) measures and physical activity behavior -.Despite overall satisfactory levels of spatial accessibility to sports facilities in the Paris metropolitan area, previous work showed significant differences in the types of facilities available in the various neighborhoods, especially between advantaged and disadvantaged neighborhoods. It is therefore important to examine whether these disparities in spatial accessibility to specific types of facilities have an impact on the practice of the corresponding sports.However, most studies that examined relationships between spatial accessibility to sport facilities and physical activity or sport practice have taken into account overall measures of accessibility combining facilities of various types and overall measures of physical activity combining various sports or recreational and non-recreational activity ,-.
One study derived separate spatial accessibility variables for various types of sport facilities but correlated these variables with an overall measure of physical activity. Other studies only distinguished public from private facilities or parks from other facilities , and therefore relied on information on facilities with a limited degree of specificity. One study from Spain correlated densities of swimming pools and gyms with the use of the corresponding facilities, but the analyses were conducted at a very broad area level (provinces). The absence or the weakness of associations reported may be due to the lack of specificity of the associations examined and to the mix of heterogeneous sport activities.
To address this limitation, our strategy was to increase the specificity of the associations examined (i.e., by focusing on specific sports rather than on the overall practice of sports) and to replicate the analyses for a variety of sports (for a better generalizability of the findings). We therefore examined four categories of sports requiring (possibly or necessarily) facilities and investigated separately their relationship with the spatial accessibility to the corresponding facilities.Moreover, previous studies of such relationships have often relied on measures of densities defined within administrative areas or on measures of spatial accessibility from the residence based on Euclidean measures ,. Relatively few studies have relied on measures of spatial accessibility that take the street network into account ,-. Moreover, studies have assessed either densities or distances to the closest facility but not both. OutcomesFrom a list of activities, the participants were asked to report the sport and recreational activities they had performed over the previous 7 days, and where they had practiced such activities, i.e., in their neighborhood, out of their neighborhood or both (within and outside the neighborhood). The participants were asked to rely on their subjective perception of their neighborhood to locate these activities (neither participants were provided objective indications on the size of the neighborhood to consider, nor were they asked to objectify how they perceived it). From these data, we grouped a number of sport activities into four categories to create outcome variables: team sports, racket sports, sports requiring a swimming pool, and fitness.
Team sports included soccer, basketball, handball, hockey, rugby, and volleyball. Racket sports referred to tennis, squash, badminton, and ping pong. Activities requiring a swimming pool were swimming and aquaerobics. Fitness included aerobics, weight training, cardio training, and gymnastics. Two binary variables were created for each category of sports: one indicating whether the individuals had practiced that particular activity over the previous 7 days and one indicating whether they had performed at least part of the activity within their neighborhood rather than only out of their neighborhood. Individual adjustment covariatesSeveral socio-demographic characteristics were considered: age, sex, individual education, marital status, occupation, household income, homeownership, financial strain, and Human Development Index of each participant’s country of birth.Age was divided in 3 classes (30–44, 45–59, and 60 years or older). Education was divided in 4 classes: no education; primary education and lower secondary education; higher secondary education and lower tertiary education; and upper tertiary education.
Marital status was coded in 2 classes: living alone or as a couple. Occupation was coded in 4 categories: high white-collar workers, intermediate occupations, low white-collar workers, and blue-collar workers. Ownership of dwelling was coded as a binary variable. Household income adjusted for household size was divided into 4 categories.
We attributed to each individual the 2004 Human Development Index (HDI) of his/her country of birth , as a crude proxy of his/her cultural origin. Following the United Nations Development Program, a categorical variable was used to distinguish people born in low-development countries (HDI 0.8). Weather variablesWe used daily meteorological data provided by Meteo France for 2007–2008. Data from 5 or 6 meteorological stations (according to the weather parameter considered) were averaged to derive daily information on a regional scale. Based on these data, we defined average weather variables for each participant for the recruitment day and 7 previous days. Several daily meteorological parameters were considered: minimum temperature; maximum temperature; average temperature; rainfall; wind speed; time of sunshine; presence of fog or not; and presence of mist or not. All the resulting variables were divided in 4 categories based on the quartiles.
Methods of determination of spatial accessibility to sport facilities in the study. Is a representation of the Ile-de-France region. Based on road and street network data from the National Geographic Institute, the shortest distance between each respondent’s home and the closest sport facility of each category, and the number of facilities around each respondent’s home in 1 km street network radius buffers were estimated ( B). The 1 km street network buffers for all the participants are shown in grey in A. Other neighborhood variablesWe also took into account neighborhood factors that are susceptible to confound the associations between the presence of facilities and the practice of the corresponding sports.Regarding socioeconomic factors, we considered neighborhood education (proportion of residents aged 15 years with an upper tertiary education from the 2006 census), neighborhood income (median income per consumption unit, 2006 Tax Registry of General Directorate of Taxation), and neighborhood mean real estate prices (mean value of dwellings sold in 2003–2007, Paris Notaries). Neighborhood population density, as a demographic variable, was also considered (2006 population census). Finally, we took into account the density of destinations (number of services accessible in the neighborhood).All these variables were determined within 1 km street network buffers centered on the participants’ building of residence.
Neighborhood variables were divided into 4 categories comprising a similar number of individuals, to assess dose–response associations without forcing linearity. Data analysisTo account for geographic autocorrelation in each outcome, we estimated multilevel logistic regression models with participants nested within IRIS administrative neighborhood (the median number of residents in 2006 in these neighborhoods was 2536, interquartile range: 2161, 3115).
The statistical analyses involved several steps (each time for the 4 outcomes of sport practice over the previous 7 days):1. We estimated models including only age and sex as explanatory variables to assess variability in each outcome between IRIS neighborhoods.2. We then included the other individual adjustment covariates and the weather variables into the models.3.
Associations of the spatial accessibility to facilities with sport practice were tested by adding to the models obtained in step 2 either the distance to the nearest facility or the number of facilities in the 1 km street network radius neighborhoods (the potential neighborhood confounders were not included at this step of the analyses). As a sensitivity analysis on the distance beyond which a facility may be considered as more difficult to use, separate models including each a spatial accessibility variable with a different distance threshold were compared.4. We then tested one by one the other neighborhood characteristics (related to the socio-demographic and service environment), in models adjusted for individual and weather covariates (each neighborhood variable in a separate model).5. Finally, we progressively combined into one model the spatial accessibility variables and the other contextual variables that were independently associated with each outcome (one of the aims was to assess whether the associations between the accessibility to facilities and sport practice identified in step 3 persisted after adjustment for other neighborhood variables).All models were estimated with Markov chain Monte Carlo simulation using WinBUGS 1.4.3.21. Relationship between individual variables and sports practiceAs shown in Table, simultaneously considering the different individual socio-demographic factors, the odds of practicing a team sport in the previous 7 days increased with the level of human development index of the country of birth. Moreover, the odds of using a swimming pool, the odds of practicing a racket sport, and the odds of fitness exercise in the previous 7 days increased both with the level of education of participants and with household income (Table ). Regarding weather variables, a high minimum temperature increased the odds of using a swimming pool whereas a high minimum temperature decreased fitness practice.
No other weather variables were associated with the outcomes. VariablesTeam sports b (n = 7290) OR a (95% CrI)Racket sports b (n = 7290) OR a (95% CrI)Swimming c OR a (n = 7290)(95% CrI)Fitness c (n = 7290) OR a (95% CrI)Men (vs. Women)13.00 (7.12 – 26.98)2.39 (1.78 – 3.26)0.75 (0.63 – 0.89)0.58 (0.50 – 0.68)Age (vs. 30–44)45–590.36 (0.27 – 0.48)0.76 (0.59 – 0.96)0.86 (0.71 – 1.03)0.87 (0.74 – 1.03)60–790.15 (0.08 – 0.26)0.51 (0.36 – 0.70)0.82 (0.66 – 1.03)1.36 (1.14 – 1.63)Living alone (vs.
As a couple)0.78 (0.56 – 1.08)0.55 (0.41 – 0.73)1.26 (1.06 – 1.51)1.09 (0.93 – 1.27)Individual education (vs. No education)Medium-low education1.32 (0.78 – 2.30)2.37 (1.08 – 6.12)1.37 (0.88 – 2.19)1.53 (1.08 – 2.23)Medium-high education1.39 (0.81 – 2.46)3.09 (1.42 – 7.96)1.89 (1.22 – 3.00)2.05 (1.45 – 2.98)High education1.20 (0.68 – 2.19)4.11 (1.88 – 10.63)1.90 (1.22 – 3.06)2.06 (1.44 – 3.01)Occupation (vs. Blue-collar workers)Low white-collar workers0.65 (0.44 – 0.96)1.01 (0.62 - 1.70)1.23 (0.87 - 1.78)1.13 (0.85 - 1.54)Intermediate occupations0.72 (0.40 –1.28)1.41 (0.77 - 2.62)1.38 (0.88 - 2.19)1.16 (0.78 - 1.73)High white-collar workers0.69 (0.43 – 1.11)1.06 (0.64 - 1.84)1.27 (0.88 - 1.88)1.04 (0.76 - 1.44)Perceived financial strain1.06 (0.73 – 1.51)0.70 (0.44 – 1.08)0.78 (0.59 – 1.03)0.90 (0.71 – 1.13)Household income (vs.
Low income)Medium-low income1.05 (0.72 – 1.52)1.69 (1.13 – 2.57)1.58 (1.20 – 2.08)1.55 (1.24 – 1.95)Medium-high income0.86 (0.56 – 1.31)1.84 (1.22 – 2.84)1.69 (1.27 – 2.26)1.49 (1.17 – 1.91)High income0.68 (0.42 – 1.10)1.99 (1.31 – 3.12)1.65 (1.23 – 2.22)1.74 (1.36 – 2.23)Homeownership (vs. Non ownership)1.18 (0.87 – 1.60)1.16 (0.91 – 1.50)1.11 (0.92 – 1.33)1.28 (1.09 – 1.49)Human Development Index of country of birth (vs. Born in France)Low1.57 (0.90 – 2.62)0.63 (0.28 – 1.23)0.66 (0.39 – 1.08)1.19 (0.82 – 1.69)Medium1.60 (1.12 – 2.28)0.76 (0.52 – 1.09)0.86 (0.66 – 1.11)0.91 (0.73 – 1.13)High (other than France)1.95 (1.27 – 2.91)0.70 (0.43 – 1.07)0.87 (0.64 – 1.15)1.01 (0.79 – 1.28)Minimum temperature (vs. Low)Mid-low––1.27 (1.00 – 1.61)0.72 (0.60 – 0.87)Mid-high––1.49 (1.19 – 1.88)0.79 (0.66 – 0.95)High––1.60 (1.28 – 2.01)0.80 (0.67 – 0.96). Associations between spatial accessibility to sports facilities and the practice of sportsAs shown in Table, only the spatial accessibility to a swimming pool was associated with the practice of related activities (mostly swimming) over the previous 7 days, after adjusting for individual socioeconomic and weather covariates. The probability of such a practice was higher when the distance to the nearest pool was less than 1 km.
As shown in Figure, a detailed sensitivity analysis indicated that the strength of the relationship between a binary variable for distance to the closest swimming pool and the practice of a related activity increased from 500 m (as a cutoff for the distance variable) to 1000 m and then decreased after, suggesting that the distance effect was best captured when a cutoff of 1000 m was used. Furthermore, these analyses suggest that an increase in the odds of using a swimming pool was only detected when there were two or more swimming pools in the 1 km radius residential buffer. VariablesTeam sports b (n = 7290) OR a (95% CrI)Racket sports b (n = 7290) OR a (95% CrI)Swimming c (n = 7290) OR a (95% CrI)Fitness c (n = 7290) OR a (95% CrI)Distance to the nearest facility 1 km)1.17 (0.76 – 1.88)1.05 (0.81 – 1.38)1.26 (1.07 – 1.48)1.01 (0.85 – 1.21)Density of facilities (vs.
No facility)One facility1.64 (0.94 – 2.95)0.82 (0.55 – 1.22)1.12 (0.88 – 1.42)0.94 (0.75 – 1.19)Two facilities or more1.22 (0.78 – 2.00)1.18 (0.82 – 1.56)1.30 (1.09 – 1.55)1.06 (0.88 – 1.19). Relationship between the distance to the closest swimming pool and the practice of the corresponding sports. Each point in the Figure corresponds to a separate model with a binary variable for distance determined with a different cutoff, adjusted for individual and weather variables.No effect of spatial accessibility was detected for the other 3 groups of sports (team sports, racket sports, and fitness). However, when the practice of sports in one’s (perceived) residential neighborhood was examined as the outcome rather than the overall practice of sports, the presence of a facility at less than 1 km from the residence was associated with the odds to practice in one’s residential neighborhood both a racket sport and activities related to a swimming pool.
Associations between the other contextual variables and the practice of sportsFew associations were identified (Table ). The probability of practice of a racket sport and fitness in the previous 7 days increased with neighborhood income, after taking into consideration the individual socioeconomic covariates. Moreover, the probability of practice of a team sport was lower when the overall density of services in the area of residence was high. However, none of the contextual factors was related to swimming (which outcome is therefore not reported in Table ). The observed relationship between the spatial accessibility to a swimming pool and the practice of swimming or related activities (Table ) was therefore not confounded by the other neighborhood variables examined. Study limitations and strengthsThe main strength of the present study is the correspondence that we were able to establish between indicators of spatial accessibility to facilities and the practice of sports, and the fact that four categories of sports were separately examined. Study findingsIndependent effects of individual education and household income were found for the practice of racket sports and fitness and for the use of a swimming pool, while none of these factors were related to the practice of collective sports.
Socioeconomic status has often been found to be associated with the level of physical activity ,. An interest of the present study is to demonstrate independent associations of two individual socioeconomic indicators with the practice of various (but not all) sports. Regarding household income, cost is an established barrier to healthy behaviors in general and it is known that the cost of access to sport facilities can be a barrier to their use -. This is confirmed in our French sample by the association with household income for 3 of the 4 categories of sports investigated (for all categories except team sports because people commonly have free access to soccer fields for example).
However, for these 3 categories of sports, the associations with individual education were stronger than those with household income, suggesting that in addition to costs, a number of intrapersonal or cognitive variables also significantly matter. Our interpretation is that a higher education level is related to a better knowledge of benefits or risks associated with behaviors, to a more accurate knowledge of health recommendations, to a higher priority given to health, to more positive attitudes towards health promotion, and possibly to a greater ability to convert intentions to comply with health recommendations into action. A previous study of ours already documented strong individual education effects on the practice of jogging.This study revealed that the probability of swimming or practicing a related sport was associated with the spatial accessibility to a swimming pool. The combination of our sensitivity analysis on the distance to the closest swimming pool and of our analysis of the count of swimming pools accessible in the immediate neighborhood allowed us to characterize in a very precise way the spatial accessibility effect.
The sensitivity analysis is based on the idea that the use of a too short or too long radius for the spatial accessibility variable would result in the dilution of the association of interest. The approach indicated that the association was the strongest when accessibility to a swimming pool was measured within 900 m or 1000 m from the residence. An interpretation is, for example, that spatial accessibility to swimming pools within 1500 m leads to a weaker association because it also includes swimming pools located too far away to be regularly used.
Thus the sensitivity analysis indicates that swimming pools located within 900–1000 m are those which most optimally (though weakly) increase the probability of utilization. This finding is coherent with the idea that 1000 m correspond to a 10 to 15 minute walk in an urban setting and encompass the easily accessible resources ,.No spatial accessibility effect, however, was documented for the other categories of sports examined. A possible explanation is that team sports, racket sports, and fitness can be practiced without a facility (in private or public gardens or open spaces for example) while swimming requires access to a pool. Another explanation for the lack of association between the spatial accessibility to facilities and the practice of team or racket sports may be that these sports require the coordination among multiple people. People may have to cover longer distances to practice such sports because they also have to take into account the spatial accessibility to the facility for their partners.A previous publication based on data of the Ile-de-France region found that the type of sport facilities spatially accessible depended on the urbanicity degree and on the degree of socioeconomic disadvantage of the neighborhoods. However, our findings suggest that, in the relatively well served Ile-de-France region, such disparities in the spatial accessibility to sport facilities do not have a major impact on utilization, except perhaps for swimming pools.The study was based on the assumption that beyond spatial access to sports facilities, various contextual characteristics may affect the practice of sports. It seemed useful to include these factors in the analysis to detect possible territorial disparities in practices and to examine whether the association identified between the spatial accessibility to a pool and the corresponding practice persisted after taking into consideration these multiple factors.
An important finding is that 2 out of the 4 sports examined (racket sports and fitness) were practiced less frequently in socially disadvantaged neighborhoods, after adjustment for individual socioeconomic characteristics. The present study does not directly indicate whether residents of disadvantaged neighborhoods have a lower overall practice of sports, or whether they practice different sports, but the individual and contextual effects documented here suggest that the former alternative may be true. ConclusionsOverall, this study found that the spatial accessibility to swimming pools was associated with swimming and related activities. This study also shows that other residential neighborhood characteristics, especially socioeconomic advantage, were associated with the practice of specific sports. This article provides baseline estimates of spatial access to and use of sport facilities in the Ile-de-France region and of the relationships between the two, to orientate the promotion of physical activity.
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