Shemen Serayfa
Original publication date:
Shemen Serayfa: Oil from Trumah that has become tameh
and awaits burning.
- A Kohen can use shemen serayfa to light Chanukah
candles. There is no issue of its being deficient in measure because the only
measure that applies to the Chanukah candle is that it burn a certain amount
of time. Also there is no issue of doing mitzvos in bunches (חבילות חבילות)
because he is not doing two actions at once, but simply fulfilling two
mitzvos at once. And there is no issue of burning kodshim at night (which is
forbidden), because most poskim hold that that does not apply to chalah or to
trumah that has become tameh.
- Also on erev Shabbos Chanukah it is permitted to light
candles from shemen serayfa. But it is forbidden to light candles from
shemen serayfa on Yom Tov because kodshim should not be burned
on Yom Tov, and this applies to shemen serayfa as well. It is forbidden
to use shemen serayfa for holiday candles even if the candles are lit
before night, because the woman takes the holiday upon herself in lighting the
candles and it is considered, therefore, as though the oil were being burned
on the holiday itself.
- If a Kohen uses shemen serayfa to light his Shabbos
candles, a Yisroel is also permitted to benefit from its light. Even if the
Kohen walks away, the Yisroel can benefit from the light since the oil was
first set alight by the Kohen according to the halachah. According to the
Rambam in Hilchos Trumah (11:16-17), a Yisroel who has no oil from
chulin to light the Chanukah candles can use shemen serayfa from
Trumah which has not yet come into the possession of a Cohen. In addition, he
writes that shemen serayfa can be used to light candles in synagogues
and batei midrash that are not in the rishus of a Kohen (since there
are Kohenim among those who are present. ) If it is certain that there are no
Kohenim, the poskim are divided on the matter, some permitting, some
forbidding using the shemen serayfa.
- A Kohen may not take shemen serayfa out of the land
of Israel. He has to burn it in the land of Israel.
- Shemen serayfa can be used to make a fire on Lag B’omer
since it is in any case supposed to be burned.
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