It seems the single moment of suitability, to the priests, is the thing that prevents me'ilah. Is the reason for this because there's never me'ilah in the personal portion of the cohen, as opposed to kodshim before it's apportioned?
If I were to sit down next to a priest and borrow from his plate, in other words, perhaps to light a ner, has the time of me'ilah passed, because it is already in the priest's domain?
H. David Levine, Roanoke, VA; USA
There are two ways of understanding: 1. Like you said, that the possibility of usage makes it not Kodshei Hash-m any more; 2. Based on the principle that when the Mitzvah is completed, Me'ilah no longer applies (Me'ilah 11a). See the general introduction to Me'ilah of the Artscroll edition, note 3, and on 5a, note 2.
Me'ilah is removed after Zerikah (see also two other opinions on 5a). (There is no other time of the Kohen's domain.)
All the best,
Reuven Weiner