What does the word "aliya" mean? You can make "aliya" to Israel - which means to "go up" to Israel, you can have an "aliyah" to the Torah - which means to be "called up" to make a blessing on the Torah and to read the Torah. You can make "aliya l'regel" - go up to Jerusalem on Pesach, Shvuos and Sukkos, when everyone brings an "olah" - an offering. The common theme is "going up", being uplifted and rising to a new level. This is what the "olah" sacrifice accomplished.

"Olah" means "aliyah" - to go up. The "olah" offering was brought as an "elevation offering", to elevate the person who committed a sin for which the Torah does not prescribe a punishment or who failed to do a positive commandment.

In this week's Sedra, the Torah says: "Zos Toras Ha'olah" - This is the law of the elevation offering...it stays on the flame, on the Altar, all night until the morning.

All sacrifices are brought in the daytime. There are only two temple activities that we do at night. They are the lighting of the menorah at night and the olah offering, which was on the Altar all night. Why was there a need for the menorah and the olah fire to be lit at night? "Night" is a symbol of "tough times", as opposed to "morning" which is a symbol of clarity and simcha (happiness). When things are difficult - you've had a long day at school or in the office - one way to "light up the night" is to learn Torah. That is why the Midrash Tanchuma says: "A person who learns Torah at night is considered as if he has offered an olah." This means he has "lifted himself" through his learning.

The olah is offered when a person committed a sin or failed to do a positive mitzvah. Making a mistake or doing a sin can make you feel "down" and upset. You may not feel like "doing anything". You may feel tired and sluggish, and not too happy with yourself. You're really feeling like it is "night". The way to pull yourself out of this down mood is to push yourself to open up a Chumash and read a Rashi! Read a Parsha sheet from the internet. Read a story by Rabbi Paysach Krohn from the Maggid series. Torah has the amazing ability to "light up" your darkness. It is "meshivas nefesh" - it refreshes and restores the soul.

Today we don't have an olah offering - but we can experience the same feeling that an olah represents. Make spiritual "olah" - raise yourself up, by learning Torah, especially at night, and "lift yourself" up. It all depends on your willingness to make that extra effort to give yourself your own personal "aliyah" and "call up" - to the Torah.