Musar zu Wajikra 6:6

לא תכבה . The reason that the Torah legislates that the fire on the altar should be kept going, never to go out (6,5), is to ensure that whenever our perennial accusers seek to be paid off by the life of some Jew or Jews there be an alternate fire handy to satisfy their demand to burn someone. The fire, in other words, acts as a "bribe" to Satan, much like the scapegoat on the Day of Atonement. Nowadays, when we have no altar, man's table fulfills the function of the altar. If we sit down to eat without at least saying some word of Torah during our meal, we may not have succeeded in extinguishing the fire of purgatory by keeping the fire on the substitute altar going. Inasmuch as תורה is a term used in connection with every category of sacrifice, all the destructive waters in the universe do not have the power to extinguish the flame of Torah, the flame of love.

Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai was sitting engaged in Torah study when an old man (i.e., the prophet Eliyahu) stood behind the wall and called to him: “Rabbi! Rabbi! Holy light! Arise and kindle the lamp. That is, the mitzvah lamp of the holy Shechinah (i.e., draw down an outpouring of illumination to the Shechinah, which is called the “mitzvah lamp”). For concerning it was it written, ‘Let a continual fire burn upon the altar, let it not be extinguished’ (Vayikra 6:6). And it is also written, ‘To kindle a continual lamp’ (Shemos 27:20). The Shechinah is certainly called the “lamp of Hashem.” It is the source of Adam HaRishon’s light, that is, his soul. Arise and kindle it!” So Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai stood on his feet (out of deference to the Shechinah) and then sat for a moment and said, “Master of All the Worlds, You are the ruler over kings and the revealer of secrets. Let it be Your will to arrange the words in my mouth in fulfillment of the verse, “And I will be with your mouth” (Shemos 4:12), so that I will not come before You in shame (after my death).”