“Moses called all the elders of Israel, and said to them: Draw, and take for yourselves lambs for your families, and slaughter the paschal offering” (Exodus 12:21). “Moses called all the elders of Israel” – that is what is written: “With the aged is wisdom and with the length of days understanding” (Job 12:12). Why did the elders merit that Israel was redeemed through them? When the Holy One blessed be He appeared to Moses at the bush, He said to him: “Go, and gather the elders of Israel” (Exodus 3:16).
When Moses came, immediately: “Moses and Aaron went and gathered all the elders of the children of Israel” (Exodus 4:29), and it says: “The people believed” (Exodus 4:31). The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘I will repay the elders for causing Israel to believe in My name. When Moses said: “And I say to them: The God of your fathers has sent me to you” (Exodus 3:13), had the elders not accepted Moses’ statement, all of Israel would not have accepted it either.
Rather, the elders accepted it first, and drew all of Israel after them, and caused them to believe in the name of the Holy One blessed be He. I, too, will accord them honor, and the redemption of Israel will be through them, as Israel will slaughter their paschal offering through them, as it is stated: “Moses called all the elders of Israel.” Therefore, the verse praises them: “With the aged is wisdom.”