Parshas Yisro- “Yisro is Coming!”

by Rabbi Mordechai Rhine

A sense of excitement swept the camp. From tent to tent people whispered the news: “Yisro is coming!”

Yisro was the father in law of Moshe. But, to the Jewish people he was much more than that. Yisro was the only advisor of Pharoh who took a stand against the proposal to enslave the Jews. When he realized that he couldn’t influence the terrible decision, he fled so as not to participate in the plan.

Yisro found refuge in Midyan, where, at first, he was respected as an elder and a priest. Later, the local people excommunicated him when his penetrating mind and sincere heart caused him to reject idol worship in favor of monotheism. His daughter Tzipporah was found worthy to marry our teacher Moshe. In the Jewish world, Yisro was a hero.

Yet, Yisro himself did not recognize his greatness. As he approached the Jewish encampment, he did so with trepidation. “Will they be willing to greet me,” he wondered. After all, he was an outsider.

Yisro, plagued by self doubt, sent a message to Moshe. “Behold I am coming to you together with your wife and two children.” As Rashi explains, “If you won’t come out to greet me, at least come out for the sake of your wife or your children.”

Little did Yisro know how much Moshe and the Jewish people valued him. By the time he got to the Jewish camp a full delegation had gathered. Led by Moshe and Ahron, the entire Jewish people came out to greet Yisro. A festive banquet was tendered in his honor. Moshe himself was the waiter, because to him it was a meal filled with sanctity. Yisro was worthy of honor. He was a person who yearned for truth despite his background.

One of the interesting facts about treasured people is that they don’t realize that they are treasured. Yisro did not appreciate how much Moshe respected him. Yisro viewed Moshe with awe. He saw in Moshe a human being who had come so close to G-d. He saw in Moshe a person who was able to stand up to Pharoh’s evil and be victorious over him. “Moshe is busy,” Yisro thought to himself, “He is tending to the needs of a great nation. Why would he bother himself with me?”

It wasn’t until Yisro showed up that he realized the truth about himself. The Jewish people were very proud of him. While they were born and raised in greatness of spirit, Yisro had achieved it by choice later in life. The Jewish people respected Yisro. To them, Yisro was a hero.

Some people say that what you don’t know can’t hurt you. But, the truth is that if a person doesn’t know how much they are valued, they struggle alone without realizing how much respect and admiration people feel for them.

Imagine the tragedy that could have happened if Yisro had never come. Picture the loneliness that that this great man would have felt if he had continued his righteous journey all alone. Now we can appreciate the dramatic invigoration that became his as a result of the excitement that swept the camp with the words, “Yisro is coming!”

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