Richard McBee
artist & writer

Serach bat Asher and Jacob

Midrash ha-Gadol, Genesis, 46:25

[The brothers said:] If we tell him [Jacob] right away “Joseph is alive!” perhaps he will have a stroke. What did they do? They said to Serach the daughter of Asher, “Tell our father Jacob that Joseph is still alive, and he is in Egypt.” What did she do? She waited until he was standing in prayer, and then said in a tone of wonder, “Joseph is in Egypt/ There have been born on his knees/ Menashe and Ephraim.” [Yosef be-mitzraim/ Yuldu lo al birkayim/ Menashe ve-Ephraim.]

[Others say she sang a song with her harp telling her grandfather that his son Joseph was alive.]