Steven Genack
Mr. Genack is the author of the upcoming book, Articles, Anectodes & Insights, Genack/Genechovsky Torah. Gefen Publishing House.Looking at parsha Yitro, one may ask whether Yitro was emblematic of a fantasy island scenario or was he in fact perfect, not needing any altered reality to bring him back in line.
The answer is quite obvious. Where other nations faltered in facing the might and Divinity of the Jewish nation, Yitro recognized it immediately. Unfortunately, even the Jews faltered in embracing the Divine reality, though they are still characterized as a nation that followed G-d in a barren desert.
The Torah uses the language, "vayichad Yitro." The language is telling. It immediately thrusts the notion forward that he believed in "chad," the oneness of G-d, and like Rashi explains, he felt great joy and inspiration from G-d's mighty miracles and revelations. Furthermore, the name "Yitro" if rearranged can be read as "Tori," metaphorically to mean my Torah, to mean, Yitro became in individual banner for the Torah.