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 Devarim 26:12-15, the Torah introduces the concept of Vidui Ma'aser wherein the farmer recites all the people who he has provided for, including the Levi, the convert, the orphan and the widow. At the end of the Vidui, the farmer states הַשְׁקִ֩יפָה֩ מִמְּע֨וֹן קָדְשְׁךָ֜ מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֗יִם וּבָרֵ֤ךְ אֶת־עַמְּךָ֙ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאֵת֙ הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֖תָּה לָ֑נוּ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֤ר נִשְׁבַּ֨עְתָּ֙ לַֽאֲבֹתֵ֔ינוּ אֶ֛רֶץ זָבַ֥ת חָלָ֖ב וּדְבָֽשׁ
Rashi explains that this pasuk is not a plea for assistance, instead it is a request. The farmer says to Hashem - I have done what You asked me to do, now do what You are supposed to do. This is a difficult concept to understand, even on a human level. Would you tell your employer - I finished my task, now you do what you promised?
The Chassam Sofer amplifies the question, as he notes that Hashem does not approve of man demanding from Him. He quotes a Gemara in Sanhedrin 63, which notes that most of Sefer Ezra is composed of Nechemia related prophecy, yet the Sefer is called Ezra. Why? Because he said to Hashem, I did what You asked me, now do for me. The Gemara indicates that a person who does his expected task is just doing what he is supposed to do and should not be demanding a reward.
So why does the farmer make this request in the Vidui Ma'aser?
R' Frand answered the question by quoting a Rashi in Re'eh on Devarim 16:11, in which the Torah lists those who the oleh regel should be happy with - וְשָֽׂמַחְתָּ֞ לִפְנֵ֣י | יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ אַתָּ֨ה וּבִנְךָ֣ וּבִתֶּ֘ךָ֘ וְעַבְדְּךָ֣ וַֽאֲמָתֶ֒ךָ֒ וְהַלֵּוִי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בִּשְׁעָרֶ֔יךָ וְהַגֵּ֛ר וְהַיָּת֥וֹם וְהָֽאַלְמָנָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּקִרְבֶּ֑ךָ בַּמָּק֗וֹם אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִבְחַר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לְשַׁכֵּ֥ן שְׁמ֖וֹ שָֽׁם. Rashi says that Hashem tells the oleh regel - four for Me, are parallel to the four for you. Since you took care of the Levi, the convert, the orphan and the widow, I will take care of your son and daughter and your male and female servants. If you make mine happy, I will make yours as well.
R' Frand then tied the vort back into this week's parsha. In 26:14 (the pasuk before the request to Hashem), the farmer states - עָשִׂ֕יתִי כְּכֹ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוִּיתָֽנִי - I have done all that you commanded of me. Rashi explains that the farmer says - I was happy and I made others happy.
This is why the farmer can make the request to his Boss - I did what You asked me to do, now do for me. If you do Hashem's work for Him by taking care of the unfortunate/unsupported ones, you can ask to be taken care of as well.
R' Frand said a second vort based on Tehillim 102 which contains the famous pasuk "אַתָּ֣ה תָ֖קוּם תְּרַחֵ֣ם צִיּ֑וֹן כִּי־עֵ֥ת לְ֜חֶנְנָ֗הּ כִּי־בָ֥א מוֹעֵֽד " but also the not so well known pasuk later in the chapter - "פָּנָה אֶל־תְּפִלַּ֣ת הָֽעַרְעָ֑ר וְלֹֽא־בָ֜זָ֗ה אֶת־תְּפִלָּתָֽם." This later sentence is translated as "He has turned to the prayer of those who cried out, and He did not despise their prayer." But who are the עַרְעָ֑ר? And why does Dovid go from singular to plural?
R' Frand quoted the Netziv who explains that there will be a generation that when they daven on the High Holidays that Hashem should reveal himself, most of the generation will not say this with a full heart. Instead they will be davening for parnasah, or for health, or for a shidduch,
Dovid saw this generation that was hurting and crying out for their own needs, more than for Hashem to reveal His presence in the world. It is for this generation that Dovid said - Hashem, link together the prayers of those who are hurt and in need with those who pray for you to reveal your greatness, so that together they can all be answered.
And in our generation, with all that happened this year, it should be our hope that they are linked together for a complete and swift Yeshuah.
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