"...and Yitro heard..."
Yitro was a ger tzedek, a righteous convert, who converted after hearing about the splitting of the Red Sea and the war with Amalek. He heard and understood something about conversion: Not only is it a great and mighty battle to return to holiness through a true conversion, but it is fundamentally connected to the war with Amalek, a tenacious ongoing war that overwhelms a person each time they seek to enter into the side of holiness.
The splitting of the Red Sea and Yitro's conversion shared the same impossible obstacles. Yet, God preceded the problem with a solution by the retrieval of Yosef's casket by Moses, who had it brought to the shore of the Red Sea. It was only in the merit of Yosef that the sea finally split open. The power of Yosef moved aside a colossal amount of turbulent water in the physical world. This caused a corresponding phenomenon in the upper worlds, as the "springs of wisdom" split wide open for the people of Israel. Thus it is written, "...a maidservant saw more than the prophet Ezekiel..."
As Pharaoh and his forces were subdued, falling completely, the people were able to begin their journey to the Land of Israel. On a spiritual level, this is all considered the subduing of the klipa called Amalek--manifested as obstacles that stand in the way of achieving anything holy. The strength of these obstacles comes from the "unclean garments" created by one's misdeeds. However, even though these obstacles rise up with renewed force each time a person wants to progress spiritually, they can always be subdued through the spiritual power of Yosef. This is the message that Yitro heard and understood, causing him to convert, since the essence and ability of converts and baalei teshuva to remain sustained in the holiness they have attained is through the power of Yosef.
Based on Likutey Halachot, Orach Chaim, Betziat HaPat 5:47
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