What Did Yitro Hear? The Red Sea, Amalek, and the Discovery of Divine Providence

Yitro, Moshe’s father-in-law, arrives at the Israelite camp in the wilderness: “Yitro, the father-in-law of Moshe, heard all that God had done for Moshe and for Israel His people… and Yitro came to the wilderness…”

Why did he come? Was it merely to hear the news firsthand? Our Sages teach that Yitro came in order to convert and join the Jewish people as a result of what he had heard. As Rashi cites: “What report did he hear that made him come? The splitting of the Red Sea and the war with Amalek.”

Below, we will try to understand the unique significance of these two events specifically, both in Yitro’s spiritual journey and for us as well.

Why Accept a Convert at a Time of Triumph?

Before delving deeper, an important question arises. Generally, converts are not encouraged to join the Jewish people at moments of national greatness, lest it appear that they are motivated by material benefit, prestige, or a “generous absorption package.” On the contrary, a prospective convert is usually informed of the hardships and suffering that accompany Jewish destiny.

Clearly, “connections” were irrelevant in the presence of Moshe, the man of truth. Nor could “family reunification” serve as grounds for conversion in a court of justice. Rather, Yitro had been searching for truth for many years and was willing to pay a high personal price for it.

When Moshe fled to Midian, he encountered Yitro’s daughters shepherding their own flock. The reason, according to tradition, was that Yitro and his family had been socially ostracized after he abandoned idol worship and resigned from his priesthood. This background confirms the sincerity of his intentions.

A Lifelong Search That Demanded a Final Breakthrough

Yitro had been seeking truth for decades, and he already knew what was false. He knew Moshe personally and had certainly engaged him in deep philosophical conversations. Yet none of this brought him to the final, decisive step.

This gives deeper meaning to the Sages’ question: “What report did he hear that made him come?” What happened now? What shook him so profoundly that he embarked on a journey into the desert and chose conversion?

This is the depth of the Sages’ question, and we seek to understand the depth of their answer.

Why the Splitting of the Sea Was a Turning Point of Faith

The splitting of the Red Sea is described as an even greater milestone of faith than the Ten Plagues or the Exodus itself. We say daily before the Song of the Sea: “Israel saw the great hand that God had used against Egypt, and the people feared God, and they believed in God and in Moshe His servant… Then Moshe sang…”

What new dimension of faith emerged here, after God’s power over nature had already been demonstrated so clearly?

Individual Divine Providence Revealed

Following the Ramban, we can suggest the following explanation: One of the core foundations of faith taught by the Exodus is Divine providence. Not only does God rule over nature, and not only does He intervene in nature, but He supervises human actions on an individual level, granting reward and punishment to each person according to their deeds.

This crucial principle had not yet been fully demonstrated by the Ten Plagues, which affected Egypt as a collective nation. A detailed, individual accounting — person by person, had not yet been revealed.

That changed at the Red Sea.

Justice Tailored to Each Individual

When the Egyptians drowned in the sea, their punishment was personal and precise. Our Sages note subtle variations in the biblical language indicating that some Egyptians were tossed violently in the water before drowning, like straw, others like stone, and others like lead. The heavier the material, the faster the drowning; straw represents prolonged suffering.

This graded punishment reflected each Egyptian’s level of cruelty toward the enslaved Israelites. Even these examples alone testify to an extraordinary level of personal Divine justice.

Furthermore, on the verse: “Israel saw Egypt dead on the seashore” — which is phrased in the singular, our Sages explain that each Jew recognized the very Egyptian who had enslaved and tortured him. This element of direct reckoning restored the Israelites’ dignity and sense of justice. It was not random vengeance, but measured, personal accountability, serving as another powerful demonstration of individual providence.

The Worldview That Shook Yitro

This, then, was the decisive moment in the education of faith: the revelation of personal Divine providence. It is easy to imagine how deeply this realization shook Yitro.

A worldview in which every action matters, in which the Creator watches each individual, and responds with precise justice and care, is a breathtaking conception of life. This understanding likely propelled Yitro to join a people who live within such a relationship with God.

Perhaps other nations experience some level of providence, or perhaps it applies uniquely to Israel. Either way, this is not the prevailing worldview among the nations. Yitro recognized that Judaism offers a direct, personal relationship with the Creator, and he wanted to be part of it.

Amalek: The Ideological Opposite of Divine Providence

Standing in stark contrast is the nation of Amalek. The Torah describes Amalek with the phrase: “asher karcha baderech” — “who happened upon you on the way”

The word karcha implies chance and coincidence. Haman, Amalek’s descendant, repeatedly speaks in similar terms, about everything that “happened” to him. Amalek’s worldview denies providence. Reality, in their eyes, is governed by randomness, luck, and fate — not by a guiding moral intelligence.

Amalek had no territorial dispute with Israel. Their war was ideological. They fought against the worldview that the Torah was about to reveal to the world — the belief in purposeful Divine supervision. For this reason, Amalek is described as an enemy not only of Israel, but of God Himself: “A war for God against Amalek from generation to generation.”

Why Yitro Chose to Join Israel

When Israel defeated Amalek, especially after the message of the Red Sea, Yitro understood that this worldview of Divine providence would shape the future of humanity. He hurried to join with joy.

He had found his home. He realized that every Jew has a Father in Heaven, and he wanted to become one of His children.