There is a halachic dispute regarding the leftover oil from the Chanukah menorah:
- 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.
- 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.
This article was written in cooperation with Shuva Israel