Machon Tefilla: D’var Torah by Rabbi Dan Ornstein

Machon chanichim (campers) had a beautiful tefilla Friday morning.  They included a Parsha Play for this week’s parsha, VaEtchanan.  In addition, Rabbi Dan Ornstein (bio, below), of our Tzevet Limud (Education Staff) delivered a d’var Torah.  He began by unfurling a long multicolored chain of bandanas around the entire Bet Knesset, to visually demonstrate what diversity looks like.  Rabbi Dan then told the story of Rabbi Elazar Ben Shimon, who referred to a passerby as ugly.  When he tried to apologize, the man refused to forgive him.  While the man eventually forgave him, the moral of the story is how hurtful our words can be, and how appearance should never influence our treatment of others.  Boker Tov, and Yasher Koach!

Bio:

Rabbi Dan Ornstein has been with Congregation Ohav Shalom for nearly twenty three years and he is proud to call Ohav his synagogue and his work place. Rabbi Dan devotes much of his effort to leading and serving our congregation and the Jewish people through educational programming, worship, teaching, pastoral care and spiritual counseling, and creative and educational writing.