The Book of Exodus gives us a powerful example in the story of Yitro, Moses' father-in-law. And the midrash, specifically Shemot Rabbah, offers us some fascinating interpretations of this encounter.

The verse from Proverbs, "The wise will inherit honor" (Proverbs 3:35), is applied to Yitro in Shemot Rabbah. Why? Because, upon coming to Moses, he "inherited great honor." But let's rewind for a moment. How did this meeting even come about?

Exodus 18:6 tells us, "He said to Moses: I, your father-in-law Yitro, am coming to you, [and your wife and her two sons with her]." Pretty straightforward, right? Well, not according to all the Rabbis! Rabbi Yehoshua suggests that Yitro sent a messenger. Rabbi Eliezer takes it a step further, proposing that Yitro sent a letter, appealing to Moses' sense of duty: "Act for my sake! If not for me, then for your wife! If not for her, then for your sons!"

But Rabbi Eliezer has an even more radical interpretation, one that elevates the encounter to a divine level. He suggests that the "I" in "I, your father-in-law Yitro, am coming to you" isn't Yitro at all. Instead, it's God speaking! According to this reading, God Himself is informing Moses of Yitro's impending arrival.

Think about the implications of this. God saying to Moses, "It is I who spoke and the world came into being." This echoes the idea that God is both near and far, as we find in Jeremiah 23:23: "Am I God from near, the utterance of the Lord, [but not God from afar?]" The midrash interprets this to mean that God is the one who brings people near and the one who distances them. In this case, God is bringing Yitro near.

The message is clear: "This person who came to Me came only in the name of Heaven, and came only to convert; you too, bring him near and do not distance him." Yitro, in this interpretation, isn't just a father-in-law; he's a potential convert, someone seeking truth and connection with God. To turn him away would be to reject a divine opportunity.

So what happens? "Moses emerged to greet his father-in-law" (Exodus 18:7). But it wasn't just Moses. The Sages tell us that Aaron, Nadav and Avihu (Moses' brothers and nephews!), and seventy of the elders of Israel emerged to greet him. Some even say the Ark itself went out to meet him! This wasn't just a polite welcome; it was a full-blown demonstration of respect and honor.

And that, ultimately, is why the verse "The wise will inherit honor" is applied to Yitro. His arrival, whether orchestrated by human means or divine intervention, sparked an extraordinary display of welcome, a testament to the transformative power of embracing the stranger.

What does this teach us? Perhaps it’s about the importance of seeing the divine spark in everyone we encounter. Maybe it’s about recognizing that welcoming someone new, especially someone seeking spiritual connection, can bring blessings beyond measure. Or perhaps it’s simply a reminder that even the smallest act of kindness can have ripple effects we can scarcely imagine.