Who Says Serach Played the Harp?

Parashat Vayigash
Printable Version

How did the brothers break the news to Ya’acov that his favorite son, Yosef, was still alive, without causing a shock that could lead to a heart attack, G-d forbid?  Everybody knows that Serach, daughter of Asher, played the harp for her grandfather while gently singing, “Yosef is still alive; he rules over all Egypt…” Each year, during the week of Parashat Vayigash, kids in every religious school– in all parts of the world, come home with a coloring page of Serach playing the harp. How do we know it is true that Serach was the one who told Ya’acov about Yosef being alive? Moreover, how do we know that she played the harp while breaking the news to Ya’acov? You would expect such a famous biblical tale to be written directly in the Torah. Yet, Serach is only mentioned twice in the Torah, once in the list of Ya’acov's descendants as they enter Egypt:

ספר בראשית פרק מו פסוק יז וּבְנֵי אָשֵׁר יִמְנָה וְיִשְׁוָה וְיִשְׁוִי וּבְרִיעָה וְשֶׂרַח אֲחֹתָם...

“The sons of Asher were Yimnah, Yishvah, Yishvi, and Briah, and Serach, their sister…” (Bereishit 46:17), and once among the families of Asher who were to receive a portion in the land of Israel:  “The name of the daughter of Asher, Serach” (Bamidbar 26:46). Only her name is mentioned and of whom she was a sister and daughter. That’s all. Well, if the story about Serach and her harp is not in the Torah then you would think that it would at least be found in the midrash. I have an extensive Torah library program with an excellent search engine, which I use perpetually for my research in preparation for articles and teachings. Among all the well-known Midrashim such as Midrash Rabbah, Midrash Tanchuma, Yalkut Shimoni, Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer and more- not one of them mentions Serach playing the harp.

Torah Sources for Serach Breaking the News to Ya’acov

There is no mention in the Talmud or early Midrash about Serach bringing the good news to Ya’acov that his favorite son Yosef was still alive. Besides Rashi, who writes, “…I told Ya’acov that Yosef was alive. (Rashi, II Shmuel 20:19), the earliest source that mentions Serach being the harbinger of the good news to Ya’acov is Targum Yonatan on Bereishit 46:17. However, after doing some research, it turns out that Targum Yonatan on the Chumash (Pentateuch) is not Rabbi Yonatan ben Uziel from the time of the Roman occupation from 2000 years ago. His translation and commentary was exclusively on the Nach (Prophets and Writings). The commentary on the Chumash was not by Rabbi Yonatan at all but actually Targum Yerushalmi! Most likely, the names got mixed up because both abbreviate as ת"י/T”Y. The timeframe of this commentary is disputed. Since Rashi doesn’t mention it at all, but Rabbi Menachem Recanti from the late thirteenth century refers to it, Targum (Pseudo) Yonatan must be from around the 13^th century. If Targum Yonatan lived after Rashi the question still remains what was Rashi’s source for stating that Serach told Ya’acov that Yosef was alive?

Here is what Targum Yonatan writes:

תרגום יונתן על בראשית פרק מו פסוק יז
… ושרח אחתהון דאידברית כד היא קיימא לגינוניתא על דבשרת ליעקב דיוסף קיים...

 …Serach, their sister, she was brought when she was alive in the Garden of Eden because she told Ya’acov that Yosef was still alive... (Targum Pseudo Yonatan, Bereishit 46:17). 

On which source this medieval commentary bases himself is a mystery since there is no mention of Serach being the bearer of the good news to Ya’acov in known earlier sources. Note that this Targum Yonatan does not indicate that Serach plays the harp. There is an anthology of small Midrashim called Otzar Midrashim published in 1915 by Yehuda David Eizenstein. Its collection of Midrashim spans a time period from year 400-1200. Otzar Midrashim explains that since Serach revived Ya’acov’s soul by telling him that Yosef was alive, she was blessed with eternal life:

אוצר המדרשים עמוד תל"ג ד"ה פרשה ב': או אוצר המדרשים עמוד לה

ויש אומרים אנשים מבני אדם נכנסו בחיים בגן עדן. אמר לו מי הם? אמר לו חנוך וסרח בת אשר, ובתיה בת פרעה וחירם מלך צור, ועליעזר עבד אברהם, ועבד מלך הכושי, ועבדו של רבי יהודה, ויעבץ, ורבי יהושוע בן לוי... סרח בת אשר בעבור שאמרה ליעקב יוסף חי אמר לה יעקב זה הפה שבשרתני על יוסף שהוא חי לא יטעום טעם מות.

There are those who say, there are people who entered the Garden of Eden alive. Who are they? Chanoch, Serach bat Asher, Bitya the daughter of Pharaoh, Chiram the king of Zur, Eliezer the servant of Avraham, the servant of the Black king, the servant of Rebbi Yehuda, Ya’avetz, and Rabbi Yehoshua son of Levi… Serach daughter of Asher because she told Ya’acov, Yosef is alive, Ya’acov said, the mouth that told me the good tidings that Yosef is alive shall not taste the taste of death (Otzar Hamidrashim p. 133).

Additionally there is another late ‘Midrash’ – Midrash Hagadol, Vayigash, Bereishit 45:26, which mentions Serach giving over the good news to Ya’acov. Midrash Hagadol is attributed to Rabbi David ben Amram Adani, from Yemen during the early 14th century.  Again, none of these earliest sources – of Serach’s telling Ya’acov that Yosef is alive – as much as hints to her playing any instrument in general or a harp in particular.

What is the Origin of the Well Known Story of Serach Playing the Harp?

So did the Serach harp story derive out of thin air? Actually, there is one and only one source that mentions Serach playing the כינור/kinor – ‘harp.’ This is Sefer HaYashar, printed in Venice, year 1625. The printer Yosèf ben Samuel claimed the work was copied by a scribe named Ya’acov ben Atyah, from an ancient manuscript whose letters could hardly be made out. Here is the original text with English translation, which I adapted from https://archive.org/stream/cu31924088174754/cu31924088174754_djvu.txt.

Click image to enlarge

They came to the borders of the land, and they said to each other, what shall we do in this matter before our father, for if we come suddenly to him and tell him the matter, he will be greatly alarmed at our words and will not believe us. They went along until they came close to their houses, and they found Serach, daughter of Asher, going forth to meet them.  The young woman was very good and wise, and knew how to play the harp.  They called her and she came before them, and kissed them. They took her and gave her a harp, saying, go now before our father, and sit before him, strike the harp, and speak these words. They commanded her to go to their house, she then took the harp and hastened before them, and she came and sat near Ya’acov. She played well and sang, in sweetness her words: “Yosef my uncle is alive. He rules throughout the land of Egypt, and is not dead. She continued to repeat these words, and Ya’acov heard her words and they were sweet to him. He listened while she repeated them twice and thrice, and joy entered the heart of Ya’acov at the sweetness of her words, and the spirit of G-d was upon him, and he knew all her words to be true. Ya’acov blessed Serach when she spoke these words before him, and he said to her, my daughter, may death never prevail over you, for you have revived my spirit; only speak yet before me as you have spoken, for you have gladdened me with all your words. She continued to sing these words, and Ya’acov listened and it pleased him, and he rejoiced, and the spirit of G-d was upon him (Sefer Ha’Yashar, p. 200).

Eliyahu Fink dismisses Sefer HaYashar, claiming, “The book is full of fantastic legends that would never be considered “Torah True™” in frum circles. I don’t think there are any frum rabbis or laypeople that take this book as a serious book of Torah.” Based on his extensive research he concludes, “We have to question whether the legend of Serach and her harp should be a basic part of the way we teach and learn Vayigash.” The question remains why has the story from only one questionable source become so well known and accepted by all?

Instrumental in Israel’s Transitional Moments

I do not believe that it is by chance that Serach’s harp made its way into the hearts of children and adults alike, as well as into many reputable modern Torah commentaries including, The Little Midrash Says. Could it really be that Serach’s harp story was invented by the creative author of Sefer HaYashar in the seventeenth century? Serach is an enigmatic woman who peeks out unexpectedly at times of transitions for the Jewish people. She was the last person to complete the seventy souls of Ya’acov’s house that went down into Egypt (Midrash Bereshit Rabbah 94:9). Serach was also instrumental in bringing the Israelites up from Egypt as she was the one who confirmed that Moshe indeed was the redeemer when he pronounced the password “Pakod Pakadti” which had been passed down to her:

 “And Aaron spoke all these things... and the people believed...” They heard that Hashem remembered, by the tidings they believed, and not by seeing the wonders... They had a tradition from Ya’acov, Ya’acov handed the secret over to Yosef, Yosef to his brothers and Asher the son of Ya’acov handed the secret over to his daughter Serach, and she was still alive.  This is what he said to her: Any redeemer who will come and say to my children “I have surely visited you”, (Pakod Pakadti etchem) he is a true redeemer.  When Moshe came and said pakod pakadeti etchem the people immediately believed... (Shemot 3:16 and 4:31); (Midrash Shemot Rabbah 5:13).

Transmitting the Melody of Life, Unity and Redemption

Serach facilitated the redemption from Egypt by revealing to Moshe the whereabouts of Yosef’s casket, without which the Israelites were unable to leave Egypt, as they had made an oath to bring Yosef’s bones back with them to Israel (Midrash Tanchuma, Beshalach Chapter 2). Many generations later, the persona of Serach appears as the wise woman who unifies the fractions of Israel and prevents a civil war, thus enabling the establishment of David’s kingdom, without excessive bloodshed. She, who revealed Od Yosef Chai (Yosef is still alive) is the one who supports the eternity of the throne of Mashiach, son of David from the house of Yehuda (Midrash Bereshit Rabbah 94:9). Serach completed the numbers of the people who went to Egypt. She announced the right time for leaving Egypt, and she crushed the resistance against King David. Just as Serach pops out at pivotal historical redemptive moments for Israel, it could not be more in line with her character to reconnect Ya’acov and Yosef through the spiritual harp transmitting the melody of life, unity and redemption during transitional times for Israel. A story so essentially true does not need a written source. It naturally resonates in the hearts of everyone who hears it as the story is passed on from grandmother to granddaughter throughout the generations. 

Serach’s Song

C            G                       F6    Esus

Grandpa lighten up your tired eyes

F6             Esus

Let in the light

       F                   G

For I have a great secret to share

Esus              F6

To give you renewed life

Am  G       F6

Od Yosef Chai

C         Dm  F          G

Ay dididay Ay diddiday

Am      G     Am      G

Yosef Chai Yosef Chai        

C        G                      F6    Esus

Israel lighten up your tired eyes

       F                    G

For I have a great secret to share

Esus                    F6

To give you renewed life

Am          G           F6

Pakod Pakadeti Etchem

C        Dm  F          G

Ei dididay Ey diddidem

Am           G          Am          G

Pakadeti Etchem  Pakadeti Etchem   

F                G        Am

Pakadeti Etchem

Listen to Serach’s Song by Rebbetzin Chana Bracha (for women only)