For a Mitzvah Is a Candle, and the Torah Is Light

“For a mitzvah is a candle, and the Torah is light” (Proverbs 6:23).

A candle's light is bound to its wick. Mitzvot have two aspects: the action and the Divine light connected with it. Only by kindling the flame of a mitzvah can a person merit the light of the Torah. This light is abstract and would not be connected to a person were it not for the performance of mitzvot (Netivot Hashem, Maharal). Thus, mitzvot are a means of receiving the light of the Torah.

The two aspects of a mitzvah: the action and its accompanying Divine light.

The action encompasses the whole person: both body and soul. Inner feeling, too, is awakened in the heart through action. And even if this feeling does not arise in the heart, after performing the mitzvah many times, a person strives to follow the Divine plan: their faith grows stronger, their desires become purer.

This is a great principle in the performance of mitzvot: “Know that a person's behavior is shaped by their actions. Their heart and thoughts always follow the actions they perform... Even a person who is utterly wicked at heart... If they stir their spirit and strive to engage continually in Torah and mitzvot, even if not for the sake of Heaven, they will immediately be drawn toward goodness... And through the power of their actions, they will put the evil inclination to death” (Sefer HaChinuch, mitzvah 16).