The Targum Jonathan on (Deuteronomy 6) contains one of the most beloved stories in all of rabbinic literature—and it appears right in the middle of the most sacred prayer in Judaism. The Shema ("Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One") is the central declaration of Jewish faith. But the Targum reveals its hidden origin.
When Jacob was about to die, he grew anxious. He called his twelve sons together and asked them a terrifying question: "Is there such perversity in your hearts?" He was afraid that one of them might be an idolater. All twelve answered together, in unison: "Hear, Israel our father—the Lord our God is one Lord!" They were not reciting a prayer. They were reassuring their dying father that none of them had abandoned God. And Jacob responded with the words Jews still whisper after the Shema today: "Blessed be His Glorious Name for ever and ever."
This is not in the Hebrew Bible. The Targum imported a midrashic (rabbinic interpretive commentary) tradition and embedded it directly into the scriptural text, transforming the Shema from a commandment into a deathbed scene. Every time a Jew recites the Shema, they are—according to this tradition—reenacting the moment Jacob's sons proved their loyalty.
The Targum also expands the commandment to love God. Moses tells Israel to love God "with each disposition of your hearts"—a phrase that acknowledges the rabbinic teaching about the two inclinations, the yetzer ha-tov (the good inclination) and the yetzer ha-ra (the evil inclination). You must love God with both your good and evil impulses.
The practical details of mezuzah (a parchment scroll affixed to doorposts) get unusually specific. The Targum says to write the words "upon the pillars, and affix them in three places—against the cupboard, upon the posts of thy house, and on the right hand of thy gate." The Hebrew says doorposts and gates. The Targum adds the cupboard, a domestic detail reflecting actual Aramaic-era practice.
The chapter warns against testing God, and the Targum adds a number the Hebrew lacks: "be warned not to tempt the Lord your God as you tempted Him in the ten temptations." Ten specific tests. The Targum is counting.
And this is the declaration of the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments which the Lord your God hath commanded (me) to teach you to perform in the land to which you pass over to inherit;
that thou mayest fear the Lord thy God, and keep all His statutes and precepts which I command thee; thou, thy son, and the son of thy son, all the days of thy life; and that thou mayest prolong thy days.
Hearken then, Israel, to keep and to do, that it may be well with thee, and you may increase greatly, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath spoken to thee, (that) He will give thee a land whose fruits are rich as milk, and sweet as honey.
It was, when the time came that our father Jakob should be gathered out of the world, he was anxious lest there might be an idolater among his sons. He called them, and questioned them, Is there such perversity in your hearts? They answered, all of them together, and said to him: HEAR, ISRAEL OUR FATHER: THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD! Jakob made response, and said, Blessed be His Glorious Name for ever and ever.
Mosheh the prophet said to the people of the house of Israel, Follow after the true worship of your fathers, that you may love the Lord your God with each disposition of your hearts, and also that He may accept your souls, and the (dedicated) service of all your wealth;
and let these words which I command you this day be written upon the tables of your hearts.
And thou shalt unfold them to thy children, and meditate upon them when thou art sitting in your houses, at the time when you are occupied in secret chambers, or in journeying by the way; at evening when you lie down, and at morn when you arise.
And you shall bind them as written signs upon thy left hand, and they shall be for tephillin upon thy forehead over thine eyes.
And thou shalt write them upon the pillars, and affix them in three places, against the cupboard, upon the posts of thy house, and on the right hand of thy gate, in thy going out.
And when the Lord thy God hath brought thee into the land which he promised to Abraham, Izhak, and Jakob, thy fathers, to give thee cities great and goodly which thou didst not toil in building,
houses also, filled with all good, which thou wast not occupied in filling, and hewn cisterns in hewing which thou didst not labour, vineyards and olives with planting which thou wast not wearied; and when thou hast eaten. and art satisfied,
beware lest you forget the fear of the Lord your God, who delivered and led you out free from the land of Mizraim, from the house of the affliction of slaves;
but fear the Lord your God, and worship before Him, and swear by the Name of the Word of the Lord in truth.
You shall not go after the idols of the Gentiles, the idols of the peoples who are round about you:
for the Lord our God is a jealous God, and an Avenger, whose Shekinah dwelleth in the midst of you; lest the anger of the Lord your God be kindled against you, and He quickly destroy you from the face of the earth.
Sons of Israel, my people, be warned not to tempt the Lord your God as you tempted Him in the ten temptations;
keeping keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and His testimonies and statutes which He hath commanded you;
and do what is good and right before the Lord, that it may be well with you, and ye may go in, and possess by inheritance the good land which the Lord covenanted to your fathers;
that He may drive out all thy enemies before thee, as the Lord hath said.
When thy son, in time to come, shall ask thee, saying, What are the testimonies, statutes, and judgments which the Lord our God hath commanded you?
then shall you say to your sons, We were servants to Pharoh in Mizraim,
and the Word of the Lord brought us out of Mizraim with a mighty hand; and the Word of the Lord wrought signs, great wonders, and sore plagues on Mizraim and on Pharoh and all the men of his house, which our eyes beheld;
but us He led forth free to bring us in and give us the land which He sware to our fathers.
And the Lord commanded us to perform all these statutes, that we may fear the Lord our God for good to us in all days, that He may preserve us alive as at the time of this day;
and (the reward of) righteousness will be reserved for us in the world to come, if we keep all these commandments to perform them before the Lord our God, as He hath commanded us.
