The Torah tells us that Moses gathered the elders and performed miracles to prove his divine appointment. But according to the Legends of the Jews, as retold by Rabbi Louis Ginzberg, it wasn't the miracles alone that did the trick. No, it was something far more personal, something tied to a secret passed down through generations.
You see, Jacob, on his deathbed, had revealed a secret mark, a specific phrase, to Joseph that would identify the true redeemer. Joseph, in turn, shared this with his brothers before his own passing. The last surviving brother, Asher, entrusted this knowledge to his daughter, Serah. Talk about pressure!
What was the secret? Asher told Serah, "He that will come and proclaim the redemption with the words of God, 'I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt,' he is the true redeemer." That phrase, straight from the heart of God’s promise, was the key.
Now, here's where the story gets really interesting. Serah was still alive when Moses returned from Midian. The elders, desperate for a sign, went to her and recounted Moses' words announcing the redemption. When she heard that he had spoken the very phrase Asher had revealed to her, she knew, without a doubt, that he was the one they had been waiting for.
And that, my friends, was enough. The secret was out. The link to their ancestral promise, delivered through Serah's confirmation, resonated deeply. It wasn't just about miracles; it was about connection, about a whispered promise finally coming to fruition. The people believed. They finally had hope.
What does this story tell us? Perhaps that true leadership, true redemption, isn't just about grand gestures and displays of power. Sometimes, it's about honoring the past, about remembering the promises whispered in the darkness, and about having the wisdom to recognize the signs when they finally appear. And sometimes, it's the quiet voice of someone like Serah, keeper of the secret, who truly ignites the flame of faith.