Dear Rabbi Simon,
I was wondering, besides Abraham & Moses, what are the names of others that would be considered “elders”?
Many thanks,
Danny
Dear Danny,
Thank you for your question.
I am not certain of the context of your question, but if you refer to the Elders of Israel mentioned in Ex. 4:29, it would seem that we do not know their names. In fact, they are criticised for losing heart and abandoning the mission to approach Pharoah. See Rashi Ex. 5:1. Presumably they would have been prominent and respected members (whether senior of years or otherwise) of each of the 12 tribes.
However, there is another, more consequential reference to the Elders, and this is in Num. 11:16, where they acquire a formal role in assisting Moshe in leading the Jewish People. Although the Torah itself only mentions Eldad and Medad (vv. 26-27), we can speculate that their numbers would include the Princes of the 12 Tribes and other notable names such as Betzalel, Oholiav (architects of the Mishkan) and others. However, the midrash actually provides a list for us. This can be found in Yalkut Shimoni Par. 736 (to Num. 11:16). All 70 elders are identified there by name. Of course, this is a rabbinic tradition rather than an actual scriptural source.
I hope this is useful.
Best wishes
Rabbi Rashi Simon