Only five Sidrot are named after a Biblical personality. Three of those personalities, No’ach, Yitro and Pinchas, were greatly admired. The other two, Korach and Balak, became famous for their evil conduct. It is possible that Yitro was given the honour of having a Sidra named after him because he was one of the greatest gentiles in the ancient world who became attached to our people. Both his name, Yitro, which means ‘superior’, and his title, the Priest of Midyan, indicate that he was highly regarded. In addition, according to rabbinic tradition, he had seven names, which is another indication of his great eminence. His names were: Yitro, Yeter, Chever, Chovav, Re’uel, Putiel and Keini. Amongst these names, only Chovav is still used today and it means: The Loved One.
Chapter 18 teaches us that Moses and Jethro enjoyed an excellent relationship. Jethro was very kind to Moses and helped him when he was forced to flee from Egypt to Midyan. Moses fled to Midyan because of its proximity and also because the Midianites stemmed from Abraham. This also enabled Moses to marry Zipporah, Jethro’s daughter.
The first portion tells us that Jethro came to visit the Israelites and brought with him Moses’ wife together with their two sons, Gershom and Eliezer. This is the first time that we hear that Moses had separated from his family. Originally, Zipporah went back to Egypt with Moses, but, at some point, the Almighty instructed Moses to send her and the children back home, so that he could lead his people out of Egypt, without any distraction. The Torah did not mention this separation earlier because it was a private and very sad event in Moses life. It is mentioned here because his reunion with his family was a very happy event. Indeed, we get the impression that whole of Jethro’s visit made Moses very happy. Moses liked Jethro very much. We see this clearly in verse seven which tells us that when Jethro sent a messenger to inform Moses that he was coming, Moses made a point of leaving his tent and going into the desert towards his father-in-law. When Moses saw Jethro for the first time he bowed down to him and they greeted each other with a great warmth and affection.
From a later passage, in the book of Numbers, chapter 10 verse 29, we learn that Moses found it very difficult to separate from Jethro. At the end of the visit, he appealed to him, very strongly, to stay. He told him that he could help lead the Israelites into the Promised Land and promised him that he would a share in Israel’s prosperity. But Jethro refused and returned to his own country.
Moses had two sons who had beautiful Hebrew names. Both names were reminders of significant events in Moses life. His eldest son was called Gershom, which means “I was a stranger there”, which refers to his stay in the Midyan and also, perhaps, to his realisation that, as an Israelite, he had been a stranger in Egypt all his life. His second son was called Eliezer which means: “My God was my help”. This name commemorated Moses escape to Midyan after he killed the Egyptian. In fact, some commentators say he was in danger throughout Pharaoh’s life. Pharaoh could also have captured him in Midyan because Egypt and Midyan had good relations. Eliezer was born when Pharaoh died and when Moses was able to return again to Egypt. The Torah tells us that Pharaoh’s death brought relief to all the Israelites.
After Moses told Jethro about all the troubles and the miracles that happened to the Israelites, Jethro began his response by exclaiming Baruch Hashem. This expression has become extremely familiar in the language of the Jewish people. We say Baruch Hashemwhenever we wish to express our gratitude to the Almighty for good things that happen to us.
Jethro’s response to Moses detailed report concludes, in verse 11, with the sentence KI BADAVAR ASHER ZADU ALEIHEM. This sentence is incomplete and unclear. The verbal root ZUD means BOIL. On that basis, Rabbi Eliezer said, in the Talmud, as follows: The Egyptians were boiled in the very same saucepan in which they boiled the Israelites. They cast Israelite children into the waters of the Nile River and, as a result, they themselves were cast into the water of the sea. The modern commentator, Umberto Cassuto, explains that the sentence tells us that, at this point, Jethro acknowledged that the God of Israel was supreme because he had won a victory over all the gods of Egypt. Those gods were: the Nile, the Sun and the Sea. The Egyptians had relied on their gods, but their gods failed them.
The first portion ends with verse 12, which tells us that Jethro offered up a burnt offering and other sacrifices to God and invited Moses and Aaron and all the elders to a feast. According to the great mediaeval commentator, Nachmanides this was a celebration of his conversion to Judaism, which was the highlight of his visit. Since the conversion could not have happened so quickly, we learn that Jethro’s visit lasted more than a year.
The Sidra contains the 10 Commandments, which we read three times a year. One of the remarkable features of the 10 Commandments is that the fifth commandment, to honour father and mother, carries with it the reward of a long life. This promise is also a guarantee that, through honouring our parents and adhering faithfully to the sanctified traditions, which we have received from them and from previous generations, we shall have a timeless existence. The Torah will continue to give us strength to endure all the challenges of life.
The final commandment is “DO NOT ENVY”. This commandment is a great challenge because it demands of us to control our thoughts and feelings and not just our deeds. One Hasidic Rebbe has interpreted it also as a reward. If we succeed in fulfilling all the nine preceding Commandments, the Almighty gives us a guarantee that we shall never envy or be jealous of any other person. We shall be completely satisfied and happy with our own achievements and possessions. We shall be grateful for all the blessings and gifts that the Almighty has given us.