Who were Eldad and Meidad?
Targum Yonasan: They were the sons of Elitzafan ben Parnach, 1 to whom Yocheved, Moshe' mother, bore them, after Amram divorced her in Egypt, following the decree to kill all the newborn baby boys, 2 and he married her.
Rosh #1 and Da'as Zekenim #1: They were sons of Amram after he remarried after separating from Yocheved (his aunt, who was forbidden to him after Matan Torah 3 ). A letter to a Rav Amram Gaon says that it is written on their graves that they were the paternal brothers of Aharon.
Rosh #2 and Da'as Zekenim #2 (citing Yesh Omrim): Eldad was alias Elidad ben Kislon and Meidad, Kemuel ben Shiftan - who will later be chosen as princes over the tribes of Binyamin and Efrayim, respectively. 4
See 34:25.
The Rosh implies that he divorced and remarried after Matan Torah. If the Torah is in order here, this was a month before the Meraglim, within a year of Matan Torah, in which case they were less than six months old? Moreover, this does not concur with Rashi, who, citing Chazal., explains that they were expected to take from the lottery - seeing as they were Levi'im. Even if Efrayim and Menasheh are counted as one tribe, and the Sanhedrin included Levi'im, if so, only four Zekenim were from Levi? (PF)
See Mas'ei, Devarim, 34:22 & 24.
What is the meaning of "ve'Heimah ba'Kesuvim"?
Rashi: It means that they were initially chosen to become elders.
Rashbam and Targum Yonasan: It means that they were initially written down on the seventy-two lots of those who were to go to the Ohel Mo'ed.
Oznayim la'Torah: It means that they were on the list - that Moshe had written.
Why did they remain in the camp and not go with the other elders to the Ohel Mo'ed?
Rashi (citing Sanhedrin, 17a): Because they considered themselves unworthy of becoming communal leaders.
Rashbam: On account of their humility.
Targum Yonasan: They were running away from leadership
What were they prophesying?
Rashi (on Pasuk 28): They prophesied that Moshe would die and Yehoshua would take Yisrael into Eretz Yisrael.
Targum Yonasan: Eldad prophesied that Moshe would die and that Yehoshua, would take Yisrael into Eretz Yisrael and distribute the land to the people, Meidad, about the quails and their consequences, 1 and both of them, about Gog and Magog and about Techi'as ha'Meisim. 2
Why were there two elders too many - thereby prompting Eldad and Meidad to stand down?
Rashi: Because Moshe initially chose seventy-two elders, six from each tribe, even though he was told to take only seventy, 1 since he knew that no tribe would willingly forego a candidate.
Rashi: He therefore took seventy-two pieces of paper, on seventy of which he wrote 'Zakein', and two of which he left blank; then, after placing them in a box, he intended to ask each elder to take one ... - like he did regarding the Bechoros (Refer to 3:50:1:1). Only Eldad and Meidad stood down of their own accord.
What are the implications of "va'Tanach Aleihem ha'Ru'ach"?
Targum Onkelos and Targum Yonasan: It implies that, as opposed to the other seventy elders, 1 they merited a direct spirit of prophecy. 2
Due to their humility (Refer to 11:26:2:1*) - as we learned in Eruvin, 13b 'Whoever runs away from greatness, greatness runs after him!'
In what way was the prophesy of Eldad superior to that of the other elders?
Sanhedrin, 17a: Whereas the other elders prophesied only once, they continued to prophesy. 1
Sanhedrin (Ibid.): We learn this from the fact that, whereas in Pasuk 25, connetion with the other elders the Torah writes "Vayisnab'u ve'Lo Yasafu" (See Torah Temimah, note 23), in Pasuk 27, it writes "Eldad and Meidad Misnab'im".
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes that on seventy-two lots he wrote 'Zakein', and two he left blank - and each elder would take one. The question remains that they would still complain, seeing as everyone would want to take first, when all the lots contining 'Zakein' were still there, and those that picked later would be able to claim that presumably, the first to pick would have had more of a chnce top pick 'Zakein'?
Refer to 3:50:151:1-6.
Rashi writes that on seventy-two lots Moshe wrote 'Zakein', and two of which he left blank. Why did he not simply make twelve lots for the twelve tribes (to determine how many Zekenim each tribe will have on the Sanhedrin) ? ten lots of six and two of five?
Moshav Zekenim: Because it is preferable for the members of the Sanhedrin to pick for themselves.
