Chanukah Menorah - Kedushas Shevi’is Oil

Q. May one use oil that has Kedushas Shevi’is (i.e., that was grown in Israel during a Shemita year) to light the Chanukah menorah?

A. Although shevi’is fruit has kedusha (sanctity) and may not be wasted, the Rambam (Hilchos Shemita 5:1) writes that shevi’is oil may be used for lighting candles. This is not considered a wasteful use of oil provided people benefit from the light of the candles. However, since peiros shevi’is may only be used in a way that benefits people, many poskim, including the Imrei Yosher (1:100) and Levushei Mordechai (OC 3:53), write that it is forbidden to use shevi’is oil for neiros Chanukah. This is because, as Shulchan Aruch (673:1) writes, it is forbidden to benefit from the light of the Chanukah candles. Although it is permissible to stare at the candles, and indeed many people enjoy sitting in the dark watching their candles burn, this type of secondary benefit is not sufficient to permit burning shevi’is oil and it would still be considered wasteful. Even though one benefits from the oil through its use in performing the mitzvah, poskim point out that the performance of a mitzvah is not viewed as a benefit. Chazal say “mitzvos lav lehanos nitnu” (mitzvos are not intended to provide physical enjoyment), and therefore this would not be considered appropriate use of the shevi’is oil.

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The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis is dedicated to the memory of Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt"l, who served as halachic consultant for OU Kosher for more than 28 years; many of the responses in Halacha Yomis are based on the rulings of Rabbi Belsky. Subscribe to the Halacha Yomis daily email here.