Yitro's Disappearing Act

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June 09 2017
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Yitro’s Disappearing Act


The first half of the Torah portion of Behaalotcha is broken up into various topics, including the induction of the Leviim into service, the forging of the trumpets, and the implementation of travel for the Jewish nation. After the discussion of the order of travel, Yitro, Moshe’s father-in-law, reenters the scene (Bamidbar 10:29):


Then Moses said to Hobab the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses's father-in-law, We are traveling to the place about which the Lord said, I will give it to you. Come with us and we will be good to you, for the Lord has spoken of good fortune for Israel


One would think the opportunity to continue on into the Land of Israel, joining the Jewish people as they settled into their homes, would elicit an enthusiastic “YES!” Yitro, though, turns down the offer (ibid 30):


He said to him, I won't go, for I will go to my land and my birthplace.”


What? How could Yitro turn down Moshe’s offer?


There are numerous interpretations trying to explain Yitro’s initial rejection of Moshe’s proposition. While some paint Yitro in a critical light, there are those who explain that Yitro sought to assist others back home. The Midrashim speak of Yitro returning to his birthplace and assisting others to convert to Judaism. One can see some type of justification in Yitro’s thinking, but to abandon the Jewish people still seems fairly troubling.


Moshe actually counters with a plea (ibid 31-32):


He said, Please don't leave us, for because you are familiar with our encampments in the desert and you will be our guide. And if you go with us, then we will bestow on you the good which God grants us


Moshe’s plea should at least have Yitro reconsider his original stance. Would he then accept the invitation to remain? Would he return home? The Torah continues (ibid 33):


They traveled a distance of three days from the mountain of the Lord, and the Ark of the Lord's covenant traveled three days ahead of them to seek for them a place to settle


Did he return home? Did he stay? The Torah never tells us his final decision. Why not? A mere “Yes” or “No” would suffice. Why is the Torah being ambiguous?


Yitro’s first entrance into Jewish history began in the Torah portion of Shemot. His initial encounter with Moshe leads to the eventual marriage of his daughter to Moshe. We never really see much about his personality in those first verses, although the commentaries emphasize that Yitro was a convert. The spotlight shines on him in the Torah portion of (you guessed it) Yitro. There, we see two aspects of Yitro’s personality.


That section begins with Yitro’s hearing of the news (Shemot 18:1):


Now Moses' father in law, Jethro, the chieftain of Midian, heard all that God had done for Moses and for Israel, His people that the Lord had taken Israel out of Egypt.”


As the commentaries generally explain, Yitro specifically had heard all about the miracles of Egypt and the splitting of the sea. He was interested in joining the Jewish people during their sojourn through the desert due to his intellectual attraction to the wonders of God. He also was escorting his daughter and grandsons to rejoin Moshe. After reviewing the events with Moshe, Yitro expresses a tremendous joy, his belief in God even stronger.


The Torah then turns to the workings of the courts. Moshe is portrayed as being the lone judge, responsible for all legal matters that might arise at any given moment. Yitro alone identifies the serious inefficiency and offers important advice to Moshe. Moshe’s accepts the advice, and the system of justice is fixed. Yitro’s advice to Moshe is critical in assisting in the Jewish nation’s success.


Yitro comes out from this looking like an incredible person. He is noble convert, joining the Jewish people due to his love of God. He is wise advisor, recognizing a serious problem in the infrastructure of the nation and rectifying it. Assuming all this, why would he reject Moshe’s offer?


Yitro was obviously a great man, and one of his greatest achievements was his conversion to Judaism. It is hard to imagine he was not welcomed with open arms by the entire nation; certainly, we see Moshe’s effusive greeting reflecting this genuine acceptance. There is a challenge any convert faces when the process of conversion is complete. Becoming a part of the nation as a whole is not a simple task. New friends, new colleagues and new communities – all of these point to hurdles that need to be overcome. In this instance, Yitro must have felt part of the nation to a great extent. But Yitro only “heard” what occurred. He did not go through the experience of Egypt, the slavery through redemption. He did not witness the miracles. His identification with the nation as a whole could only go so far. The Jewish people accepted Yitro; but Yitro sensed a gap due to his exclusion from those formative periods of time. Yitro might have considered his inability to identify as an obstacle.


However, if this were the case, why did he spend as much time as he did with the Jewish people? As we saw earlier, Yitro’s sagely advice was critical to the development of the nation. It could be Yitro was able to overcome his lack of identification through his utility on behalf of the nation. As long as he was able to help the building of the nation, he saw himself as seamlessly integrated with the people around him. Yitro’s personality was one of always looking to bring others to perfection. The various Midrashic interpretations bring this point out. He would return home because he wanted to continue in this role. In his mind, with the entrance of the Jewish people into the Land of Israel, that role had come to an end. The nation was formed, and now there was the next steps of conquering and settling down. If he could not function as an advisor, that tight knit bond with the nation was frayed. He then saw himself not being able to fully integrate, and thus his decision to return home.


Moshe assures Yitro that there is more work to be done; he was truly an integral part of the nation. What did Yitro do in response to this? We do not know for sure, but it is interested that the Torah continues with “they travelled”. The Jewish people were preparing to enter the Land of Israel. They could now move forward as a complete nation, because Yitro was with them. No Yitro meant a significant void in their ability to succeed. Therefore, they were complete because Yitro was joining them. To emphasize his agreement to join them would continue to paint him as an outsider, rather than a natural part of the nation.


 


One of the critical lessons from the above exchange is the importance of being sensitive to the power of identification. A person takes a certain degree of security by being part of the nation as a whole. In fact, there is a unique Divine Providence focused solely on the nation as an entity. For some people who join us later on, there are significant hurdles to overcome, beyond the obvious. To become part of the nation, even though one lacks the experiential aspects, is an essential objective. Yitro was able to create a situation of perfection for himself through the role he played. There are many paths one can take, and we should be assist in removing the obstacles so they can become part of the nation, rather than an individual who lives among us. 

Venue: Yeshivat Migdal HaTorah Yeshivat Migdal HaTorah

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