Eldad and Meidad

The incident with Eldad and Meidad, does not get much recognition. Moshe Rabbeinu asks for help in leading the nation. Hashem tells Moshe to gather seventy wise men who will form a Sanhedrin. Six were taken from each of the twelve tribes.

The odd men out were Eldad and Meidad, who were given the gift of prophecy together with the other seventy. However, the Gemara tells us that they were extremely humbled by receiving such a gift. As a result of this humility, their prophecy never stopped, while the spirit of prophecy was temporary for the other seventy.

Yehoshua is disturbed by Eldad and Meidad’s prophecy that Moshe would die and lead the nation into Israel. He tells Moshe, כלאם, which could mean to put them in a כלא, prison.

Moshe, in his own humility, yells Yehoshua that it’s great that there are two more prophets. Wouldn’t it be nice if the entire nation could be prophets!

The Gemara is סנהדרין has a humorous take on this incident. If Eldad and Meidad would have been given a position of צרכי ציבור, tending to the needs of the public, they would have put themselves in jail, because power corrupts. In any case, hopefully, this brings a little more clarity to Eldad and Meidad.