ADAPTED FROM HIS AUDIO SHIUR ON EIN YAAKOV – MESECHTA SANHEDRIN

The Gemara speaks about the fascinating case of Yisro, who was the father-in-law of Moshe Rabbeinu. Yisro was a ger; he converted to Judaism. Comparably, he was like the pope of his time. He lived in Midyan and also spent considerable time in Egypt, where he served as an official in the government. Yisro was one of the top three advisors to King Pharaoh.

Yisro’s Rewards: A Torah Portion Named After Him

Despite his past, Yisro was zocheh to marry off his daughter to Moshe Rabbeinu. Even more astonishing, he was honored with a parashah named after him. One of the sedros is called Yisro. Which sedrah? The one that deals with Matan Torah — the giving of the Torah. When the Jews received the Torah, the parashah wasn’t named after Moshe Rabbeinu; it was named Yisro.

The Zohar Hakodesh explains that when Yisro converted and left his avodah zarah to come closer to Hashem, the kiddush Hashem was so great that, because of this, all the Jews were zocheh to receive the Torah.

The Power of Influencing Others: A Great Mitzvah

Rebbe Nachman stresses this point: if you are zocheh to witness a person who is far from religion—someone steeped in evil and a misguided lifestyle—and you work hard to influence him, bring him closer to religion, you are performing a mitzvah of immense value. This is the highest form of kiddush Hashem, bringing holiness to Hashem’s name. Nothing satisfies Heaven more than bringing those who are distant from Hashem back to Him. It’s like a long-lost child being reunited with their father.

The Ultimate Mission: Bringing Yourself Back

Now, imagine this encouraging thought. What if someone says, “I need to find a real rasha (wicked person) to bring back—but how do I find one? How do I approach them? They won’t even want to talk to me.”

Rebbe Nachman offers a simple answer. Why go out looking for a rasha when you know yourself how flawed you are? You might think, “I’m worse than most people because I know my own faults.” In that case, you have a rasha right in your own home—you. Here’s your chance to give Hashem what He truly wants: you.

Take the time to talk to yourself. Reflect and say, “I used to believe Hashem didn’t want me because I was so bad. I committed such wrongs that Hashem must have thrown me out.” But now you see the truth: you are one of the most precious treasures in the world because your return to Hashem brings the greatest kedushah. You’ve found a treasure right in your own home—yourself.

From Darkness to Light: The Power of Teshuvah

You might think of yourself as dark, stained, or even evil. But this very “dark stain” is the most precious item in existence because it can transform into the most beautiful gem by simply coming back to Hashem and saying, “Hashem, I’m back. I’m here—take me.”

Surprisingly, Hashem will respond with open arms: “Gladly. You’ve come back to me; forget about the past. It’s all gone and forgiven.” Don’t dwell on how much evil you committed before. Just turn even a small amount—a quarter-turn, a 90-degree angle—and come back to Hashem. You will be accepted immediately.

At no point is a Jew justified in feeling sad, even if they’ve committed the worst sins. Hashem always accepts a returning soul!

Yisro’s Transformation: From the Depths to the Heights

This is the essence of being zocheh to come back from the depths—from the most remote places on Earth. Yisro, the father-in-law of Moshe Rabbeinu, saw the truth and came to the Jewish people. He merited becoming Moshe Rabbeinu’s father-in-law.

The Torah tells us that Yisro came to Matan Torah, and the wording is “Vayichad Yisro”—Yisro rejoiced over all that Hashem had done for the Jews. He heard about what Hashem did to Egypt and was filled with joy. However, the Gemara offers two interpretations of this phrase from Rav and Shmuel.

Different Interpretations: Joy or Sharp Pains?

Rav says that “chad” means “sharp.” Yisro performed an act of mesiras nefesh (self-sacrifice). At his age, he took a sharp knife and underwent the procedure of bris milah as part of his conversion. This was a great sacrifice—and a testament to Yisro’s greatness.

Shmuel offers another perspective, with which Rav agrees. He says “chad” refers to sharp, penetrating pains. When Yisro heard about Egypt’s downfall, it hurt him deeply. Even though he was now Jewish, he had been a goy before, and deep down, he still felt some connection to the non-Jews.

Sensitivity Towards Converts: A Lifelong Lesson

The Gemara teaches us an important lesson: never insult a goy in front of a convert, even if he’s a descendant of converts. Up to ten generations, a convert might still feel sympathy for non-Jews. Be careful with your words around a ger.

This raises a serious question. How could Yisro, a great tzaddik with such mesiras nefesh, feel sorrow over Egypt’s downfall? The Torah says, “Mesanecha Hashem esna”—Hashem, I despise Your enemies. Since Yisro was now Jewish, shouldn’t he despise the Egyptians who had hurt him and his people?

Understanding Yisro’s Inner Conflict

The answer lies in the sincerity of his conversion. The Gemara explains that a ger should be accepted if he is sincere, but he must be tested. If a person converts when the Jews are at their lowest—persecuted, tormented, and despised—it shows true sincerity. However, if someone converts when the Jews are successful and powerful, like in the days of Shlomo HaMelech, their motives might be questioned.

Yisro converted when he believed the Jews were still enslaved and impoverished in Egypt. He thought they were at their lowest, which proved his sincerity. But when he arrived and saw the Jews were wealthy from the spoils of Egypt and that Egypt had been destroyed, he felt a pang of doubt. Did his conversion come from a place of sincerity, or had circumstances changed his motives?

Yisro’s pain wasn’t out of sympathy for Egypt, chas v’shalom, nor did he lack love for the Jews. His concern was whether his conversion would be seen as pure. But in truth, Yisro was a sincere convert who brought a tremendous kiddush Hashem to both Heaven and the Jewish people.

The Ultimate Lesson: Never Give Up on Yourself

When the Jews stood at Har Sinai to receive the Torah, it could not be given despite the holiness of Moshe Rabbeinu and the entire nation—until Yisro arrived. His arrival, his hearing (“yishma”), and his acceptance of Hashem created such a powerful kiddush Hashem that it was enough to bring the Torah down to Earth.

This teaches every Jew an essential lesson: never despair. Feeling low and depressed is the greatest sin. Rebbe Nachman describes it as the original poisonous bite of the nachash (serpent). A physical snakebite is fatal, but the spiritual nachash injects feelings of sadness and hopelessness, which can be fatal to the neshama (soul).

At no point is a Jew justified in feeling sad, even if they’ve committed the worst sins. Hashem always accepts a returning soul—and values their mitzvah more than that of the greatest tzaddik.

Final Words of Encouragement

These words of encouragement should inspire every Jew to lift themselves up, return to Hashem, and rediscover their spiritual connection. May we all have true emunah in the words of the tzaddikim and be zocheh to return to Hashem with complete teshuvah. In that merit, may we soon witness the coming of Moshiach.