Sifrei Bamidbar 95

¹(Bamidbar 11:21) "And Moses said: Six hundred thousand foot, etc.": R. Shimon b. Yochai said: R. Akiva expounded this in one way, and I, in two ways, and my words seem more cogent. R. Akiva expounds it plainly, viz. (Ibid. 22) "If flocks and herds are slaughtered for them will it be sufficient for them?" Even if you give them all the flocks and herds (in the world), will it be sufficient for them? And I understand it as follows: "If flocks and herds are slaughtered for them will it be sufficient for them?" Even if you give them all the flocks and herds in the world, they would grumble. For is it because they have no meat that they are grumbling? Is it not written of the exodus from Egypt (Shemot 12:38) "And also a great mixture (of proselytes) went up with them, and flocks and herds, etc."? I might think they ate them in the desert. It is, therefore, written (Bamidbar 32:1) "And the sons of Reuven and the sons of Gad had much cattle, etc." It is only that they were looking for a pretext to abandon the L-rd. (Ibid. 11:22) "If all the fish of the sea are gathered for them"? Even if you gave them all the fish in the sea they would grumble. For is it because they have no fish that they are grumbling? Did not the well of Miriam accompany them in the desert and supply them with more than their fill of fish? It is only that they were looking for a pretext to abandon the L-rd. Variantly: Because He showed Moses the chain of calamities destined to befall them, Moses said before the L-rd: My L-rd, is it right that you give them and kill them? Does one tell an ass: Take a kor of wheat and we will cut off your head? Does one tell a man: Take a loaf and descend to Sheol? He responded: And if not, (i.e., if I do not give them what they ask for), what will be said? (Ibid. 23) "Will the hand of the L-rd be found wanting?" Moses: Let me go and attempt to conciliate them. The L-rd: (Ibid.) "You will see whether My word (that they will not heed you) will befall you or not." While you are here, I am telling you that they will not heed you. (Ibid. 24) "And Moses went out and told the people the words of the L-rd," viz.: When Moses went to them he said to them: "Will the hand of the L-rd be found wanting?" (They responded, Psalms 78:20) "True, He struck a rock and water flowed and streams flooded forth, but can He also give bread? Can He supply food for His people?" They said: This (i.e., your attempt to conciliate us) is a "compromise." He lacks the strength to grant us what we ask. ²(Ibid. 26) "And there remained two men in the camp": Some say: They (i.e., their ballots) remained in the ballot box. When the Holy One Blessed be He told Moses to select seventy elders, Moses asked himself: What am I to do? I must select six from each (of the tribes) and five from two tribes. Which tribe will consent to only five? Moses did as follows: He took seventy ballots and wrote on them "elder," and two blank ballots and mixed them (with the others) in the ballot box, and he said to them: Come and take your ballots. Whoever came up with a ballot marked "zaken," was told by Moses: "The L-rd has already selected you," and whoever came up with a blank ballot was told by Moses: It is the will of Heaven — what can I do? Similarly, (Bamidbar 3:96) "And (for) the redemption (money) of the two hundred and seventy-three of the first-born of the children of Israel over and above the (number of the) Levites, etc." Moses said what am I to do now? Each one (of the Israelite first-born) will say: A Levite has redeemed me! Moses did as follows: He took (22,000) ballots and wrote upon them "Levite," and (273) ballots and wrote upon them "five shekels," placed them in a ballot box and said to them: Come and take your ballots. Whoever came up with a ballot marked "Levite" was told by Moses: "You have already been redeemed," and whoever came up with a ballot marked "five shekalim" was told by Moses: "Go and give your redemption money (to the Cohanim). R. Shimon says (on Bamidbar 11:26): "They (Eldad and Medad) remained in the camp, for when they saw Moses selecting elders, they said: We are not deserving of this honor, saying which, they went and hid themselves — whereupon the L-rd said to them: You lowered yourselves; I will exalt you above all the others: Of the seventy elders it is written (Ibid. 25) "And they prophesied — but (after that day), they prophesied no more," whereas of Eldad and Medad it is written (Ibid. 27) "They are prophesying in the camp" — until the day of their death. And what were they saying? "Moses will die and Joshua will bring Israel to Eretz Yisrael."