Ptahil

Matthias Norberg believed the name Ptahil to be composed of Aramaic and , therefore meaning "God opened", although the verb can also mean "create" in Mandaic, but not in other Aramaic languages. as originally conjectured by Mark Lidzbarski, although Carl H. Kraeling argued that the influence of Ptah on Mesopotamian syncretic Gnostic traditions is minimal, and opined that the name Ptahil was derived from the dialectal use of the verb (which usage he suggested to have arisen by analogy to the opening of the cosmic egg), and not vice versa. The name Ptḥiʾl () is found in the Jewish text Sefer HaRazim, where he is listed among other angels who stand on the ninth step of the second firmament. ==Parentage==

As the Fourth Life, Ptahil is considered to be the son of Abatur, the Third Life. As a result, Ptahil is also sometimes referred to as Ptahil bar Zahreil (), which means "Ptahil, son of Zahreil", in some prayers such as the Asut Malkia. Zahreil is a lilith () from the World of Darkness who dwells in the beds of pregnant women serving to ensure the wellbeing of the child before and after birth; E. S. Drower describes her as a genius of childbirth. In the Mandaean Book of John, the uthra Yukašar is portrayed as the son of Ptahil. ==Role==

Ptahil is identified with Gabriel and creates the poorly made material world with the help of Ruha, a sinful and fallen female ruler who inhabits the World of Darkness, but cannot provide man with a soul, since she represents the ambivalent "spirit" element rather than the light-world "soul" element. Ruha's and Ptahil's roles in creation vary, with each gaining control when the other's power subsides. ==See also==