Lighting candles seems to play a prominent role in Judaism. We light candles every Friday for Shabbos, we light candles on every festival, in memory of a loved one we kindle a flame and Chanukah is all about candles. What is the meaning behind this focus? There is something about a flame that makes it more spiritual than physical. When you use something physical, it is diminished. The more money you spend, the less you have. The more gas you use, the emptier your tank becomes. The more food you eat the more you need to restock your pantry. But spiritual things increase with use. If I use my wisdom to teach, the student learns, and I come out smarter for it. If I share my love with another, I become more loving, not less. When I give a spiritual gift, the recipient gains, and I lose nothing. There is no better illustration of this than a candle. When you use one candle to light another, the original candle remains bright. Its light is not diminished...