Why Moses Needed Seventy New Elders After the Fire

(Numbers 11:16:) GATHER ME [seventy men from the elders of Israel]. But were there not elders before this? For behold, it is written concerning Mount Sinai (Exodus 24:9): AND MOSES WENT UP [...] AND SEVENTY OF THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL; and this passage came afterward. So where were the elders? Rather, at the time when Israel did those deeds, as it is said (Numbers 11:1): AND THE PEOPLE WERE AS MURMURERS [..., AND THE FIRE OF THE LORD BURNED AMONG THEM], they were all burned at that time. But their burning was like the burning of Nadab and Abihu, for they too had acted lightheadedly when they went up to Sinai, when they beheld the Shekhinah, as it is said (Exodus 24:11): AND THEY BEHELD GOD, AND THEY ATE AND DRANK. But was there eating and drinking there? To what is the matter comparable? To a servant who was attending upon his master, and his crust of bread was in his hand, and he kept biting from it. So did they act lightheadedly, as those who eat and drink. And on that day the elders, together with Nadab and Abihu, deserved to be burned. But because the giving of the Torah was beloved before the Holy One, blessed be He, therefore He did not wish to strike them and to make a breach among them on that day. This is what is written (ibid.): AND UPON THE NOBLES OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL HE LAID NOT HIS HAND—from which we learn that they deserved the laying on of the hand. But after a time they were burned: Nadab and Abihu were burned upon their entering the Tent of Meeting, and the elders were burned when they lusted a lust, as it is said (Numbers 11:4): AND THE RABBLE (ha-asafsuf) THAT WAS IN ITS MIDST [lusted a lust]. What is "the rabble"? Rabbi Shimon ben Menasya and Rabbi Shimon bar Abba: one said, these are the converts who went up with them from Egypt, who were gathered (ne'esafim) unto them, as it is said (Exodus 12:38): AND ALSO A MIXED MULTITUDE [went up with them]. And one said, "rabble" (asafsuf) is nothing other than the Sanhedrin, as it is said (Numbers 11:16): GATHER ME [seventy men]. What is written there (Numbers 11:1)? AND THE FIRE OF THE LORD BURNED AMONG THEM, AND CONSUMED IN THE EDGE (qetseh) OF THE CAMP—among the officers (qetsinim) in the camp. And from where do we know that those elders who went up to the mountain were burned? As it is said (Psalms 106:18): AND A FIRE BURNED IN THEIR COMPANY (edah); and "company" (edah) is nothing other than the Sanhedrin, as it is said (Numbers 15:24): AND IT SHALL BE, IF IT BE DONE [unwittingly] AWAY FROM THE EYES OF THE CONGREGATION (edah); and it is written (Leviticus 4:13): AND IF THE WHOLE CONGREGATION (edah) OF ISRAEL ERR. And they turned back and wept and asked for meat. And if you should say that it was meat that they asked for—but behold, everything they asked for, the manna would become it inside their mouth, as it is said (Psalms 106:15): AND HE GAVE THEM THEIR REQUEST. And if you should say that they had no ox or beast—but is it not written (Exodus 12:38): AND ALSO A MIXED MULTITUDE WENT UP WITH THEM, [AND] FLOCKS AND HERDS? And if you should say they ate them in the wilderness—but is it not written (Numbers 32:1): AND THE CHILDREN OF REUBEN AND THE CHILDREN OF GAD HAD MUCH CATTLE? From here Rabbi Shimon said: it was not meat that they lusted after, for so it says (Psalms 78:27): AND HE RAINED FLESH (she'er) UPON THEM AS DUST; and she'er is nothing other than forbidden relations, as it is said (Leviticus 18:6): NONE SHALL APPROACH TO ANY THAT IS NEAR OF KIN (she'er) TO HIM. This is to say that they sought to permit themselves forbidden relations. And so it says (Numbers 11:10): AND MOSES HEARD THE PEOPLE WEEPING BY THEIR FAMILIES. And when they sought such a thing (ibid.): AND THE ANGER OF THE LORD WAS KINDLED GREATLY. At that hour Moses said before the Holy One, blessed be He (Numbers 11:11): WHY HAST THOU DEALT ILL WITH THY SERVANT? In the past there was with me one who would bear the burden of Israel, but now I am alone, as it is written (Numbers 11:14): I AM NOT ABLE TO BEAR [all this people] ALONE; (Numbers 11:15) AND IF THOU DEAL THUS WITH ME [...]. At that hour the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: appoint other elders in place of those elders, [as it is said] (Numbers 11:16): GATHER ME SEVENTY MEN.