In our Parashah, there is an unexpected story. Yitro wants to leave Bnei Yisrael, and Moshe Rabbeinu begs him to stay. Moshe pleads with Yitro, “Al Na Ta’azov Otanu Ki Al Ken Yadata Chanotenu BaMidbar VeHayita Lanu Le’Einayim,” “Don’t leave us, because you know where we camp in the desert. Be our eyes” (BeMidbar 10:31). What kind of argument is this? Why not say something like, “You know Judaism is correct, you’ve experienced the great miracles of the Midbar, how can you leave now?” What does “VeHayita Lanu Le’Einayim” even mean? A quick look at the Rishonim shows just how important it is for a communal figure like Yitro to set an example for everyone.
Ibn Ezra (BeMidbar 10:31 s.v. “VeHayita Lanu Le’Einayim”) quotes two different explanations for “VeHayita Lanu Le’Einayim”. The first is that Yitro would lead the way. He knew the way they camped inside and out, as stated in the Pasuk. He’ therefore would be able to lead them into Eretz Yisrael too. His second answer is that “VeHayita” is in the past tense: “And you were our eyes.” Since Yitro would advise Moshe, whom we normally think of as just getting all necessary information from Hashem if not from himself, he was like a pair of eyes for Bnei Yisrael, seeing things that Moshe could not. Both of these interpretations show that Yitro was a huge figure in Bnei Yisrael. Everybody knew Yitro and looked up to him. Rashi (ibid.) gives even more examples of Yitro’s leadership. Not only did Yitro advise Moshe in the past, but when Bnei Yisrael do not understand something, Yitro will educate them. He will still be that leader, that teacher that everybody looks up to. Rashi also says that it can just be a term of endearment, like “the apple of our eyes”. Moshe’s saying “We all love you, Yitro! How could you leave us in the wake like this?” If Moshe Rabbeinu is telling you that, you’re probably a good leader and community figure. If he doesn’t go into Israel, what kind of message would that send to Bnei Yisrael? They’d want to follow him back to his home too! Finally, there’s the message of Onkelos. He translates the phrase as “UGvuran De’It’Avidan Lana Chazeita Be’Einayich,” “You saw the miracles that were done for us with your very own eyes!” How could Yitro leave after all that! Combining this with Chizkuni, we have a wider scale answer. Chizkuni says that potential Geirim will look to Yitro as a role model. They’ll say, “The great Yitro experienced all these crazy miracles and still left! Why should I convert?” We see that great leaders need to set examples for the community. The Ramban, (BeMidbar 10:14 s.v. “Ve’Al Tzeva’o Nachshon Ben Aminadav”) earlier in the Parashah, asks why the names of all the heads of the tribes are mentioned again. We already know them all! He answers that it shows that they led their respective Shevatim when travelling. There’s no room for a leader to act just like another one of the followers. When the leader doesn’t set a good example for the community, everything breaks down.