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ב"ה

THEMES of Featured Ascent Lights

The Laws of Life
Torah is meant to be actualized in This World.
We do not find anywhere in the Torah the use of imprisonment as a punishment, so common today. The Torah values positive action. Prison, whose entire purpose is to limit freedom of action, is against all that the Torah stands for.
Knowing and Not Knowing G‑d
G-d can be found both within and outside of logical frameworks.
Most of the laws in this Torah reading appeal to our intellect. Yet we declared at Mt. Sinai: "we will do and we will hear" including also laws such as those of milk and meat. These serve to remind us that we have limited intellectual understanding and must turn to our unquestioning faith in G‑d to truly serve Him.
The Contradictory Color
Blue seems to have a special holiness, yet the hue has an entirely different reputation.
The color blue was used extensively in the Mishkan, in the High Priest’s clothing as well as in tzitzit. It was in the vision of the Al-mighty that Moses and the elders saw, that is mentioned in this week's parasha. Yet, the Zohar warned, "All colors in visions are a good omen except for the color blue. It is the low color, and much ardent prayer must be exercised to avoid it."
Statutes from Sinai
Even the statutes must be observed because G-d commanded them.
A thief does not become a thief from the opportunity to steal, but only if he does in fact steal. Likewise, having the opportunity to study does not make a person a scholar; it is the act of studying that brings the name.

The same is true of a chasid, one who seeks to live his life in a G-dly manner, even above the letter of the law. Being a potentially good person is not enough. To be called a chasid, a person has to actually live in a manner befitting the title.
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