So after manually tracing the process from file to file and function to function I tried one more time to run the "problem" sql in workbench. MySQL didn't really give me a clue before. This time it said the error was "near" "manifest" in the fieldset values in the SQL. So I put the backticks on the SQL statement and it executed like the bug Dan pointed out above. So then I ran the patch itself instead of just trying to manually make the changes which "broke" Moodle. The patch failed on one point but I tried the SCORM pkg and it worked. They are going to regression test the site to make sure there are no other issues.
So thanks for this. BTW I asked AWS how much time/money it would cost to switch from Aurora to MySQL. They said there is not straightforward way to do that. That I would have to dump Aurora and then do a manual import set up into MySQL. If you went the other way (from MySQL to Aurora) there is a conversion tool to do it for you. Just FYI . . .
Thanks for all your help . . . I'm pretty sure I would have never figured out "manifest" was a reserved word in AWS Aurora DB. And if it is still a problem for us I would think the Moodle bug should be implemented. I saw it wasn't going to be because of a statement from AWS on their fix.