"Shema Yisrael, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai Echad" – "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One" (Deut. 6:4). We say it every day, often multiple times a day. But where did it all begin?

The story, as with many things in Jewish tradition, is layered with meaning. One beautiful explanation, found in Tree of Souls by Howard Schwartz, takes us back to the patriarch Jacob, also known as Israel.

Picture this: Jacob, nearing the end of his life, gathers his sons around him. He's about to leave this world, and a profound question weighs on his heart: "Do you have any doubts that God spoke and the world came into being?" It’s a moment of intense vulnerability and a desire for reassurance.

And their reply? It echoes through the ages: "Hear, O Israel, our father. Just as you have no doubts that God spoke and the world came into being, so too do we have no doubts. Surely, the Lord our God, the Lord is one." In that moment, according to this legend, the Shema was born.

Isn't that powerful?

The beauty of this story lies in the dual meaning of "Israel." Usually, when we say "Hear, O Israel," we understand it to be directed at the people of Israel – all of us. But here, it’s also directed at Jacob himself, whose name was changed to Israel. And when his sons add "our father," there's no mistaking who they're speaking to. It's a direct address to Jacob, their patriarch, and the father of the Israelite nation. We find this double reference elsewhere, too, like in Genesis 49:2: "Assemble yourselves, and hear, you sons of Jacob, and hearken to Israel, your father."

Deuteronomy Rabbah offers a slightly different take. In this version, Jacob is concerned about his sons worshipping idols. He calls them to his bedside and implores them: "Hear your father, Israel, and worship God, whom your father worships." And their response is the same: "Hear, O Israel, our father, the Lord our God, the Lord is one." Both versions, however, hinge on that crucial double meaning of "Israel". The Rabbis in the Midrash are masters of revealing multiple layers of meaning within a text.

The Shema, of course, is more than just a prayer. It's the primary proclamation of belief in Judaism, an essential part of the daily prayer service. The Shulchan Arukh, the Code of Jewish Law, even instructs us to recite the first verse in a loud voice. And some communities, like Yemenite Jews, traditionally read the entire Shema aloud, in unison. Why? Because, as Song of Songs Rabbah 8:13 tells us, when Israel reads the Shema with proper kavanah (intention), in one voice, God and all the heavenly hosts listen. But when the reading is fragmented, God asks us to learn from the angels, who praise God in perfect harmony.

There's also the custom of covering our eyes when reciting the first verse of the Shema. This practice goes back to Rabbi Judah ha-Nasi, a talmudic sage, who covered his face when he accepted the Yoke of Heaven (B. Ber. 13b). It's a moment of complete focus, shutting out the distractions of the world to fully concentrate on the Oneness of God.

So, the next time you recite the Shema, think about Jacob, surrounded by his sons, seeking reassurance and transmitting his unwavering faith. Think about the power of unity, the importance of intention, and the profound connection that binds us, as the people of Israel, to our God. What does the Shema mean to you?