Samael (Sammael)

A Gnostic god and, in Judaism, the evil angel who comes to be identified with Satan. Samael actually is the name of a kingdom of the Aramaens, in the area of Syria in the second millennium B . C . E . Some mythologists have associated this name with “Dread God,” a Semitic version of the Asiatic Sama, Samana, or Samavurti, the “Leveller.” The Sama Veda called him a storm god, clothed in black clouds. Samael is a name that arises several times within GNOSTICISM . In one Gnostic text, Sophia (originally a high angel, or AEON ) confronts her imperfect son Iald- abaoth, who in another reading is her “shadowed” cre- ation (an abortion of her wish to create on her own), who has subsequently created angels to create this world. Ruling them, he thinks he is the ruler of all, sufficient unto himself. Sophia tells him: “You are wrong, Samael.” The name Samael means “the blind god.” Blindness is a theme that runs through Gnosticism, for which ignorance, not willful sin, is the seat of evil. In another Gnostic text Ialdabaoth casts ADAM AND EVE , and the serpent who tempted them, out of Paradise after they have eaten of the tree of Gnosis (Knowledge of Good and Evil). The serpent then uses the angels begotten upon Eve by the planetary powers to bring into exis- tence six sons. These sons, along with himself, become seven earthly DEMONS ; the serpent is called Michael or Sammael. The concept of seven evil demons is an old one in the East, and a demonic connotation lingers around this name. In Jewish demonology, the name Samael first appears in the story of the fall of the angels in the Ethiopic Book of ENOCH . Samael also is identified as the ANGEL OF DEATH , the head of all devils, and the chief of all tempters. He leads the rebel armies of angels in heaven. Prior to the fall, Samael is higher than the mighty SERAPHIM . He has 12 wings. His duties include being in charge of all nations, except Israel, over which he shall have power only on the Day of Atonement. Then he will war with the archangel Michael, the guardian of Israel. The war will last until the end of days, when Samael will be handed over to Israel in shackles. Samael is described as flying through the air, with one long hair streaming from his navel. As long as the hair remains intact, he will reign. Samael, however, does not know the way to the Tree of Life. He is the angel who governs the planet Mars. He has three brides, Lilith, a night demon, and Namaah and Agrat bat Mahlat, angels of prostitution.