Responsa for Shabbat 70:2
א"ר יהודה אמר שמואל כוכב אחד יום שנים בין השמשות שלשה לילה תנ"ה כוכב אחד יום שנים בין השמשות שלשה לילה א"ר יוסי לא כוכבים גדולים הנראין ביום ולא כוכבים קטנים שאין נראין אלא בלילה אלא בינונים
said: Not the large stars, which are visible by day, nor the small ones, which are visible only at night, but the medium sized. R. Jose son of R. Zebida said: If one performs work at two twilights,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Of Friday and Saturday. It means either during the whole of both twilights or at exactly the same point in each (Tosaf. 34b s.v. [H]. ');"><sup>3</sup></span>
Teshuvot Maharam
Q. The oil-lamp of our synagogue emits a dense smoke which causes damage to the congregants and occasionally compels them to leave the synagogue altogether. Some persons have donated money for the purpose of buying oil for the synagogue. Must we continue to bear the smoke of the oil-lamp, or may we divert the donated money to another purpose?
A. The money may be used for buying waxen candles. The purpose for which the money was given may be changed by the members of the synagogue (though it can not be so changed by the donor) for the following reasons: a) Preparing an object for sacred use does not sanctify the object until it is actually used for such purpose; b) candles and oil used in a synagogue are not intrinsically sacred; nor are they even considered tashmishe kedushah (objects used for a sacred function) since they are not indispensable to the function of the synagogue.
SOURCES: L. 269; P. 299–300.
A. The money may be used for buying waxen candles. The purpose for which the money was given may be changed by the members of the synagogue (though it can not be so changed by the donor) for the following reasons: a) Preparing an object for sacred use does not sanctify the object until it is actually used for such purpose; b) candles and oil used in a synagogue are not intrinsically sacred; nor are they even considered tashmishe kedushah (objects used for a sacred function) since they are not indispensable to the function of the synagogue.
SOURCES: L. 269; P. 299–300.
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