Dedicated in honor of my dear friend Rabbi Shai Specht; A Shining Light: There is a powerful hint in this week’s portion to the common custom of lighting a candle before performing a mitzvah:

The work on the Mishkan gone was complete. The vessels were ready. This portion begins as the people are ready to learn about the service and the people who will lead the service. However, before God begins the instructions for the clothes of the priests and the actual steps of the service, God gives the mitzvah of lighting the candles. The candles are given after the physical structure is complete but before action begins.

This parallels the creation of Adam: Adam’s body was complete. And then the Lord “blew into his nose the spirit of life,” the Spirit of life being the soul, described by the verse as “the candle of God is the soul of a man.” The structure was complete and then the fire was lit.

We can derive from here the custom of lighting a candle before acting. The physical preparations are complete. The structure is whole. Now the time for action begins. The action in the Mishkan began with the light of the menorah. The action of the human being begins with the “candle of God,” the soul of the human being. The candle we light reminds us that our soul is the fire that energizes the actions that will follow.

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