“Listen to me; I will give you counsel, and may God be with you”

On his visit to Moshe and Bnei Yisrael at their encampment in the wilderness, Yitro observes Moshe’s daily routine as the nation’s sole judge. He offers a suggestion aimed at increasing efficiency and ensuring that Moshe will not end up collapsing under this impossible burden. At the beginning of Sefer Bamidbar, with the Israelite camp organizing itself to journey on, we suddenly encounter another dialogue between Moshe and his father-in-law. The appearance of this unit in Sefer Bamidbar is a source of perplexity among the commentators. If Yitro had already gone home in Sefer Shemot, then how is it that we encounter this scene in Sefer Bamidbar, with Moshe trying to deter him from leaving?