The following is a brief summary of some of thoughts said over by R' Frand on the parsha last 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 asked in his first vort about the use of singular and plural forms in Shemos 31:13 - אַ֥ךְ אֶת־שַׁבְּתֹתַ֖י תִּשְׁמֹ֑רוּ כִּי֩ א֨וֹת הִ֜וא בֵּינִ֤י וּבֵֽינֵיכֶם֙ . He first gave an answer in the name of the Ramban who states that אֶת־שַׁבְּתֹתַ֖י refers to the Shabbosim of the year as a unit.
But R' Frand quoted the Sefer HaKsav V'HaKaballa who says that there two aspects of Shabbos - one is to stop doing work and the other is to have a spiritual elevation from Shabbos. There is more to Shabbos than not to drive or turn on lights. But beyond your body not doing the usual work of the week, there is also a "Shabbos" for your soul. By not doing what you usually do during the week, there is more of a spiritual elevation for your soul.
This is the meaning of the Gemara that says that if the Jews would only keep two Shabboses Moshiach would come. Why specifically two? He answers that it is not two discrete Shabboses, its that if the Jews will keep both aspects of Shabbos, Moshiach would come.
R' Frand said a second vort related to the breaking of the luchos. The Torah writes in Shemos 32:19 - וַיְהִ֗י כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֤ר קָרַב֙ אֶל־הַמַּֽחֲנֶ֔ה וַיַּ֥רְא אֶת־הָעֵ֖גֶל וּמְחֹלֹ֑ת וַיִּֽחַר־אַ֣ף משֶׁ֗ה וַיַּשְׁלֵ֤ךְ מִיָּדָו֙ אֶת־הַלֻּחֹ֔ת וַיְשַׁבֵּ֥ר אֹתָ֖ם תַּ֥חַת הָהָֽר. But since Moshe knew before he came down that the Jews had worshipped the Egel, why did he bring the luchos down? Why didn't he just leave them on the mountain?
R' Frand quoted R' Cooperman of Michlala who quoted the Seforno who states that Moshe knew that they had made the Egel, but he thought that if he came down with the luchos they would stop and repent. But when he came down and saw that they were dancing around the luchos and had made it into a holiday, he thought they were too far gone. So he broke the luchos.
R' Frand said that there is a connection between the two vorts. Just as Hashem wants us to elevate ourselves for Shabbos, there is a mirror image of the enthusiasm for Avodah Zara which is the antithesis. People make mistakes all the time, but if they turn it into a simcha which is done with passion, that is the opposite.
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