“Moses told Aaron all the words of the Lord that He had sent him, and all the signs that He had charged him” (Exodus 4:28). “Moses told Aaron all the words of the Lord…” – Moses began saying to him all the words and all the signs that He commanded him to perform before the people. Just as the Holy One blessed be He said to him, so he did: “You shall speak to him, and place the words in his mouth” (Exodus 4:15).
“Moses and Aaron went and gathered all the elders of the children of Israel” (Exodus 4:29). “Moses and Aaron went and gathered…” – Rabbi Akiva said: Why was Israel analogized to the bird? Just as a bird flies only by virtue of its wings, so too, Israel is able to stand only by virtue of the elders [zekenim].17Zaken is an acronym for zeh shekana ḥokhma, one who acquired wisdom. Therefore, there can be both elderly Sages and young Sages. Great is Zikna; if it is in the elderly, they are beloved before the Holy One blessed be He, and if they are lads, their youth is their secondary [characteristic].18Their wisdom grants them maturity beyond their years. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai taught: In several places we have learned that the Holy One blessed be He accorded honor to the elders: At the [burning] bush, as it is written: “Go and gather the elders of Israel” (Exodus 3:16); at Sinai, as it is written: “To Moses He said: Come up to the Lord, [you and Aaron, Nadav and Avihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel]” (Exodus 24:1); at the Tent of Meeting, as it is written: “Moses summoned Aaron and his sons [and the elders of Israel]” (Leviticus 9:1); and likewise, in the future, as it is stated: “For the Lord of hosts will reign on Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before His elders will be glory” (Isaiah 24:23). Rabbi Avin said: The Holy One blessed be He is destined to seat the elders of Israel like a threshing floor,19In a circle and He will sit at the head of all of them as the head of the court, and they will judge the idolaters, as it is stated: “The Lord will enter into judgment with the elders of His people, and its princes” (Isaiah 3:14). It is not written: Of the elders of His people, but rather “with the elders of His people.” He will be sitting with them, and they will judge the idolaters. What does He say to [the idolaters]? “You have consumed the vineyard” (Isaiah 3:14) – this is Israel, as it is written: “For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel” (Isaiah 5:7). “The theft of the poor [he’ani] is in your houses” (Isaiah 3:14) – and it is written: “For the Lord had founded Zion, and in it the afflicted [aniyei] of His people will take refuge” (Isaiah 14:32).20This proves that the term ani in Isaiah 3:14 is referring to the Jewish people. Likewise, it was the way of the kings to sit in the shape of a round threshing floor, as it is stated: “The king of Israel and Yehoshafat king of Judah each sat on his throne, arrayed in their robes, and they sat in a threshing floor” (II Chronicles 18:9). Were they sitting in a threshing floor? Rather, as we learned: The Sanhedrin would sit in a semicircular shape like a threshing floor so that they could see each other, and the two judges’ scribes were sitting before them…21Sanhedrin 36b. Solomon said: I saw Him sitting with them and judging in their midst, as it is stated: “Her husband is known at the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land” (Proverbs 31:23).22This chapter in Proverbs analogizes Israel and God as a wife and husband. The midrash states that King Solomon, the author of Proverbs, saw with divine spirit the time when God will judge together with the elders.