Serach’s Hidden Force
Eliyahu Hanavi never died and through the centuries he has appeared to people to deliver wisdom and salvation. That’s a fact known to wide-eyed children absorbed as they struggle to keep awake to stare at the kos shel Eliyahu. Far less known is that a woman too embodies many of these characteristics — and also spans the generations.
We first meet this woman in the count of those who descend to Egypt. Serach the daughter of Asher (according to the Ramban in Bamidbar 26:46 she was actually his stepdaughter) is also listed among those who enter the Land. The Yalkut Shimoni notes that years later she appears to Rabi Yochanan to tell him how the waters looked when the sea split having been an eyewitness to the event. The Gemara in Derech Eretz Zuta counts Serach among the rare few who never die entering Gan Eden alive. How did she merit this? What is her strength?
Whole and Faithful
The key to understanding this extraordinary woman is through her own self-description. In Sefer Shmuel II we read the story of the rebellion of Sheva ben Bichri against Dovid Hamelech immediately following the rebellion of Avshalom. Sheva ben Bichri takes refuge in the city of Aveilah Beis Hamaachah and Yoav and his troops surround the city poised to destroy it completely. The Navi tells us that before Yoav begins his conquest a wise woman speaks to him chastising him for not first asking the city if they would surrender as is explicitly stated in the Torah. She then describes herself as one of the shelumei emunei Yisrael one who is whole and faithful in Israel.
The Navi informs us that this “whole faithful” woman saved the entire city from destruction by using her wisdom to convince the city to kill and hand over the rebellious Sheva.
The Midrash records her strategy. First she told the people that Yoav wanted a large number of people from the city. They refused. She offered a lower number which they also refused. After a few more “attempts” she told the residents that Yoav wanted just one man. To this they agreed.
Who is this wise woman not mentioned by name? Chazal identify her as none other than Serach. Indeed the Radak (Shmuel II 20:16) notes that Serach told Yoav that she had heard the law of first asking for peace from Moshe Rabbeinu himself! Yalkut Shimoni ascribes to her the praise in Mishlei: Piha pas’cha b’chochmah a tribute to her brilliance in saving an entire city of Israel.
Serach’s description of herself highlights her traits of loyalty and seeking shalom. On one level as Rashi notes she is part of a city loyal to Dovid Hamelech and seeks to maintain the status quo of peace. On a deeper level it’s in pursuing peace that her strength lies — and it’s in this area that she provides a model for all of us to follow.
Peace Pursuers
In Pirkei Avos we’re enjoined to be the students of Aharon HaKohein to love peace and pursue peace. Rav Tzvi Meir Zilberberg’s Sichos His’chazkus adds a deeper dimension to this directive. He notes that pursuing peace doesn’t just mean to quell argument and pacify those who have been wronged. It is more than that — it is to be a person whose entire self focuses on being in a state of peace and tranquility. To do that we have to work on seeing the good in others and the good in all that transpires. Such a person will not bear a grudge or get angry easily as he knows that all is directed from Above. His sheleimus wholesomeness will radiate to others.
All mothers want to raise their children in an environment of love and peace. But to do so a mother must first work on creating peace inside herself. We know that a person begins preparing to be a parent the moment they are born. Life is a constant laboratory of working on our middos and emunah.
One practical suggestion to restore equanimity is suggested by Rav Shimshon Pincus in his essay describing the virtue of Rochel Imeinu’s ability to be silent. When we feel overwhelmed and are about to lose our cool he suggests that we stop and take a drink of water slowly reciting the brachah of shehakol niheyah bidvaro. Doing so is a tangible reminder that everything is guided from Above and is effective in helping us to restore inner peace.
Connecting to Others
Chazal offer a deeper insight into the description of shelumei emunei Yisrael. They note that Serach bas Asher connected loyal people to each other and created peace as well as fostering greater emunah among the people. The Midrash brings a number of times Serach played this crucial role.
The first is perhaps the most famous. Serach played her harp and gently informed Yaakov Avinu that Yosef Hatzaddik was alive. As a reward for restoring “life” to Yaakov Avinu he promises her long life.
Just as Yaakov Avinu never died she too entered Gan Eden alive. She is greatly rewarded for creating this state of peace in Yaakov Avinu and reinstating peace in the whole family.
Before Yaakov Avinu died he told Yosef Hatzaddik the secret code words that a future redeemer would say: pakod yifkod. This formula was given over to Serach who was able to tell the elders that Moshe Rabbeinu was indeed the redeemer. When they heard this confirmation “v’yaamen ha’am — the people believed.”
Finally when the Jewish people were occupied with collecting the Egyptian wealth Moshe Rabbeinu was desperately trying to find the bones of Yosef Hatzaddik to be able to reinter them in Eretz Yisrael. Chazal tell us that Serach knew exactly where Yosef was buried and she was able to show Moshe Rabbeinu. In doing so she brought together the two individuals described as being loyal neemanim.
Indeed Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik’s Yemei Zikaron notes that it was specifically Moshe Rabbeinu from the tribe of Levi who took the bones of Yosef Hatzaddik. This facilitated a rectification for his ancestor Levi who used his power of leadership to sell Yosef to Egypt. On some level retrieving Yosef’s remains closed a circle enabling the brothers to retroactively create oneness and peace.
Connecting to the Source
Serach this wise woman from the city of Aveilah Beis Hamaachah takes on a formidable role in history. She has the connective power to link parent and child redeemer and people brother and brother and king and people. Ultimately her life’s purpose was to link together people with Hashem — no wonder she functions in a redemptive capacity.
This redemptive capacity can be tapped into by each of us when we tell good news to others. Meor Einayim teaches that one who tells good news takes on a spark of Eliyahu Hanavi one that emanates from the Six Days of Creation. He elaborates that although one may not realize this consciously our souls are alive to the experience and filled with excitement. That excitement can be harnessed used to help us grow in our avodas Hashem. The moment is a gift that can jump-start a person to higher levels of connection.
Serach counted among the 22 righteous women is a model of connectedness: within ourselves and among others. By trying to create peace and love in every circumstance we follow in this great woman’s footsteps.
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