Adding the Letter Vav

Rashi quotes our Sages’ tradition that Yitro had seven names, including Yeter, which was changed to Yitro by the addition of the letter vav once Yeter converted to Judaism. The question arises: why was the letter vav specifically chosen to be added to Yeter’s name? Why not the letter hei, which was added to Abram’s name?

My father suggested that the conjunctive vav was added to emphasize that Yitro was now joined to the People of Israel.

My saintly teacher, Rabbi Mordechai Rogov explains that the secret of vav lies in its function as the vav hamehapechet, which changes a verb’s tense between past and present. If a person’s life was based neither upon values nor devoted to issues of significance, then his/her death brings finality. Of such a person it can be said merely that he had lived. By accepting Torah and mitzvot, Yeter became Yitro, assuring himself of a future even after his death. Yeter’s life now was based upon fulfilling the divine will and therefore had meaning beyond his physical life. In essence, the additional vav indicates that Yeter achieved a measure of eternity.