"And Jethro, Moses's father-in-law, came"

57. "And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law came" (Shemot 18:5). He opened the discussion with the verse, "And many nations shall go and say, 'Come and let us go up to the mountain of Hashem'" (Yeshayah 2:3). This verse is explained in many places. Yet, the time will come when the other nations will strive to come under the wings of the Shechinah. "...Let us go up..." All idol worshippers of the world pertain to descent, but those who cleave to the Holy One, blessed be He, will achieve an ascent. THEREFORE, IT IS WRITTEN, "LET US GO UP."

58. "...The mountain of Hashem..." refers to Abraham, as it is written, "As it is said to this day: In the mount Hashem will appear" (Beresheet 22:14). For Abraham called it 'a mountain.' Just as the mountain is abandoned property, free to all who care for it, so is this holy place, THE TEMPLE, open to all those who desire it on earth. "...To the house..." (Yeshayah 2:3) is Jacob, who called this place a "house," as it is written, "This is no other than the house of Elohim" (Beresheet 28:17).

59. Another interpretation. Though "mountain" and "house" pertain to the same grade, one is higher than the other. A "mountain" is for the rest of the nations who come to enter under its wings. A "house" is to the nation of Yisrael like a wife to her husband in one household - united in happiness, it adheres to them like a mother over her children.

60. Come and behold, what is written here regarding Jethro? "...And Jethro, Moses's father-in-law, came, with his sons and his wife to Moses into the wilderness." HE ASKS, Since it is written, "to Moses," why does the verse add, "into the wilderness?" HE ANSWERS, What is important is what Jethro came to the desert for. And what is it? It is a mountain of Elohim, and it is a place for a stranger to convert. Therefore, it is written "...to Moses into the wilderness." "To Moses," to proselytize them and bring them under the wings of the Shechinah. "Into the wilderness," they would come. For the mountain of Elohim is to proselytize the soul, THAT IS, TO RECEIVE FROM THENCE THE NEFESH OF THE CONVERT.

61. On account of this, the location stands as a mystery called "mountain," and everyone who comes there is credited with the title, "a convert of righteousness." We have explained that he is called a convert. Even though he united on high, with the celestial and holy, because he left his own country and kin, HE IS CALLED "A CONVERT." He is called "a convert of righteousness" since he set up his dwelling in a place he did not know before, WHICH IS IN THE SHECHINAH, CALLED 'RIGHTEOUSNESS.'