There is a soft drink called Lift. There is a car service called Lyft. The Anglo world calls an elevator, a lift. And we all want a lift in our of lives. • Well, we have a Torah parsha, the one for this week, that is also called ‘lift’, which is no doubt where Coca Cola got their inspiration for the name of their drink. The Hebrew word Nasso, the name of our Parsha, ostensibly begins with an instruction to single out the family of Kohanim for their service in the Mishkan. But the word to single out is Nasso – lift. When we single someone out for special reward or acknowledgment, we lift their spirits. We give them a lift in life. And that is why acknowledging plays is such an important role in our consciousness and mindfulness. People need reinforcement that their lives mean something – that they count. The most powerful way we can reinforce their self-esteem is simply via acknowledging them. The acknowledgment might be a casual smile to the stranger in the street. It might be a word of recognition for a small effort expended on our behalf. It might be a “good morning” or a “how are you?” But an acknowledgment goes a long way. Not only will it lift the person to greater heights of achievement but also reflect back on you in the knowledge that in a small way you have made an important contribution to the life of another – and therefore, to the world at large.