The Torah reading last Shabbat was Yitro, the parsha which describes the pivotal event that defined the Jews as a People; the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. This parsha also describes Moshe (Moses) and his father-in-law, Yitro (Jethro); Yitro gives the Torah portion its name. What was so essential about this meeting between Moshe and his father-in-law that the parsha was named after him and not the most important event, the revelation of the Torah?
Yitro was a convert to Judaism, and this was no small feat for him, because he had been a priest of other religions and was an expert in idol worship. However, he turned his negative past, which included believing in other gods and worshipping idols into virtuous activities and beliefs, and he told Moshe that he knew that there was one G-d and that the Torah was true. This declaration of Yitro was a major event, since he was the expert in pagan religions at that time, and the fact that he was persuaded by the Torah would have been sufficient to influence the entire world. This demonstrates that one individual can profoundly affect humankind. Also, once a person devotes his or her life to Hashem, all past sins are transformed into merits.
Yitro also suggested that Moshe have others hear cases and interpret the law “it is too much for you,” said Yitro, to do alone. Yitro was a recent convert to Judaism, yet he had the courage to “talk to power” and to give advice to someone who spoke directly to G-d. This shows that a convert is to be accepted as someone who was born Jewish, and the newly religious have a voice among the greatest rabbis. It also shows that Moshe was still required to give his father-in-law respect and to heed his words, even though Moshe was on a higher spiritual level.