(א) וַיִּשְׁמַ֞ע יִתְר֨וֹ כֹהֵ֤ן מִדְיָן֙ חֹתֵ֣ן מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֵת֩ כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשָׂ֤ה אֱלֹהִים֙ לְמֹשֶׁ֔ה וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל עַמּ֑וֹ כִּֽי־הוֹצִ֧יא יְהוָ֛ה אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃ (ב) וַיִּקַּ֗ח יִתְרוֹ֙ חֹתֵ֣ן מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֶת־צִפֹּרָ֖ה אֵ֣שֶׁת מֹשֶׁ֑ה אַחַ֖ר שִׁלּוּחֶֽיהָ׃
(1) Jethro priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard all that God had done for Moses and for Israel His people, how the LORD had brought Israel out from Egypt. (2) So Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after she had been sent home,
(א) וישמע יתרו. מַה שְּׁמוּעָה שָׁמַע וּבָא? קְרִיעַת יַם סוּף וּמִלְחֶמֶת עֲמָלֵק:
(1) וישמע יתרו AND JETHRO HEARD — What was the particular report which he heard so that he came? — The division of the Red Sea and the war with Amalek (cf. (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 18:1:1; Zevachim 116a).
(א) את כל אשר עשה. לָהֶם בִּירִידַת הַמָּן וּבַבְּאֵר וּבַעֲמָלֵק:
(1) את כל אשר עשה ALL THAT [GOD] HAD DONE for them through the falling of the Manna and through the well (cf. Rashi on Numbers 21:17) and by the defeat of Amalek.
(א) כי הוציא ה' וגו'. זוּ גְּדוֹלָה עַל כֻּלָּם (שם):
(1) כי הוציא ה׳ וגו׳ THAT THE LORD HAD BROUGHT FORTH etc. — this was greater than all other things, and is therefore singled out for mention (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 18:1:5).
וישמע יתרו וגו' וכי יתרו שמע וכל עלמא לא שמעו והא כתיב (שמות טו) שמעו עמים ירגזון, אלא כל עלמא שמעו ולא אתברו והאי שמע ואתבר [דף סח עמוד ב] ואתכפיא מקמיה דקודשא בריך הוא ואתקרב לדחלתיה
Did only Jethro heard, while the rest of the world did not hear? Is it not written, "The people shall hear, and be afraid" (Shemot 15:14)? HE ANSWERS, Indeed, the whole world did hear, but they were not broken. But he heard, and was broken and yielded before the Holy One, blessed be He, and was brought near to fearing Him