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 has often said that you can find the concept of HaKaras HaTov in every parsha and this parshas is a prime example (and the fact that today was Thanksgiving played into the concept as well). R' Frand said a number of vorts related to Leah being the first to publicly thank Hashem.
R' Frand noted that after Leah said thank you to Hashem, she stopped having children, as it states in Bereishis 29:35 - וַתַּ֨הַר ע֜וֹד וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֗ן וַתֹּ֨אמֶר֙ הַפַּ֨עַם֙ אוֹדֶ֣ה אֶת־יְהֹוָ֔ה עַל־כֵּ֛ן קָֽרְאָ֥ה שְׁמ֖וֹ יְהוּדָ֑ה וַתַּֽעֲמֹ֖ד מִלֶּֽדֶת.
But why should her thanking Hashem be a reason that she stops having children?
R' Frand quoted the Tur al HaTorah (written by the Ba'al HaTurim) who explains that the problem was that Leah said thanks but did not make a request for the future. When a person thanks Hashem for what is received, you should keep asking, because without asking for more, you say "I am set." R' Frand gave the example of someone who wins a $300 million powerball lottery and thinks he is set. But the next day he could be diagnosed with cancer, or some other issue that is not addressed with money. No matter how much money a person has, he is never set.
R' Frand quoted the the Rambam in Hilchos Berachos which states the general principle that when he thank Hashem, we should always cry out for the future and thank Hashem for the past. We cannot be complacent and say - its enough, Hashem wants us to ask for more.
R' Frand gave various examples from davening, including that in Hallel we end with Ana Hashem Hoshiah Na, Ana Hashem Hatzlicha Na. Even though we are praising Hashem and thanking Him, we still ask. Because HaKaras HaTov needs to have an element that we still need Hashem.
This is also seen in Shemoneh Esreh - even after after Hoda'ah, we still ask Sim Shalom - because without peace, everything goes down the drain.
R' Frand said a second vort on the Rashi which states that Leah said thank you because she received more than she deserved - so now I have a reason to say thank you. R' Frand quoted in the name of R' Benzion HaKohain Kook that the imahos knew there would be 12 sons - divided by four meant that each would have three. But now that Leah sees that she has four, she realizes that the three is not a given. Maybe someone could have one or two. Now that I see that I have four, I realize that my assumption that I would have three is incorrect. So now I have a reason to say thanks, because there is nothing that is "given."
R' Frand said a third vort based on a Gemara in Berachos which says that from the day of creation until then, no one said thanks before Leah. But that is not accurate. Noach brought sacrifices after the flood and Eliezer bowed to Hashem in thanks for finding Rivka.
R' Frand quoted R' Fisher who observed that Leah did not have an easy life. Everyone had told her that since she was the older she was going to marry Eisav. Although that did not happen, everyone realized that she was switched at her sister's wedding. She cried as a result and felt that she was the Senuah. Her whole life she asked - why am I suffering? After she has her fourth child she has an epiphany and thanks Hashem as she realizes that this was a reward for all of her suffering. This is unique, as everyone else had thanked Hashem for the good things, but she had thanked Hashem for the tzoros.
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