Shemen Serayfa

Shemen Serayfa: Oil from Trumah that has become tameh
and awaits burning.

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. A Kohen may not take shemen serayfa out of the land
    of Israel. He has to burn it in the land of Israel.

  5. 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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