What happened to the elders that had served the community up until then?
What is the significance of the seventy elders?
Ramban: It corresponds to the seventy nations 1 and their seventy languages, each with its representative angel in Heaven. 2 Because the number seventy represents all the possible combinations of powers and of mindsets. 3 And just as there are seventy nations plus Yisrael, and seventy angels around the Kisvei ha'Kodesh plus Hashem, so too, shall there be Moshe and seventy members of Sanhedrin. 4
Moshav Zekenim (citing R. Yehudah ha'Chasid): They needed to be around the Mishkan, which was thirty Amos long on the north, thirty on the south, and ten on the west 5 . Only Moshe was in the east. A person occupies one Amah width.
Hadar Zekenim: They correspond to the seventy souls who descended to Egypt. Moshav Zekenim ? also, corresponding to the seventy nations will be the merit of the seventy of the Sanhedrin, and seventy Yamim Tovim (including Shabbosos and Chol ha'Mo'ed) each year (seven days of Pesach, Shavu'os, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kipur, eight days of Sukos, and fiffty-two 6 Shabbosos), to seventy names of Hashem 7 , seventy facets of Torah, seventy names of Yisrael, seventy of Yerushalayim, seventy angels above, and Micha'el the Sar of Yisrael 8 is over them.
Kidushin, 32b: ?mi?Ziknei Yisrael? teaches us that ?Zakein? is synonymous with ?Chacham?. 9
Sifri: We learn from here that Hashem gave Kavod to the Zekenim (since Hashem said ?Lech Ve?asafta ? ? ? Hagahos).
Ramban: At which also the seventy bulls of the Musaf-offering on Sukos also hint.
See, for example, Daniel, 1:13 & 10:20,and Yeshayah, 24:21.
Thereby ensuring that nothing is hidden from the Sanhedrin.
And in future generations, seventy judges plus the Nasi, which the Gemara in Sanhedrin, 2a & 16b learns from the word "Vehisyatzvu Sham Imach". See also Torah Temimah, note 10. See Ramban, citing Pirkei de'R. Eliezer, who elaborates further.
Moshav Zekenim: Even though with the beams in the corners, the Mishkan was thirty-one long and twelve wide, the Zekenim corresponded to the interior of the Mishkan.
Always, one Shabbos is during Pesach, and at least one during Sukos! Perhaps the day counts twice, for laws of Shabbos and the festival both apply. (PF)
Ba'al ha'Turim lists sixty-nine of them. Bamidbar Rabah 14:12 and Osiyos d'R. Akiva allude to the seventy names of Hashem, Yisrael and Yerushalayim.
There are myriads of angels (Shir ha'Shirim 5:10, Bamidbar Rabah 2:3, based on Tehilim 68:18)! It seems that this refers to the angels appointed over the nations. Micha'el, the Sar of Yisrael (Daniel 10:21) corresponds to Moshe, who was over the other seventy.
See Torah Temimah, note 13.
What was Hashem referring to when He said " ? Asher Yada'ata ki heim Ziknei ha'Am ve'Shotrav"?
Rashi: He was referring to the fact that these same elders had been appointed officers in Egypt, 1 and out of compassion, had chosen to be flogged rather than inflict additional suffering upon their Jewish brothers by forcing them to work beyond their capacity. Now, Hashem was rewarding them 2 by appointing them officers in the time of greatness, jut as they were appointed officers in the time of suffering.
Refer to Sh'mos, 5:14:1:1**.
Da'as Zekenim: Whoever is Moser himself for Yisrael, in the end he merits greatness, honor and Ru'ach ha'Kodesh.
What did Hashem mean when He said "Velakachta osam"?
Rashi: It means that Moshe should draw them with kind words - 'by telling them how praiseworthy they are to have been chosen as leaders of Hashem's children.
Why did they have to stand there together with Moshe in full view of the people?
Rashi: So that the people should see them and give them their due Kavod. 1
Rashi: And they will say 'How beloved are these men who joined Moshe to hear the words of Hakadosh-Baruch-Hu!'
What are the implications of the word Ve'hisyatzvu Sham Imach"?
Sanhedrin 2a (according to the Chachamim): Refer to 11:16:2:4*.
Sanhedrin, 17a (according to R. Yehudah) It implies that members of the Sanhedrin should be like Moshe ("Imach" - 'be'Domin lach') - not Geirim, not Nesinim and not Mamzerim. 1
See Oznayim la'Torah, citing the Chachamim, who learn this from "Venas'u Itach" in Yisro, Sh'mos, 18:22.
Why did Hashem say "Esfah Li", and why did he say "Shiv'im Ish" (singular)?
Da'as Zekenim #1: They should be special, like Me ? "Hashem Ish Milchamah", and like you - "ve'ha'Ish Moshe Anav Me'od". So we expound in Sanhedrin 17a "Itcha" (Pasuk 17) ? like you.
Da'as Zekenim #2: They will preserve My Shamayim and Aretz. "Ha'Boneh Shamayim Aliyosav va'Agudaso al Eretz Yesadah" (Amos 9:6) ? if there is no Eretz, there is no Shamayim. This is like a palace built on boats. If the boats move away, the palace falls.
