Sheidim: The Origin of Demons

The time between clear day and night is called Bein Ha-Shmashot (בין השמשות). It is defined by having 2 medium-sized stars out out in the sky. The בין השמשות before the first Shabbat, during the 6 Days of Creation, Hashem created several things include various un-finished things since Shabbat was approaching. These things include Demons. In Hebrew, they are called Sheidim (שדים).

Adam Ha-Rishon was separated from his wife, Adam Ha-Rishon had nocturnal emissions which created שדים.

In the Talmud (Ḥagigah 16a) says that שדים have similarities to both angels and humans. They have wings and can survive in places that humans can not survive. They can live and die like humans. Thus, they can reproduce (unlike angels). Like angels, they do not have the feet of humans. Some angels have the feet of cows. Some שדים do too, but many of them have talons instead.

The Gemara in Berakhot 6a says that there are more שדים than people in the world.

During the era of Migdal Bavel (מגדל בבל) – Tower of Babylon, there were three different groups of people interested in constructing the מגדל בבל. The first group wanted to build the tower in order to live in the upper-world(s), the second group wanted to wage war with Hashem, and the third group wanted to go there and serve idols.

The punishment for the first group is that they were scattered across the world. The second group were turned into apes, elephants, spirits, and night-demons. The third group had their languages changed so that they could not understand each other and thus, not influence others.