Shavuos is less than 48 hours away...HaShem’s Torah is described as “a flame”, as the verse at the beginning of parshas V’zos HaBracha says: מִימִינוֹ אֵשׁ דָּת לָמוֹ ...from His right hand He presented to them the Flame of Law.
Fire is also an important element in the Avoda of the Mishkan. Our sages, of blessed memory, tell us that a Heavenly fire would descend upon the mizbe’ach of the Mishkan (Yuma 21b). Nefesh HaChaim teaches that a person is a miniature Mishkan. Hence, just as that Divine flame burned on the mizbe’ach, it also burns inside each Jewish heart.
What is that fire that burns inside a Jewish heart? Shem MiShmuel (Tzav, 5676) teaches that the fire inside a Jew (which corresponds to the Heavenly fire on the mizbe’ach) is אש דת (that same “Flame of Law” that HaShem presented to us at Matan Torah). What shape does that flame take inside the heart of a Jewish person? It forms into an intense Divine flame of enthusiasm for joy for Avodas HaShem (based on Shem MiShmuel, ibid).
Now, the Gemorah teaches regarding the fire on the mizbe’ach: אף על פי שאש יורדת מן השמים, מצוה להביא מן ההדיוט - Even though the fire descends from Heaven, it’s a mitzva for a human to bring his fire to the alter (Yuma, ibid.). Based on this, we can say that according to the level that one ignites his personal inner flame for Avodas HaShem, HaKadosh Boruch Hu ignites His Divine flame inside the person’s heart. And this “unity of the flames” is what awakens inside of him the immense enthusiasm and joy for Torah and mitzvos.*
Shavuos is less than 48 hours away. On Shavuos, HaShem will present to His beloved children the אש דת once again. Provided that we will ignite our personal “flame” for Torah and mitzvos, the renewal of אש דת inside of our hearts will begin a year of new enthusiasm and joy for our sacred Avoda.
*[See also Sefer HaChinuch, 132; Ramban to Shemos 25:1]
