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 began the vort by quoting Devarim 29:1, wherein the Torah states וַיִּקְרָ֥א משֶׁ֛ה אֶל־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֑ם אַתֶּ֣ם רְאִיתֶ֗ם אֵ֣ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר֩ עָשָׂ֨ה יְהֹוָ֤ה לְעֵֽינֵיכֶם֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם לְפַרְעֹ֥ה וּלְכָל־עֲבָדָ֖יו וּלְכָל־אַרְצֽוֹ . R' Frand remarked that this was said by Moshe on the last days of his life and perhaps on the last day of his life, as part of his "valedictory address."
Thereafter, in the next pasuk, Moshe gives a brief summary of some of the events in the desert, before stating in Devarim 29:3 - וְלֹֽא־נָתַן֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה לָכֶ֥ם לֵב֙ לָדַ֔עַת וְעֵינַ֥יִם לִרְא֖וֹת וְאָזְנַ֣יִם לִשְׁמֹ֑עַ עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה. In so doing, Moshe tells the Jews that they did not seem to "get it" (R' Frand's words) until now. But it took until now before Hashem allowed you to understand.
R' Frand made reference to Rashi's pshat on the pasuk, albeit without discussing it. R' Frand noted that immediately after this, Moshe again recites events which occurred in the desert in Devarim 29:4-7. R' Frand quoted R' Weinberger who writes in his sefer Shemen HaTov that the end of this discussion seems to mention an unimportant point - that the land on the other side of the Jordan was given to the two and a half tribes. But this does not rival the defeating Sichon & Og, or the open miracle of having the Manna or that their clothes did not wear out for 40 years. So why is is this mentioned here?
R' Frand noted that no one "popped up" to question why the land on the other side of the Jordan was being given to these tribes. Someone could have argued - maybe we won't successfully conquer all the land on the other side of the Jordan and there won't be enough land for the rest of the tribes. And this was the way that the Jews had behaved for the rest of their time in the desert - they constantly complained and worried that they would be unsuccessful and hearkened back to their time in Egypt.
But not this time. For some reason there was no challenge to Moshe and know he knew that something was different and that they finally "got it" - as mentioned in 29:3 - I see that Hashem has given you the ability to trust Him.
R' Frand said that he has found this more meaningful to him, because as he has gotten older, he sees more of the Yad Hashem. He mentioned a conversation he had with R' Weinberg ZTL when he was a kollel man in Toronto. He asked R' Weinberg - what if I don't have enough money for my kids to get braces? R' Weinberg responded - you see me - Boruch Hashem, He provides.
R' Frand said that as he has gotten older he has become a greater ma'amin because he does see that Hashem provides and that things work out for the best. R' Frand said that its not that Hashem speaks to him directly, but he does see that Hashem has a plan and that things work out for the best.
R' Frand said a second vort on the Tochacha's 98 curses, specifically the last curse which the Torah mentions in Devarim 28:68 - that the Jews will be brought back to Egypt in a boat and attempted to be sold for slaves, but no one will buy you. Why is this the worst? Because it shows that you are back to square one - back to where you were before you left Egypt. The futility demonstrates that this is the worst of the curses.
R' Frand said that it was not a political statement - but it is ironic what we are seeing right before 9/11. He recalled where he was on 9/11 when he was trying to write his teshuva derasha and he got a call from his son telling him about the plane that flew into the WTC. And then after President Bush stood on the pile of rubble and said -we are going to get you. (And R' Frand remarked that he was enthused - yes - go get them!) Later, there were pictures of people riding on horseback into battle.
But where are we now? The US sunk $2 Trillion into that war and more than 2,400 servicemen and women were killed. But its 20 years later - what do we have to show for it? Without getting into whether we should stay or go, this is a curse that we are back to where we were on that day. And its truly a horrible shame. He wondered - how can someone who lost a loved one fighting in Afghanistan feel right now? Nothing has been accomplished - this is a curse.
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