Yitro rejoiced! There’s reason for us to as well

While the debate over what Moshe’s father-in-law “heard” opens up the discussions on the first verse of the parsha, several verses later the Torah tells us “vayichad Yitro” over all the good that G-d had dealt towards Israel.

The word vayichad has many possible definitions, though the most common suggestion is that “he rejoiced.” As such, many commentaries note that Yitro celebrated the good done to Israel, but not the bad meted out to Egypt. He had ties to Egypt and identified with the suffering of its people — even if deserved — because his humanitarian outlook considered the plight of individuals more than the punishment given to the nation that had enslaved the Israelites. (Seforno, SR Hirsch, Malbim, etc.)

Along this line, the Talmud (Sanhedrin 94a – wide lines) notes that the word vayichad comes from the word chidudin (goosebumps), as his skin reacted negatively to the news of the trauma Egypt had suffered, even as he was happy for the Israelites. (Rashi)

Another viewpoint, also mentioned in the Talmud in the name of Rav, is that the word vayichad comes from chada (sharp), suggesting Yitro used a sharp blade to circumcise himself in a conversion to Judaism. (See also Medrash Tanchuma, Baal Haturim, Hadar Zekenim.)

Of course, on the most simple level, Yitro could have been rejoicing over the good that G-d had done for the people — beyond the Exodus, the splitting of the sea, and the war with Amalek, all of which brought mortal salvation. Saving a life is wonderful, but it isn’t inherently “beneficial” if people will die anyway. So what is the “goodness” over which Yitro rejoiced? Rashi mentions the providing of the manna, the well (water), and the gift of the Torah.

Midrash Sechel Tov notes that the gift of manna was that it could have any flavor (think about how soy can be cooked to taste like anything), while the gift of the well was that its water could taste like old wine, new wine, milk, honey, and all kinds of delicious things.

One wonders if Roald Dahl was reading this midrash when he put together Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. (I doubt it.)