As R' Frand has restarted his Thursday Night shiur I am again providing a brief summary of some of thoughts said over by R' Frand on the parsha this evening. I have attempted to reproduce these vorts to the best of my ability. Any perceived inconsistency is the result of my efforts to transcribe the shiur and should not be attributed to R' Frand.
R' Frand began the vort by quoting a Medrash on the end of the first pasuk of the parsha וְשָֽׁפְט֥וּ אֶת־הָעָ֖ם מִשְׁפַּט־צֶֽדֶק. The Medrash teaches that we learn from this pasuk that there is an obligation to be Melamed Zechus on the Jewish people. The Medrash links this to the Shofet Gidon. When the Jews were being oppressed by Midyan, Hashem wanted someone to be Melamed Zechus on the Jews. After Gidon stepped up and did so, he received a reward and was given the position of Shofet.
Rashi explains the story of how Gidon was Melamed Zechus - the story took place right after Pesach and Gidon said - I just said at the Seder Btzais Yisrael M'Mitzrayim. Hashem - if our forefathers were Tzaddikim, save us in their Zechus. If not, then please save us without having Zechusim. This was enough for Hashem to save the Jews and reward Gidon.
R' Frand quoted the sefer M'Beer HaParsha which cites the Peleh Yoetz who asks - why does Hashem need someone to be Melamed Zechus? Hashem knows what people have accomplished and if they have Zechusim. And if they don't, how could this help? He answered that Gidon was rewarded because whatever is done (or said) in this world has an impact in the Heavens. Merely repeating what someone has done for the good, can have an impact in Shamayim. Similarly, if one recites the negative acts of another, it can create prosecutors there as well.
R' Frand invoked the month of Elul, stating that everyone needs Zechusim, so it is a good time to repeat the good deeds of others.
R' Frand then told a story about R' Levi Yitzchak who once said that he would not start the Seder until someone brought him 50 silk scarves, 10 pounds of Turkish tobacco and a loaf of bread. His Chassidim were beside themselves - the Czar had ordered that anyone wearing a silk scarf would be put in prison and that smoking Turkish tobacco was a capital offense.
Still the Chassidim were able to gather the 50 scarves and 10 pounds of tobacco and brought them to him. R' Levi Yitzchak then remarked - the Czar has promised harsh penalties and has a ruthless police force to punish those who have this contraband, yet it has been found. Meanwhile there is not a loaf of bread in the entire city, now we can start the Seder!
R' Frand closed by quoting R' Asher Weiss who himself cited the Kedushas Levi on the beginning of the pasuk - שֹֽׁפְטִ֣ים וְשֹֽׁטְרִ֗ים תִּתֶּן־לְךָ֙ בְּכָל־שְׁעָרֶ֔יךָ. He explains that the שֹֽׁפְטִ֣ים וְשֹֽׁטְרִ֗ים are created in Heaven - that each person creates his own Judge with his actions. If you are merciful here, you will create a Judge who will look mercifully upon you in Shamayim. And if you are Melamed Zechus here, the Judge will be Melamed Zechus about you in Shamayim.
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