The People Complained 

The people complained.  They wanted food.  The Mon was nice, but they longed for real food.  Hashem told Moshe Rabbenu that they would have meat, so much that they would stuff themselves for a month until they died.

Moshe questioned, ‘Six hundred thousand men would have so much food for a month?’  How is that possible?

The commentaries struggle with this question.  Hashem had performed such incredible nisim for them.  What was Moshe concerned about?  Hashem can do anything.

The Ramban explains.  There are open nisim that defy nature; there are hidden miracles that work within the natural world.  Such an enormous amount of meat wouldn’t seem to be a hidden miracle.  Moshe thought that this would have to be an open miracle.

Open miracles can happen within two frameworks.  Either completely from the side of Rachamim – mercy, or completely from the side of Din – harshness.  Since this was to be food, it would come from kindness (as the verse says, “He gives food to all flesh, for his kindness is forever.”)  True, a hidden miracle could combine the attributes of Rachamim and Din, but it didn’t seem plausible that so much meat would be a hidden miracle.

Hashem answered, “I can do anything.  It will be a hidden miracle — birds will fall from the sky!”

Surely Moshe knows how miracles work, but this explanation doesn’t seem to sit well.

Arguing With Hashem

There are various times when a Navi seems to debate Hashem.  Moshe argued with Hashem at the burning bush for seven days.  Avraham Avinu debated with Hashem regarding S’dom, that Hashem shouldn’t destroy the city if there were tzadikim there.  These arguments were for the good.  Moshe required that Hashem Himself would take Klal Yisrael out of Mitzraim; Avraham was able to save Lot and his daughters (which eventually led to the birth of Rus and Dovid Hamelech).

The Alshich expresses the same idea here.  Moshe was concerned that the tzadikim would also be killed.  “Is it going to be through strict din, pure kindness, or a mixture of both?”  In this way, he was able to convince Hashem to save the tzadikim.

Moshe Requested Help

Hashem promised Moshe that he wouldn’t have to struggle with the people alone.  Seventy Zekeinim would have part of Moshe’s nevuah.

Eldad and Meidad weren’t part of the seventy, and they were found saying prophecy outside of the camp.  Yehoshua was very upset, and told Moshe to silence them.

Yet, Moshe, in his vast humility, replied that it was fine with him.  If only all the Jewish People would be prophets!

Yehoshua was angry for two reasons.  Firstly, a Navi should not give prophecy in front of a greater Navi without permission.  Secondly, the content of their prophecy was that Moshe would die, Yehoshua would bring them into Eretz Yisrael.  This was a terrible affront to Moshe Rabbenu.

See Chavatzeles Hasharon: how strange it is that Yehoshua, who interceded for Moshe’s honor, was punished.  Eldad and Meidad, who gave prophecy in the presence of Moshe, were not.  The reason is that the greater Navi can be mochel and allow a lesser Navi to give prophecy even though it wasn’t authorized.  However, Yehoshua gave orders to Moshe.  To dictate the Halacha in front of the Rav is forbidden, and mechila doesn’t help.  So, although Yehoshua meant well, he didn’t act correctly, and, as a result, was punished.