Moshe realized that the halt to their march will have major repercussions. The body that had been so carefully assembled, with a single purpose and goal, began to fray. The united entity started to unravel and look as it did before kabbalat HaTorah: a disjoint, heterogeneous lot that shared only an ability to bicker and complain. Complaints that were voiced prior to Mount Sinai, before and after the parting of the Red Sea, detailed in Parshat Beshalach, such as a desire for meat, expressions doubting the ability of Hashem to bring them into the land, resurfaced. Doubts about Moshe’s leadership crept in, culminating with Korach’s rebellion.
Moshe appointed 70 elders to assist him. However, as Moshe was their leader and teacher, this should not have been necessary at this point. Whatever required system of justice to assist in the daily affairs of the people had presumably been put in place at this time (see Ramban at beginning of Parshat Devarim). Moshe asks Hashem, “Is this my complete child that I bore, that You ask me to carry in my bosom and usher into the Promised Land? This is still a fractious group that taxes my abilities beyond its limits! I cannot do it alone!”
Moshe’s request for help at this point is a reaction to their complaints and an attempt to silence them. The story of Eldad and Meidad demonstrated that his attempt to stem the damage was both inadequate and doomed to failure as they prophesy that Moshe will die in the desert and Joshua will divide the land among the tribes. Moshe realized that he will never lead the people to Eretz Yisrael, forever altering Jewish destiny.
Why was the story of Moshe asking Yisro to join them on their journey juxtaposed immediately before Vayehi Binsoa and the subsequent downward spiral of events described in Behaalotcha and subsequent parshiot? Perhaps because Moshe relied on Yisro’s insight and advice, as he did, for example, in the case of establishing a system of justice that alleviated the demands on Moshe and allowed him to function as teacher and leader. Moshe tells Yisro that you “have been a set of eyes for us.” You have keen insight into unfolding situations and their potential consequences. I, Moshe, have come to value and rely on that advice. Please don’t leave us! Yisro rejects Moshe’s plea and departs, the spiral of events where Moshe could have relied on Yisro’s advice is set in motion, culminating with Moshe’s decision to send the spies, a decision that Yisro might have counseled against.
The Gemara tells us (Megilla 30, 31) that certain parshiot in the Torah precede or succeed Jewish festivals. While Parshat Bamidbar usually precedes Shavuot and Parshat Naso succeeds it, in rare years, Parshat Behaalotcha follows Shavuot. The kriat haTorah for a festival is taken from a section of the Torah related to that festival. For example, we read the story of Kabbalat HaTorah on the first day of Shavuot. It is interesting to note that this section comes from Parshat Yisro and begins immediately following Yisro’s departure home to Midyan. On Shavuot we also read the story of Ruth, who distinguished herself by rejecting her pagan heritage and family and latching on to the Jewish faith with such tenacity and focus that she became the model for the conversion process to Judaism followed to this very day.
Perhaps Behaalotcha shares a connection to Shavuot in that it provides us a contrast between how Ruth desired to cling to the Jewish people and completely rejected her homeland and people, with Yisro who could not cut his ties. While both became converts, Ruth provided the stronger example. Her actions were rewarded by becoming the great grandmother of King David. By rejecting the invitation to stay with the Jewish people, Yisro squandered an opportunity to participate in the glorious march to the Promised Land and perhaps an opportunity to help Moshe ensure its success and an alternate Jewish destiny.