לילית

 

Parshas Hashavua וירא The ילקוט ראובני quotes the מגלה עמוקות that Avraham Avinu fixed with the ואקחה פת לחם four hundred & eighty camps of demons belonging to לילית (Gematria of פת & also of לילית)                  WHO IS לילית? According to the Zohar, אדם הראשון had a first wife. She was created from the germs of the earth. She rebelled against אדם and ran away because she wanted to be equal to him. (first women's libber) She  turned into a demon(שדה) who tries killing newborns. Hence the old Minhag of hanging up a "שיר המעלות" in the room of the mother& baby.  לילית promised to Eliyahu Hanavi, not to harm in a place where her names are on display. The שלה"ק writes that on the night before the Bris, special protection is needed and therefore the father should stay up all night and learn Torah. Perhaps, we wash for a Seudah on the Vachnacht (night of being awake) to commemorate the ואקחה פת לחם of Avraham Avinu against לילית and all her demons.אמבצי