The Previous Rebbe related a story from the Baal Shem Tov in the name of the Tzemach Tzedek.
The Baal Shem Tov loved light. One winter night, his students did not have enough candles to light the shul. The Besht told them to take “ice candles” [icicles] from the roof and light them. The students did so, and the icicle candles ignited and shined.
Recalling this story, the Tzemach Tzedek said that the students and Chassidim of the Baal Shem Tov were able to light candles of ice that glowed and burned.
Our Rebbe points out that here is a lesson from the Baal Shem Tov in the fact that ice could brightly shine, not by becoming actual candles but by remaining frozen water, and not by being warm like a candle, but by remaining extremely cold! Even though it was in its naturally frozen state, it nurtured a shining flame.
This story teaches us a lesson in serving Hashem on a very high level.
The body is naturally cold to G-dliness. However, it can be elevated to holiness, not only to the point where the light of the soul can shine through the body, but where the body itself can shine with light.
