Why does the Torah insert Serach, Asher's daughter?
Rashi: Because of the amazing fact that she was still alive. 1
Ramban #1 and Moshav Zekenim (both citing Targum Onkelos): She was the daughter (not of Asher, but) of Asher's wife 2 ? and it mentions her because she inherited land in Eretz Yisrael (since her father had no sons). 3
Ramban #2 and Moshav Zekenim: Because she had a large family, which was therefore called on her name. However, the Torah only himts it, because it did not want to specifically name a family after a woman.
Targum Yonasan: She was led alive into Gan Eden by six hundred thousand angels, because she informed Ya'akov that Yosef was still alive.
Hadar Zekenim: Because she is listed with those who went down to Egypt.
Oznayim la'Torah (citing Pirkei de'R. Eliezer: : Because she told Yisrael that whoever would say to them "Pakod Pakadti eschem" was the redeemer, which is why they accepted Moshe when he first appeared to the elders. However, as long as they were traveling in the desert, they doubted the veracity of her words. Now however, that Moshe hd conquered Sichon and Og, and they were poiset to enter Eretz Yisrael, they acepted her prediction, and she was still alive to witness the acceptance of her words. 4
Two hundred and fifty years after Ya'akov and his family arrived in Egypt.
Ramban: From an earlier marriage ? which explains why the Torah writes in Bereishis (46:17) "ve'Serach Achosam", since she was their maternal brother, but not Asher's daughter, and why the Torah here inserts the word "ve'Shem".
Ramban: Consequently, if she was still alive, as Rashi maintains, she would inherit just like the daughters of Tzelofchad ? both of whom therefore fall under the category of "la'Eleh Techalek ha'Aretz", in Pasuk 53 ? and if she was not, then her family would inherit in her place.
See Oznayim la'Torah.
Why does the Torah write "and the name of Asher's daughter was Serach"? And why does Targum Onkelos say that she was the daughter of his wife?
Da'as Zekenim #1 and Hadar Zekenim #1: It seems that she was not Asher's daughter, but his wife's, 1 and she is named after him because he raised her. 2
Da'as Zekenim #2 and Hadar Zekenim #2: Since her name was well-known due to her piety and good deeds, the Torah inserts "and the name." 3
Refer to 26:46:1:2.
