07 Jan THE HALACHOT OF POST-CHANUKAH PRACTICES

There is a
halachic dispute
regarding the
leftover oil from
the Chanukah
menorah:
1. Kedusha of the Leftover Oil:
One opinion holds that oil left over
after the candles have burned for
the required half-hour possess no
sanctity (kedusha). According to this
view, if the candles burned for less
than half an hour, the leftover oil
should be treated respectfully and
not disposed of, but rather allowed
to burn. However, if the menorah
burned for the full half-hour, the
leftover oil is permitted to be used
for whatever one desires.
2. Condition Prior to Lighting:
Another opinion maintains that the
leftover oil does not have sanctity
if the person explicitly states before
lighting the menorah that any

leftover oil may be discarded. This
preemptive declaration allows for
the disposal or use of the remaining
oil without concern for its sanctity.
Lehalacha, the Mishna Berura (siman
672; 7) states that lechatchila, one should
make a condition before lighting the
menorah to allow for the disposal of any
leftover oil, thereby covering the second
opinion. However, if one forgot to make
this condition, and the candles burned
for the required half-hour, the leftover
oil may be disposed of. Needless to say,
one may not intentionally burn out the
candles before the required half-hour of
lighting. However, if the candles were
extinguished by themselves, one has still
fulfilled their obligation.
Still, there are many poskim who hold
that even bedieved, if one did not say the
condition beforehand, they must burn the
oil and not use it for other purposes.
Old menorahs or glasses of the menorah

that are no longer needed may be disposed
of in a respectful manner. The reason is
that these items are considered objects
of a mitzvah, which do not possess any
kedusha. However, since these objects
assisted in performing a mitzvah, we
want to avoid disrespecting them by
discarding them with regular trash. The
proper way to dispose of them is with
dignity, such as placing them outside the

house, not with the garbage, and allowing
the sanitation department to take them.
One can also place them in a clean bag
and dispose of them personally.
The leftover oil in the bottle that was
not used may be used for whatever one
wishes, as it does not even have the
status of an object of a mitzvah.