At the beginning of this week’s Parshah we read of the housekeeping of the altar. Not only does an eternal flame have to be kept burning on the altar but the ashes have to be removed. This is called by the Rabbis ‘the donation of the ashes’; the same word used for the contributions to the Tabernacle. Furthermore, not only is this removal of the ashes required to be done every day, but the ashes themselves are required to be placed in ‘a pure place’ outside the camp. All this indicates a rather deeper meaning than mere housekeeping. This, of course, has great resonance for this time of year when we are all engaged in our own housekeeping: the removal of hametz before Pesach. We can maybe learn something about this requirement from the removal of the ashes in our Parshah. The ashes on the altar are the remnant of the sacrifices offered there. They are the detritus that no longer serve a useful purpose and indeed are detrimental to the offering of new sacrifices. Yet they are not to be simply discarded. They are holy and must be respectfully placed in a holy place. This can be analogous to removing hametz before Pesach. During these days we see hametz as our enemy. Indeed, in Rabinnic  literature, leaven is seen as the representation of our negative impulses. Yet without bread we cannot fulfil many of the mitzvot; of Shabbat and Yom Tov, for example. Herein lies an important lesson. We often have inside us what are seen as negative traits. We seek to remove them from our lives. Yet we need to recognise that, at the right time and place, they can be a positive influence. Anger is bad; but controlled can be a powerful moral instrument. Envy is undesirable; but can be used as a spur to greater achievement. G-d did not create angels with only good traits but humans with a rounded personality. Too, often religious teaching seeks to suppress if not extinguish, ‘undesirable’ emotions and reactions. This can be dangerous. The Talmud tells how over enthusiastic Rabbis nearly destroyed the world by seeking to remove the sexual impulse. A far healthier way is that of channelling them for a good purpose. After all these desires are part of who we are. Our Parshah teaches us not to discount any part of our personality. It all was made by G-d and can be used in His service.