Yitro's Advice Exposed
If you haven't read Part 1, I strongly suggest you do so before continuing, since everything here builds on the understanding from the previous part. With that, Let's Go!!
So Yitro heard, came, and gave advice. He has introduced the idea of hierarchical management, and I would guess that the "elections were held" or the selection of the 12 people was made while he was still in the desert. And I do believe that he has influenced those 12 people, Roshe HaMatot - the heads of the Israelite tribes, as referred to them in Parashat Matot. One from each tribe was chosen to report to Moshe Rabbenu, but Yitro made sure those 12 would never support Moshe Rabbenu. After Yitro had laid the foundation, he left, knowing fully well his plan would work in the long run. And as it says in Parashat Shelach, his plan indeed has worked. 10 spies out of 12 went against Moshe Rabbenu by slandering the Land, and as a punishment, all the males ages 20-60 of that generation have passed away, along with Moshe Rabbenu, who also stayed behind in the desert, and never entered the Land of Israel. Except for the 2 spies - Yehoshuah and Caleb. Yehoshuah and Caleb never went along with their tribe's leaders' plans and stood by their Rebbe.
How come no one took Moshe's side, except for Yehoshuah and Caleb?
Because Moshe Rabbenu held the highest possible rank in the nation: in holiness, social position, and age. Yitro knew how to play the game and ruin things for Moshe in the long run. There was nobody in the nation who could have said anything to change the opinion of the masses. By that time, Aharon HaCohen was struggling with his own problems: the loss of two sons and his role in the building of the golden calf, so he couldn't help. No one of that caliber could step in for Moshe Rabbenu.
Get ready, if we merit, a similar scenario will play out once again when the Son of David is revealed in the future.
In my opinion, the hierarchical model Yitro introduced is flawed: there are too many people between Moshe and the Nation, thus leading to too many opinions and unnecessary politics. Maybe that's what Hashem meant: He will have one shepherd, thus eliminating the model Yitro introduced back then, which will solve all the problems we currently have across the Nation and maybe even the world. Given the communication technologies we currently have access to, I believe it's achievable.
As it says in Ezekiel 34:23-24:
וַהֲקִמֹתִ֨י עֲלֵיהֶ֜ם רֹעֶ֤ה אֶחָד֙ וְרָעָ֣ה אֶתְהֶ֔ן אֵ֖ת עַבְדִּ֣י דָוִ֑יד ה֚וּא יִרְעֶ֣ה אֹתָ֔ם וְהֽוּא־יִהְיֶ֥ה לָהֶ֖ן לְרֹעֶֽה׃ - Then I will appoint a single shepherd over them to tend them—My servant David. He shall tend them, he shall be a shepherd to them.
וַאֲנִ֣י הַשֵּׁם אֶֽהְיֶ֤ה לָהֶם֙ לֵֽאלֹהִ֔ים וְעַבְדִּ֥י דָוִ֖ד נָשִׂ֣יא בְתוֹכָ֑ם אֲנִ֥י הַשֵּׁם דִּבַּֽרְתִּי׃ - I, the ETERNAL One, will be their G-d, and My servant David shall be a ruler among them — I, G-d, have spoken.
Shmuel Katanov
