The following is 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's first vort related to the dialogue between Avraham and the king of Sdom following the war of the 4 kings and 5 kings. After the king tells Avraham in Bereishis 14:21 - תֶּן־לִ֣י הַנֶּ֔פֶשׁ וְהָֽרְכֻ֖שׁ קַח־לָֽךְ, Avraham responds in the following pasuk - הֲרִמֹ֨תִי יָדִ֤י אֶל־יְהֹוָה֙ אֵ֣ל עֶלְי֔וֹן קֹנֵ֖ה שָׁמַ֥יִם וָאָֽרֶץ.
R' Frand quoted the Medrash Rabbah which links this statement of Avraham with Moshe's saying shira at Yam Suf in Shemos 15:2 - זֶ֤ה אֵלִי֙ וְאַנְוֵ֔הוּ אֱלֹהֵ֥י אָבִ֖י וַֽאֲרֹֽמְמֶֽנְהוּ. The Medrash teaches that Moshe learned from Avraham in the way that he praised Hashem after being victorious in battle and therefore modeled his praise after Avraham.
R' Frand then quoted the Meshech Chachma who asked - what is the connection? Moshe said praise after the open miracle of the Yam Suf, whereas Avraham says that the miracle in battle was performed by Hashem and therefore I won't take compensation.
He answered that Avraham taught a lesson in that it is not out of the realm of possibility for the few to defeat the many if they are more cunning or more skilled. Avraham resisted the urge to say - its because of my talents that we were victorious in battle. Moshe learned from Avraham to say - its all from Hashem.
R' Frand said a second vort from the Meshech Chachma on the same incident. The gemara in Chullin states that as a reward for Avraham saying in Bereishis 14:23 - אִם־מִחוּט֙ וְעַ֣ד שְׂרֽוֹךְ־נַ֔עַל וְאִם־אֶקַּ֖ח מִכָּל־אֲשֶׁר־לָ֑ךְ, we received the mitzvos of Tefillin and Techeles. The Meshech Chachma explains that the reason that we only wear Tallis & Tefillin at Shacharis and not any other prayer is because Avraham was responsible for the Shacharis prayer.
Lastly, R' Frand said a vort on the first pasuk of the parsha where Avraham is told to leave Charan. He first quoted the Rabbeinu Bachya who states that since Avraham had been living among the idol worshippers, Hashem gave him an eitza tova - leave there so that you don't become dirtied by living among them.
R' Frand quoted R' Moshe Scheinerman (sp?) from Flatbush who asked - if Avraham is known as "Ha'Ivri" because he separated from the rest of the world by recognizing that Hashem and creating the concept of monotheism, why did he need to leave the idol worshippers? He answered by noting that the language was that Avraham should not become dirty. A person can become dirty if someone or something rubs against his clothes, so better not to be around those things.
R' Frand also said that the reverse is true and that we can see this from this week's parsha as well. The Torah states in Bereishis 14:13 - וַיָּבֹא֙ הַפָּלִ֔יט - who we know to be Og. Why was he called Og? The Medrash teaches that he came on Erev Pesach when Avraham was baking matzos which are called Ugos. This momentary incident had an impact on Og and transformed him, even though his motive in telling Avraham about Lot's capture was less than pure.
R' Frand also quoted a vort from the Ponovich Rav about the story of the Romans sending Yosef Meshisa into the Beis HaMikdash because they were afraid to enter. They told him - you can go in and take whatever you would like and he acquiesced. When he emerged with a golden menorah, the Romans told him that it was not appropriate for him to have it and they asked him to go in a second time and take something else, but he refused.
The Romans were unhappy with this result and threatened Yosef, but he did not change his mind. They then punished him and made him turn the grain mill like a donkey, but he would not go back in.
But why did he refuse after having no issue with going in the first time? The Rav explained that when Yosef went in the first time he had a connection with kedusha and this had an indelible impact on him.
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