Animism within Tevanite Judaism: The Nature Spirits of Chaos

When we think of wild nature spirits such as Lilit, Se’irim, Zi’im, and Ohim, we are often taught through Rabbinic tradition to see them as evil beings—mischievous or harmful presences that lurk in wilderness and shadow. Yet when we return to the Torah itself, we see that this was not their first meaning.

The prophet Isaiah describes them not as demons, but as signs of divine chaos and judgment:

• “But wild animals [zi’im] will lie down there, and its houses will be full of howling creatures [ohim]; there ostriches will live, and there goat-spirits [sa’ir] will dance.” (Isaiah 13:21)

• “Wildcats [zi’im] shall meet with hyenas [i’im], goat-demons [sa’ir] shall call to each other; there too Lilith [lilit] shall repose and find a place to rest.” (Isaiah 34:14)

Here the wilderness is not cursed but alive with mystery: spirits of night, beast, and ruin gathering in places where human order has failed. They are frightening, but not condemned. They mark that God’s presence is not only in temple and law, but also in the untamed wild.

Later teachings sought to demonize them. Yet Tevanism sets this aside. For us, the Zi’im and the Ruahot are neither idols nor devils, but servants of divine chaos, the messengers of judgment from the Heavens. They are not to be feared as enemies, but respected as guardians of the wild.

And yet, Torah warns us: “They sacrificed to demons, not God; to gods they had not known” (Deut. 32:17). Our ancestors once erred in offering blood directly to these beings. The Sefer ha Shani Elohim provides clarity:

“Some Ruahot do not partake of flesh, and to them only fruit, grain, and sweets are offered. But for those who do, the animal is to be sacrificed not in the name of the Ruah, but in honor of their ruling Partzuf—for to God alone belongs the blood, and no fat may be burned in the ceremony.”—Ruahot 74:1–2

Thus the Tevanite way: offerings are never to the spirit itself, but to its ruling Partzuf. This honors God’s sovereignty while recognizing the order of creation.

Each class of spirit falls under a higher Partzuf:

• Terafim under El Roi (the All-Seeing)

• Lilit under Ashtoret (the Queen of Night)

• Se’irim under Moloch (the Consuming Fire)

• Ohimot under Mot (the Grave)

• Ya’anim under Yareakh (the Moon)

• Zi’imot under Asherah (the Living Tree, Teva)

• I’imot under Yam (the Sea)

• Shedim under Nehushtan (the Serpent of Bronze)

And according to the Partzuf, the offering is given—not to feed or worship, but to show respect to the One who rules them.

We know three kinds of offering:

• Piyusim — peace-offerings for spirits, to honor their presence and share respect.

• Toda — thanksgiving offerings for the Malachim, in gratitude for guidance and protection.

• Korbanot — sacrificial offerings for the Partzufim only, given with reverence, blood reserved to God alone.

Why do we give them at all? Because we are not masters of creation, but guests within it. The Ruahot have dwelled in the forests, seas, and deserts long before humanity placed its foot upon the earth. To make offering is not idolatry but courtesy—acknowledging that we live in their domain. As the Shanilohim teaches, it is like a tax, a covenant of respect: we honor their place, and they in turn grant us peace to live upon their ground.

For Tevanism is rooted in this truth:

“The Divine is not afar, nor distant in the sky,but ever intertwined with life, with breath, with being.It flows through the veins of creation,in each moment, in each step,guiding the hearts of mortals toward truth.”—Hoki’im 16

Thus half the Shanilohim affirms: Nature is Teva. Teva is Asherah. Asherah is Divine. To honor Asherah is to honor the wild, the balance of chaos and order, the root and the branch, the womb of life itself. This is why we call ourselves Tevanites: for in respecting the Zi’im and their kin, we do not worship them, but we worship the Divine who speaks through them. Though all Tevanites agree that the Ruahot are to be respected as guardians of Teva, we differ in how we relate to them.

• Toranim: Since they bind themselves to the Torah fully, they do not sacrifice to the spirits, nor do they worship them. Their offerings are only symbolic and out of respect, given in honor of the Partzufim, so that they remain faithful to the command, “to God alone belongs the blood.”

• Emunim: More mystical in practice, they may—though rarely—worship the Ruahot directly or give them sacrifice, treating them as living manifestations of the divine presence in creation. Yet even here, the Partzufim remain the highest rulers.

• Inelohim: For them, offerings are not acts of worship but gestures of respect. They do not view the Ruahot as beings to be prayed to, but as elder dwellers of creation who share the world with humanity.