LIGHTEN UP

* Some candles are made from wax secreted by bees for their honeycombs.

* In outer space, a candle flame burns in a dim, blue sphere instead of a bright, teardrop shape.

* Americans spend $2 billion on candles each year.

UP IN FLAMES

Have you ever heard anyone squeal, "It's time to light the Shabbat wicks"? No. Candles get all the glory, wicks do all the work.

Wicks are the candle's fuel pump. They're made from softly spun cotton fibers that are loosely braided to leave tiny spaces between the braids. These spaces act like capillaries--or tubes--drawing liquid wax to the tip of the wick. To understand how a candle burns, it's necessary to understand this drawing process, which is called capillary action.

If you've seen a paper towel absorb a drop of water, you've seen capillary action at work. The water expands through the paper towel. This expansion is caused by capillary action.

Similarly, when a wick burns, the heat melts the wax around the wick. As it nears the wick's tip, the superheated liquid wax vaporizes, producing a magnificent glowing flame that graces the Shabbat table

LET IT SHINE
King Solomon taught, “A person’s soul is the candle of God” (Proverbs 20:27). The physical body is the wax of the soul, providing the fuel, or energy source, to sustain the soul’s spiritual flame. On Shabbat, oneg, physical pleasures, such as eating good food, wearing nice clothing, and singing Shabbat songs is the fuel, like the wax, that feeds our spiritual flame. The capillaries in the wick draw up the physical parts of our celebration to feed our souls. Just as a candle’s flame burns upward, reaching for the heavens, a person’s soul reaches upward toward a relationship with God. This Shabbat, let your soul shine!