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 first vort by quoting the Shelah who observes that in the beginning of this week's parsha we see a number of times that Avraham bows to Hashem to thank Him for being able to buy Ma'aras HaMachpela. This occurs in Bereishis 23:7 and 23:12, even though the transaction had not yet been consummated. In fact, at each point Avraham had positive results from his conversations, but Avraham does not actually buy the land until 23:16.
The Shelah observes that this same pattern can seen by Eliezer as in Bereishis 24:26, Eliezer bows to Hashem to thank Him for finding Rivka and then again in 24:52, Eliezer is told that Rivka can go back with him and bows to Hashem in thanks, even though he has not yet given Rivka the Kesef Kiddushin.
R' Frand gave an analogy to a person who is buying a house. He looks for a house and when he finds a house that he likes, he thanks Hashem. And after he makes an offer which is accepted, he thanks Hashem. But he does not have the house yet - he still needs to get a mortgage and then go to closing.
The Shelah explains that when you are approaching a Yeshua, you need to thank Hashem for each step in the process. It is the tendency of most people not to say thank you to Hashem until the ultimate event. But this is not the right way to appreciate Hashem - its for each step of the process. R' Frand tied it to the Gemara that learns from Kol HaNeshama T'Hallel Kah - that a person should thank Hashem for each breath. We don't only thank Hashem for getting home safely, we start with Modeh Ani when we get up in the morning.
R' Frand then observed that one of the most outstanding aspects of Avraham's life is that he is able to appreciate each thing that occurs in his life. In Bereishis 24:1 the Torah states וְאַבְרָהָ֣ם זָקֵ֔ן בָּ֖א בַּיָּמִ֑ים וַֽיהֹוָ֛ה בֵּרַ֥ךְ אֶת־אַבְרָהָ֖ם בַּכֹּֽל. Rashi explains that בַּכֹּֽל - is because Avraham has a son as the gematria is 52 - which is the same as Ben.
R' Frand then asked - isn't Rashi's mission statement that he will explain the pashut pshat? A gematria is certainly not the simple explanation of בַּכֹּֽל!
R' Frand then observed that Avraham did not have an easy life as he was banished by his father, thrown into the fiery furnace, had his wife taken by Pharaoh and Avimelech, had to kick Hagar out, had a wife who was infertile for 90 years and then when he is told that Sarah will have a son in Bereishis 17:18, he responds - ל֥וּ יִשְׁמָעֵ֖אל יִֽחְיֶ֥ה לְפָנֶֽיךָ. Rashi explains that he is saying - I am not deserving to have another son, Yishmael should be enough for me.
This is Avraham's attitude? The average person if told that Sarah would bear him a son would say - its about time! But this is the way that Avraham lived his life - having a son is enough.
And this why the Torah writes וַיִּגְוַ֨ע וַיָּ֧מָת אַבְרָהָ֛ם בְּשֵׂיבָ֥ה טוֹבָ֖ה זָקֵ֣ן וְשָׂבֵ֑עַ in Bereishis 25:8. The Ramban explains that Avraham was happy because he did not have many expectations - he was happy with just Yishmael. And when a person does not have many expectations he dies a happy man.
R' Frand said that he had heard about R' Berel Wein who when he was growing up in the 1940s there was no expectation that he would have his own car. He was told to go to law school so that he could support himself.
R' Frand said that he is a generation younger than R' Wein, but when he was first married and then for many years he bought used cars. But people now have expectations that life has to give them certain things.
The present generation may think that they deserve things, but if a person has those expectations he will be frequently disappointed. But if he is not expecting things and thank Hashem for everything that comes his way, he can be זָקֵ֣ן וְשָׂבֵ֑עַ.
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