Asmodai

Asmodai (also Asmodeus, Asmodaeus) is mostly known thanks to the deuterocanonical Book of Tobit; he is also mentioned in some Talmudic legends and in demonology. His origin is likely the Mazdian (Zoroastrian) religion. He was incorporated to Judaism and Christianity probably during Persian Achaemenid's rule over Jews.

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In Mazdeism, ?shma-deva (Asmodai) is the chief of all demons, a personal being under direct command of Angra Mainyu, the principle of evil, and the enemy of Sraoscha, one of the suras or angels that serve Ahura Mazdah, the principle of good (see dualism). ?shma's mission is to fill the hearts of men with anger and vengeful desires, and to create all evil on Earth. He incites men to abandon the path of good and follow that of evil. It could never be proved that ?shma was a demon of carnal desire, as was Azi, another demon mentioned in Mazdeism. Avestan ?shma is cognate with modern Persian language kheshm.

Deuterocanonical: REDIRECT Deuterocanonical books...

Book of Tobit: The Book of Tobit (or Book of Tobias in older Catholic Bibles) is a book of scripture that is part of the Catholic and Orthodox biblical canon, pronounced canonical by the Council of Carthage of 397 and confirmed for Roman Catholics by the Council of Trent (1546). Tobit is regarded by Protestants as...

Demonology: Demonology is the systematic study of demons. Insofar as it involves exegesis, demonology is an orthodox branch of theology....