What are the ramifications of the Pasuk "Veshaftu es ha'Am be'Chol eis"?
Ramban #1: Seeing as, due to Moshe's overloaded schedule, the people did not have ready access to him, it would discourage many litigants from presenting themselves to be judged by him, as well as many cases not being heard (and not being solved), it would prevent them from encamping peacefully. Now that there were many judges, all the cases would be judged peace would reign in the camp. 1
As Yisro specifically stated at the end of the next Pasuk.
How will we reconcile the current Pasuk "Veshaftu es ha'Am be'Chol eis" - implying even at night-time, with the Pasuk in Ki Seitzei Devarim, 21:16 "Vehayah be'Yom Hanchilo es Banav" - implying only in the day?
Sanhedrin, 34b: Although the begiining of the Din - the litigants presenting their srguments and the testimony of the witnesses - must take place by day, the Beis-Din may conclude the case even in the night. 1
See Torah Temimah, note 36.
What is Davar ha'Gadol referring to?
Rashbam: Refer to 18:19:2:3.
Sanhedrin, 16a: Since "Davar ha'Kasheh" in Pasuk 26 refers to difficult lawsuits, "Davar Gadol" here means 'lawsuits of a great man 1 - the Kohen Gadol (or of an entire tribe - Oznayim la'Torah); and the Pasuk is teaching us that the Kohen Gadol must be judged by the Sanhedrin ha'Gadol of seventy-one. 2
Refer to 18:26:1:1.
Oznayim la'Torah: The Pasuk cannot be referring to large and small sums of money, since, as far as Beis-Din is concerned, 'the Din of a P'rutah is just as important as one of a hundred Manah'.
Torah Temimah: The equivalent of Moshe Rabeinu, who is compared to a Beis-Din of seventy-one. And the Torah wrote "ha'Davar ha'Gadol" (and not 'Divrei Gadol'), to confine this ruling to Dinei Nefashos - where the Kohen Gadol is being judged on matters concerning life and death (Sanhedrin, 18b).
What did Yisro mean when he said "Vehakeil me'Alecha"?
Seforno: Refer to 18:21:2:4.
What are the implications of "Venas'u Itach"?
Seforno: It implies that even those things that Moshe himself had to perform, such as teaching the people Torah, would become easier, since the judges would assist him in teaching it to the people - after they had learnt the Halachah from him.
How could the Dayanim judge before Moshe taught them? This was the day after Yom Kipur, when Moshe descended!
Moshav Zekenim (in Pasuk 18): It is all a Drashah. Moshe himself judged and taught - "Vehoda'ati es Chukei ha'Elokim..."
