“Assemble and hear, sons of Jacob” (Genesis 49:2) – Rabbi Berekhya, sometimes he said it in the name of Rabbi Ḥiyya and sometimes he said it in the name of the Rabbis from there:9From Babylon (Rashash; cf. Matnot Kehuna). From here [it may be derived] that they were scattered and an angel came and assembled them.10This is derived from the fact that after Jacob said “gather” (49:1), the next verse is framed entirely in the third person: “Assemble and hear, sons of Jacob, and listen to Israel your father” (49:2).
This is because it was stated by an angel. Rabbi Tanḥuma said: From here, that they were scattered and he assembled them with the Divine Spirit. “And listen to [el] Israel your father” (Genesis 49:2) – Rabbi Yudan and Rabbi Pinḥas: Rabbi Yudan said: Listen to the God [El] of Israel your father. Rabbi Pinḥas said: Your father Israel is like a god [el].
Just as the Holy One blessed be He creates worlds, so, your father creates worlds.11The world was created due to the merit of Jacob (Vayikra Rabba 36:4). Just as the Holy One blessed be He distributes worlds, so, your father distributes worlds.12Jacob’s blessings to his sons influenced the portions they would receive in the Land of Israel, or the spiritual blessings they would receive (see Maharzu; Etz Yosef).
Elazar ben Aḥui said: From here Israel merited the recitation of Shema. When Jacob our patriarch was passing from the world, he called his twelve sons. He said to them: ‘Listen to the God [El] of Israel your father who is in Heaven. Do you, perhaps, have in your heart dissension over the Holy One blessed be He?’13Do you have any doubts about God?
They said: ‘“Hear, Israel” (Deuteronomy 6:4) our father, just as you do not have in your heart dissension over the Holy One blessed be He, so, there is no dissension in our heart. Rather, “the Lord is our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4).’ He too expressed with his lips and said: ‘Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever.’ Rabbi Berekhya and Rabbi Ḥelbo in the name of Rabbi Shmuel: That is why Israel recites early in the morning and late in the evening each day: Hear Israel, our patriarch, from the Cave of Makhpela: The same matter that you commanded us, we still practice it: “The Lord is our God, the Lord is one.”