Midrash for Numbers 11:28

The master said above: "All the seventy had prophesied once, and ceased; but these two did not cease to prophecy." Whence do we infer this? Shall we assume it from the following passage (Num. 11, 25) They prophesied V'lo yassoff, which means they never prophesied again. If so, then how will you explain the passage (Deut. 5, 19) "With a great voice V'lo yassoff?" Does this also mean that it was never heard again? [The Shechina was surely heard in later times]. We must therefore say Yassoff means "not ceased;" if so, then the above inference is gone! We infer it from this passage: "And they prophesied [in the past] while concerning Eldad and Medad it is written, "are prophesying" [present tense]. In regard to the statement that their prophecy was "Moses shall die," it is readily understood, for it is written (Num. 11, 28) My Lord Moses, forbid them. But according to him who said they prophesied about other things, why, then, should they be forbidden? Because it was not seemly for them thus to prophesy in the presence of Moses, which appears as if a scholar decides a question in the presence of his teacher. What is meant by the words, forbid them? He said to Moses: "Throw upon them the care for the public, and they will cease [to prophesy] by themselves."

Another interpretation [of] "I pleaded with the Lord" (Deuteronomy 3:23): This is [the meaning of] that which was stated by the verse (Ecclesiastes 9:11), "The race is not won by the swift, [nor the battle by the valiant; nor is bread won by the wise, nor wealth by the intelligent, nor favor by the learned; for the time of mischance comes to all]." "The race is not won by the swift," that is Asahel, as stated (II Samuel 2:18), "Asahel was swift of foot, like a gazelle in the open field." He was running after Avner, [and] Avner said to him (II Samuel 2:22), "Turn yourself away from behind me," but he was confident that he [could] flee (if necessary), as he was swift of foot. What is written? "And he refused to turn away, so Avner struck him in the belly with a backward thrust of his spear." "Nor the battle by the valiant," that is Avner. What is written when he went to David? "Yoav took him aside within the gate to talk to him privately; there he struck him in the belly" (II Samuel 3:27). Thus, "nor the battle by the valiant." "Nor is bread won by the wise," that is Shlomo, as it is stated (I Kings 5:11), "And he was wiser than all men." Yet the Holy One, blessed be He, brought him down from his thrown, and had an angel designated to bring him a loaf of bread and a plate of barley every day. Thus, "nor is bread won by the wise. "Nor wealth by the intelligent," that is Iyov; as it is stated (Job 19:21), " Pity me, pity me, you are my friends; for the hand of God has struck me." "Nor favor by the learned," that is Yehoshua. He said two things in front of his master (Moshe) and these were them: "And Yehoshua son of Nun, Moshe's attendant [from his youth, spoke up and said, 'My lord Moshe, restrain them']" (Numbers 11:28). [To this] Moshe said to him (Numbers 11:29), "Would that all the nation of the Lord be prophets!" And the [other time] was with the story of the [golden] calf, as it is stated (Exodus 32:17), "When Yehoshua heard the sound of the people in its boisterousness, he said to Moshe, 'There is a sound of war in the camp.'" [And to this] Moshe said to him, "Yehoshua, they are depending on you and trusting you to acquire the land and [yet] you do not know how to distinguish between one sound and another; 'It is not the sound of the tune of triumph...' (Exodus 32:18)." Thus, "nor favor by the learned." Another interpretation: "The race is not won by the swift," that is Moshe, as he leaped like a lion at the giving of the Torah. What is written over there? "And Moshe went up to God" (Exodus 19:3). [But then it is written (Exodus 19:25), "And Moshe went down to the people." "Nor the battle by the valiant," that is [also] Moshe. As he gored angels above, but when he saw Og, the king of Bashan, he was frightened. "Nor is bread won by the wise," that is [also] Moshe. As it is stated (Proverbs 21:22), "One wise man prevailed over a city of warriors." [Yet] it states (Exodus 34:28), "he did not eat bread." "Nor wealth by the intelligent," that is [also] Moshe, as it is stated about him (Exodus 34:9), "If I have found favor in Your eyes, may the Lord go among us." Rav Huna asked Shemuel, "What is [the meaning of] 'for the time of mischance (fega, which is a word also used for a prayer encounter) comes to all?'" He said to him, "It is in the future that a person will pray and be answered." He said, "Moshe seized prayer [but was not answered], as stated, 'I pleaded with the Lord....'"

R. Levi said: "Whoever decides a legal question in the presence of his teacher, will die childless, for it is written (Num. 11, 28.) And Joshua ben Nun, the servant of Moses from his youth, answered and said: 'My Lord Moses, forbid them,' (Ib. b) and it is written (I. Chr. 6, 27.) Nun, his son, Joshua, his son [showing that Joshua had no children]." This is in contradiction to the opinion of R. Abba b. Papa, for R. Abba b. Papa said: "Joshua would not have been punished had it not been for the sin that he neglected his family duties for one night, as it is said (Jos. 5, 13.) And it came to pass, when Joshua was in Jericho, etc., and it is written (Ib. ib. 14.) And he said. No; for I am a captain of the host of the Lord; now am I come, i.e., the angel said to him 'Yesterday you neglected to bring the perpetual afternoon offering and now you are neglecting the study of the Torah.' So Joshua asked the angel. In regard to which one did you come?' Whereupon the angel said, 'Now I am come' [i.e., for the neglect of this moment] . Immediately following And Joshua lodged that night among the people (Ib. 8, 9); and it is also written (Ib. ib. 13.) And Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley; and R. Jochanan said: 'We infer [from the expression 'of the valley'] that Joshua lodged within the profoundness of the law [he studied over night]. And we have a tradition that whenever the holy ark and the Shechina rest without its proper place, the Israelites are forbidden to live together with their families. [Hence the sin of neglecting family duties.] R. Samuel b. Avia, in the name of Rab, said: "To study the Torah is a virtue greater than the offering of the perpetual sacrifices, for it is said Now I am come [showing he came on account of the latter's sin which was the neglect of studying the Torah]."