ד"א ויקרא יעקב אל בניו. זש"ה אקרא לאלהים עליון לאל גומר עלי (תהלים נז ג) אמר ר' יהושע בן לוי שלשה דברים גזרו בית דין של מטה, והסכים הקב"ה עמהם, אלו הן, Another interpretation (of Gen. 49:1): THEN JACOB CALLED HIS SONS. This text is related (to Ps. 57:3 [2]): I SHALL CALL TO GOD MOST HIGH, TO THE GOD WHO BRINGS THINGS TO COMPLETION FOR MY BENEFIT. R. Joshua ben Levi said: An earthly court has decreed three things when the Holy One has concurred with them.40Gen. R. 96, New Version, on Gen. 49:1 (= pp. 1202—1204 in the Theodor-Albeck edition); cf. yBer. 5:8 (or 9) (14c); Mak. 23b; Ruth R. 4:5; M. Pss. 57:2; cf. also Matthew 16:19. They are the following:
אחת בימי עזרא, בשעה שעלו מבבל בקש הקב"ה להתיר להם את המעשרות, מה עשו עמדו וגזרו על עצמן שיהו מעשרין, שנאמר ואת ראשית עריסותינו ותרומותינו ופרי וגו' (נחמיה י לח), מה עשו כתבו אותו בספר, ונתנו אותו בהיכל, מה עשו למחר נכנסו ומצאו אותו חתום, שהסכים הקב"ה עמהם, שנאמר ובכל זאת אנחנו כורתים אמנה (וחותמים על) [וכותבים ועל] החתום וגו' (שם שם א). ואחת בימי מרדכי ואסתר, שנאמר קימו וקבלו (אסתר ט כז) קיימו למעלה מה שקבלו למטה. ואחת בימי יהושע, כשנכנסו ישראל לארץ, אמר להם יהושע והיתה העיר [ההיא] חרם (יהושע ו יז), ואין אתה מוצא שאמר לו הקב"ה דבר זה אלא מעצמו עשאו, ומנין שהסכים הקב"ה עמו, שנאמר חטא ישראל (שם ז יא),
One was in the days of Ezra. When they came back from Babylon, the Holy One wanted to absolve them of the tithes. What did they do? They arose and decreed on their own that they would tithe, as stated (in Neh. 10:38 [37]): < AND THAT WE SHOULD BRING TO THE PRIESTS, UNTO THE STOREROOMS IN THE HOUSE OF OUR GOD >, THE FIRST OF OUR DOUGH, THE GRAIN OFFERINGS, THE FRUIT OF < EVERY TREE, WINE AND OIL >…. What did they do? They wrote it in a book and placed it in the Temple. The next day they entered and found it sealed because the Holy One had concurred with them. Thus it is stated (in Neh. 10:1 [9:38]): BECAUSE OF ALL THIS, WE ARE MAKING A FIRM COVENANT {SEALING IT OVER} AND [PUTTING IT IN WRITING, AND UPON] THE SEALED COPY….
And one was in the days of Mordecai and Esther, as stated (in Esth. 9:27): < THE JEWS > INSTITUTED AND TOOK < UPON THEMSELVES, THEIR DESCENDANTS, AND UPON ALL WHO WOULD JOIN THEM THAT THEY WOULD NOT FAIL TO KEEP THESE TWO DAYS >…. They instituted above what they had accepted below.
And one was in the days of Joshua, when Israel entered the land. Joshua said to them (in Josh. 6:17): {THE} [THAT] CITY < AND EVERYTHING IN IT > ARE TO BE PROSCRIBED < FOR THE LORD >. Now you do not find that the Holy One had told him this thing. Rather he did it on his own. And where is it shown that the Holy One concurred with him? Where it is stated (in Josh. 7:11): ISRAEL HAS SINNED (by breaking the proscription).
הוי אקרא לאלהים עליון לאל גומר עלי. Ergo (in Ps. 57: [2]): I SHALL CALL TO GOD MOST HIGH, TO THE GOD WHO BRINGS THINGS TO COMPLETION FOR MY BENEFIT.
ד"א אקרא לאלהים עליון, מדבר ביעקב, כיון שנכנסו בניו לברכם, התחיל לחלק להם פרוקפאות (פי' מתנות), ומנין שהסכים הקב"ה עמו, את מוצא כל ברכות שבירך אבינו יעקב את השבטים כך ברכן משה, שהסכים הקב"ה עמו על כל ברכה וברכה, הוי ויקרא יעקב. Another interpretation: I SHALL CALL TO GOD MOST HIGH. < This > speaks about Jacob.41Gen. R. 98:1. When his sons came for him to bless them, he began to distribute prokopai42The Greek word means “advancements.” (i.e., gifts) to them. And where is it shown that the Holy One concurred with him? You find that in the case of all the blessings with which our father Jacob blessed the tribes, Moses blessed them with the same < blessings > because the Holy One concurred with him in the case of each and every blessing. Ergo (in Gen. 49:1): THEN JACOB CALLED HIS SONS.43Thus Jacob, and not God, took the initiative in blessing the tribes.