The law is that once an object of Kodshei Kodashim (such as a Korban Chatas) has a "moment of being permitted" to Kohanim (who receive part of the meat of the Korban after the main service of offering the Korban has been performed), the laws of Me'ilah no longer apply to that object.

The question is, at what point do we consider the meat of the Korban to have had a "moment of being permitted" to Kohanim?

The simple understanding is that it is considered to be permitted to Kohanim when the Kohanim can literally eat the meat, which occurs when the Zerikah (sprinkling of the blood on the Mizbe'ach) is performed. This is called "Heter Achilah" -- it has become permitted to be eaten. ("Heter Achilah Shaninu" means that "we learned in the Mishnah (that says that Me'ilah no longer applies once the Korban has become permitted to Kohanim) that the Heter is Heter Achilah (i.e. Zerikas ha'Dam).")

Another opinion maintains that Me'ilah is removed even when the Korban is ready to become permitted to the Kohanim, even though it is not actually permitted to the Kohanim yet. This is called "Heter Zerikah," which refers to Kabalas ha'Dam, the receiving of the blood after Shechitah (the service performed before the Zerikas ha'Dam). It is the Kabalas ha'Dam that enables the Zerikah to be done. Hence, once the Kabalas ha'Dam has been done, the blood is ready to be sprinkled on the Mizbe'ach. Since the meat is about to become permitted, the Kabalas ha'Dam suffices to remove the Isur of Me'ilah.

Another opinion maintains that Me'ilah is removed at the moment the animal is properly slaughtered. This is called "Heter Shechitah." The Shechitah permits the Kohanim to perform the rest of the Avodos with the Korban, and it is considered enough of a Heter to remove the Isur of Me'ilah.

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Yisrael Shaw

D.A.F.