Is it considered lichatchila (mitzvah min hamuvchar, mehudar, etc) to use these candles that are made from congealed shemen zayis for ner chanukah?
Answer:
There is a dispute in this matter among poskim, concerning whether this has the status of olive oil (which is the highest hiddur) or not.
Some write that this is mehudar, and has the halachah of olive oil (although it is not similar to the Mikdash, neither is our regular oil, which is not shemen zayis zach, and the fact that it becomes liquid once burning is sufficient), but others write that it is better to use liquid oil.
Sources:
See: Shevet Halevi 9:143 (mehudar); Daas Torah 670 (in the name of Teshuvah Me’ahavah – mehudar); Mekadesh Yisrael 165 (mehudar); Teshuvos Vehanhagos 3:218 (not mehudar); Rav Asher Weiss, Darkei Hora’ah 7, 1 (not mehudar).
