In "insights" you wrote:
>>... In Zevachim 88a Tosfos answers that the Am ha'Aretz did not actually
separate Kodesh into the barrel. He just planned to eventually separate
some of the wine in the barrel and be Makdish it, and that is why he guarded
it from Tum'ah. However, this answer is not viable according to what Tosfos writes later in our Sugya (Chagigah 25b DH bi'Metaher). Tosfos there Proves from the Mishnah that an Am ha'Aretz is trusted to guard Kodesh all year round only if he actually separated the Kodesh. If he just planned
to be Makdish it at a later time, the Am ha'Aretz is only trusted for
seventy days before the time of wine-pressing. (See TIFERES YISRAEL in Boaz, who raises this point and tries at length to find another answer to Tosfos'
question in Chulin.)....<<
But isn't it considered hefresh once you decide to separate it?! (This
principle appears in numerous places)
Why does Tosafos and others need to go to acrobatics. Why not this
objection?
Thanks.
Randy Lazarus
You are correct that there is a concept of being Mafrish Kodesh (and Terumah as well) through a mental decision (Shavuos 26b). However, this is not what Tosfos here is referring to. Tosfos here means that one planned to separate it in the future at some point. When that time comes, he may either verbally declare it Kodesh or do so mentally, as you write. But right now, he does not have intention to make anything Kodesh.
All the best,
Y. Shaw