Another matter, “these are [ve’eleh] [the ordinances],” what is ve’eleh? Come and see how much the Holy One blessed be He loved Moses. When Datan and Aviram demeaned him in Egypt, as they said to him: “Who appointed you to be a leader and a judge over us?” (Exodus 2:14), the Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘With what you demeaned him, I will grant him greatness,’ as it is stated: “These are [ve’eleh] the ordinances.”41The midrash asserts that it was Datan and Aviram who demeaned Moses by saying: “Who appointed you [samkha] to be a leader and a judge [shofet] over us?”
Moses received greatness in that he was the one to whom the verse: “These are the ordinances that you shall place [tasim] before them” was said. This is implied by the term ve’eleh, because the vav at the beginning of the word implies a connection to what had occurred earlier (see Shemot Rabba 30:3), and by the use of the term “place” [tasim], which is from the same root as “appointed you” [samkha].
Another matter, “these are the ordinances,” Moses heard Yitro say: “You shall identify from all the people [capable men, fearers of God, men of truth, haters of ill-gotten gain]” (Exodus 18:21). He said to him four attributes, but he found only one, as it is stated: “Moses selected capable men” (Exodus 18:25) and he appointed them judges over Israel. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘I gave you [the duty of] judgment and you appointed others who do not know;42They do not know the laws and do not have all the necessary qualities to be ideal judges. you go and teach them.’ As it is stated: “These are the ordinances [that you shall place before them].”