An Age-old Tradition of Large Crowds

Adhering to an ancient tradition, particularly during the final week of Selichot and the start of the ‎Hebrew New Year (Rosh Hashanah), Jewish devotees and pilgrims from Isfahan and other cities flock to ‎the village of Pir Bakran to perform the Selichot (penitential prayers) and Rosh Hashanah ceremonies at ‎the tomb of Serah Bat Asher, also known as Mama Serah, to fulfill their vows.‎

In the not-too-distant past, the number of pilgrims was so high that the courtyard and surrounding rooms ‎of the tomb would overflow with people. Oftentimes, there would not even be enough space in the ‎compound for newly arrived families to settle.‎

Location and History of the Pilgrimage Site

The pilgrimage site of Serah Bat Asher (Serah Khatun) is located 26 kilometers southwest of Isfahan in the ‎village of Pir Bakran, adjacent to the Jewish cemetery. According to one account, the cemetery (Serah ‎Khatun) dates back to 1,000 BC, coinciding with the history of Jewish settlement in Isfahan.‎

As narrated in the holy book, “Serah Bat Asher” was granted eternal life by the prayers of the Canaanite ‎elder after she delivered the news of Prophet Joseph’s survival to his grandfather, Prophet Jacob.‎

The pilgrimage site of Serah Bat Asher was held in high regard by Shah Abbas Safavid. The reason for this ‎was a miracle that occurred for him on a high mountain in the area. According to one account, Shah ‎Abbas fell off his horse while hunting and rolled down the mountainside but survived. As a result, he ‎ordered the surrounding land to be granted to the Jews to further expand the tomb complex. It is certain ‎that repairs and renovations were carried out during that period.‎

Architectural Style and Construction Date

The Serah Bat Asher pilgrimage site is composed of three sections: the tomb, pilgrim accommodation, ‎and synagogue. The architectural design is influenced by Islamic architecture. Its building materials ‎consist of stone and brick, which most likely date back to the 7th century (Mongol era). There is no ‎documented evidence of when this structure was built, but existing evidence suggest that repairs and ‎renovations were carried out after the death of Arghun Khan (grandson of Hulagu Khan, the Mongol ‎ruler) by Jamal al-Din Zanjani, the vizier of Baydu Khan (694 AH, 1294 AC).‎

Renovation and Expansion of the Pilgrimage Site

Constructive transformations began to emerge at the pilgrimage site in 1923 following a visit by ‎renowned archaeologist and researcher Professor Ernst Herzfeld. The entrance door to the tomb, which ‎was previously a stone slab less than three feet high, was renovated to facilitate easier access for visitors.‎

In 1989, significant renovations and refurbishments were undertaken at the Serah Bat Asher pilgrimage ‎site. These efforts were spearheaded by Manouchehr Nikrouz, a representative of the third term of the ‎Iranian Parliament, and were carried out in collaboration with the Tehran Jewish Committee and other ‎philanthropists within the Jewish community. The synagogue hall, pilgrim accommodation rooms, and ‎bathhouse were all modernized. Additionally, to safeguard the site from destruction by zealots, the ‎surrounding area, including the Serah Bat Asher compound, the old cemetery, and the shrine, were ‎completely walled off.‎

Currently, the site has been officially registered as a historical monument by the Cultural Heritage ‎Organization.‎

Discovery of Ancient Stone Tablets

In the early 1950s, a group of archaeologists involved in the restoration and reconstruction of the Serah ‎Bat Asher synagogue unearthed several stone tablets from beneath the soil. Upon examination, the ‎antiquity of the tomb was further substantiated. Except for one of these inscriptions, which was ‎repurposed as the entrance door to the shrine (some Jews believe that Serah Bat Asher departed for ‎Jerusalem through this entrance), the remaining inscriptions were mounted on the walls of a relatively ‎large room that served as the synagogue.‎

One of these discovered stone tablets, dating back 2,500 years, measures 95 centimeters in length and 75 ‎centimeters in width. The inscription is in raised Hebrew script and features verses from the Torah. Its ‎historical period corresponds to the Parthian era. Based on this, Professor Herzfeld surmises that the ‎arrival of Jews in central Iran, particularly in Hamadan and Isfahan, coincided with the reign of Yazdegerd ‎I Sassanian (399-421 AD). Some researchers, however, believe that when Cyrus liberated Babylon and ‎ended the Jewish captivity in 538 BC, a group came to Iran, mostly settling in Isfahan, Hamadan, Susa, ‎and Pasargadae.‎

Inscription Details and Historical Significance

The text of the discovered inscription is written in Hebrew script in four lines and consists of verses from ‎the Holy Scriptures. The date and name of David ben Yaghoub are engraved at the end of the text. The ‎translation of the inscriptioned verses is as follows:‎

Line 1: Open the gates of righteousness for me, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the ‎Lord (Psalms 118:19).‎

Line 2: Let this stone that I have set up as a memorial become a house of God. Whatever You give to me, I ‎will return a tenth of it to You (Genesis 22:28).‎

Line 3: “Now I will send an angel to you to guard you on your way and to bring you to the place I have ‎prepared for you.” (Exodus 10:13)‎

Line 4: “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be calm.” (Exodus 14:14)‎

Dated: Wednesday, 26th day of the month of Av, in the year 3890 Hebrew Calendar. Greetings to Israel, the servant of ‎God, Yaghoub son of David.‎

The Story of Serah Bat Asher and Her Encounter with Joab

Pursuit of a rebel to Serah’s city

In the Jewish prophetic books, there is a narrative about Serah Bat Asher that took place during the reign ‎of King David. One of David’s commanders, Joab, was pursuing a rebel named Sheba with his warriors, ‎relentlessly passing through many cities and villages. Joab’s messengers informed him that Sheba had ‎taken refuge in the fortified city of Abel Beth Maacah during his escape. Joab immediately rushed to the ‎city and laid siege to it. He ordered his men to use siege engines to destroy the city walls and capture the ‎city. Joab personally supervised their operations.‎

Serah Bat Asher’s Plea for Peace

At this time, a woman’s voice from the top of the city wall reached Joab’s soldiers. She said, “Listen, ‎listen, stop destroying the wall, and tell Joab to come to the foot of the wall to hear my words.” Joab, ‎surprised and curious, came under the wall. The woman saw him and asked, “Are you Joab?” Joab replied, ‎‎”Yes, I am. What do you want from me?” The woman said, “Do you know who I am?” Joab said, “No, I do ‎not know you.” The woman said, “I am Serah, daughter of Asher, son of Jacob. When I gave my ‎grandfather Jacob the news of my uncle Joseph’s survival, he prayed for me, and as a result of that prayer, ‎I have gained eternal life and will never taste the bitterness of death. I also held a high position with ‎Moses, for it was I who showed him the hiding place of my uncle Joseph’s coffin.

Haven’t you read the ‎Torah? It says that if you besiege a city, you should first approach it peacefully and ask its inhabitants to ‎surrender without war or bloodshed. And if they do not heed your request, then you are allowed to take ‎the city by force and massacre its inhabitants. But you have forgotten this order and intend to destroy the ‎city and kill its people without offering them to surrender… While all the inhabitants of this city are loyal ‎subjects of King David and obedient to his commands… Joab said, “No, mother. I have no such intention. ‎A wicked man named Sheba ben Bikri has rebelled against the king and taken refuge in this city. If you ‎hand him over to me, we will have no further dealings with you…” Serah said, “Very well, tell your men to ‎stop attacking the city…”‎