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.
In Shemos 2:23, the Torah states וַיָּ֨מָת֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרַ֔יִם וַיֵּאָֽנְח֧וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל מִן־הָֽעֲבֹדָ֖ה וַיִּזְעָ֑קוּ. The pasuk seems a bit illogical as the death of Pharaoh would seem to be something that the Jews should have celebrated and not mourned. Rashi explains that Pharaoh did not die, instead he was afflicted with Tzara'as which is equivalent to death. In order to treat his condition, Pharaoh killed the Jewish children and bathed in their blood.
R' Frand quoted R' Eliyahu Mizrachi, who asked - how does Rashi's explanation answer the question of why Pharaoh's death, or Tzara'as condition caused the Jews to cry out from the work? If anything, it gives another reason for their cries - the death of their children!
R' Frand quoted R' Kaminetsky in Emes L'Ya'akov, who cites the Targum Yonasan's explanation that the blood that Pharaoh bathed in was not just from Jewish children - it was specifically the blood of their first born. How was their blood different than any other child? The answer was that it was not - but Pharaoh's rationale for bathing in specifically their blood reveals the answer to all the questions.
R' Kaminetsky explains that Pharaoh knew that the Bechorim would be tasked with performing the Avodah (before they were replaced by the Kohanim). He specifically selected the Bechorim so that there would not be a group to do the Avodah. And if there was no Avodah, there would be no Tefillah and no hope. Pharaoh's diabolical plan to liquidate the Bechorim in order to prevent the Avodah was what the people cried out from and why the pasuk states וַיֵּאָֽנְח֧וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל מִן־הָֽעֲבֹדָ֖ה .
R' Frand said a second vort on Moshe's killing of the Egyptian. The Torah states in Shemos 2:12 וַיִּ֤פֶן כֹּה֙ וָכֹ֔ה וַיַּ֖רְא כִּ֣י אֵ֣ין אִ֑ישׁ. Rashi explains that Moshe saw that there would be no progeny from the man who would convert to Judaism and the Meforshim explain he used the Shem HaMeforash to kill the man.
The Rambam explains that a Nocri who kills would be subject to Misa, but only B'ydei Shamayim and not by a Beis Din, even if they are controlling the land. The Brisker Rav asks - why is the lack of progeny a reason that he could be killed - if he was worthy of the death penalty, what difference does it make?
He answered that if a person is punished B'ydei Shamayim, they first look to see if he has any potential offspring worth saving. And since Moshe killed by using the Shem HaMeforashm it would only work if there was no future offspring.
R' Frand closed the vort by telling a story about a young man who had gotten married at some point in Lakewood [R' Frand was unclear of how many years ago]. At the wedding, his non frum grandfather wanted to speak. They were hesitant but allowed him to do so. The grandfather told a story that there was a city in Europe where there was a boy who was a trouble maker. Once, the boy out a goat in the Aron Kodesh and when they opened it to take out the Torah, the goat jumped out. They investigated and realized it was the trouble maker. The boy's Rebbi then insisted that they expel him from Yeshiva.
In response, the boy asked to take the Rebbi to a Din Torah, which was promptly convened. The boy admitted at the Din Torah that he had been wrong and asked that he not be expelled. He argued that this was the only Yeshiva in the town and if he was expelled he would leave Judaism and marry out. They agreed, and he was not expelled.
The grandfather said - I am that boy and because I was not expelled, my grandson the Chosson, is learning in Lakewood.
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