Why were the Shoterim beaten?
Rashi: When the Shoterim, who saw that the people could not possibly fulfill the quota that was placed on them, 1 took compassion on their brothers and refrained from coercing them, the Nogesim beat them mercilessly, when they handed them a shortfall of the required number of bricks. 2
Rashi: As a reward for their Mesiras Nefesh, those seventy men were later chosen to form the Sanhedrin. See Bamidbar 11:16.
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes: "'... Leimor, Madu'a Lo Chilisem ...' - Why were they beaten? For the Nogesim said to them, 'Why did you not complete your quota....'" Why does Rashi need to spell this out?
Gur Aryeh: I might have mis-translated the verse as follows - '... the Nogesim had placed over them (i.e. the Jews) Shoterim, to tell them (i.e. their Jewish workers), 'Why did you not complete your quota?'' Surely, the job of the Shoterim was not merely to rebuke their subordinates, but to make them work! (Rather, this is what the Nogesim said to the Shoterim as they beat them.)
Rashi writes: "... Your set quota, like the third day prior - i.e. the day before yesterday." But the term "Ki'Smol Shilshom" usually includes yesterday as well?
Gur Aryeh: In this case it cannot include yesterday. The Nogesim accused them of two days of falling short - both yesterday and today. The last day the quota was met, must have been the day before yesterday.
