• Is the potential for zerikah considered a שעת הכושר for tumah?

The previous Daf taught that Rebbe Shimon holds כל העומד לפדות כפדוי דמי – anything which stands to be redeemed is considered like it is already redeemed, but only where redeeming is a mitzvah. The Gemara objects that Rebbe Shimon taught that a korban which became פיגול is not susceptible to tumah. But since it was a mitzvah to perform zerikah (properly) after the shechitah, it should be considered as if zerikah was already performed!? The Gemara first answers that the פיגול intent was during shechitah, and it was never fit for zerikah. Rav Nachman differentiates between פדיון and zerikah: דאי בעי פריק אמר – [Rebbe Shimon] says “if he wanted, he could have redeemed it,” since it is merely a verbal declaration, but אי בעי הוה זריק לא אמרינן – we do not say, “if he wanted, he could have performed zerikah,” because it requires a physical act, and is not considered as if it was already done.

• "אי בעי הוה זריק" regarding removing me’ilah

Rav Nachman’s answer is challenged from a Mishnah: Rebbe Yehoshua says that any korban which had a שעת היתר – moment of permissibility to Kohanim before becoming invalidated is no longer subject to me’ilah (because it is no longer "קדשי ה'"), for example, לנה – [a korban] which remained overnight. The Gemara proves that this includes where the zerikah had never been performed, which demonstrates that the mere potential for zerikah is considered like it already took place!? Rav Ashi differentiates: מעילה משום קדושה ולאו קדושה היא - me’ilah depends on the korban’s sanctity or lack of sanctity; once its kedushah leaves (through being fit for zerikah), it can never return. In contrast, טומאה משום אוכלא ולאו אוכלא היא – tumah [susceptibility] depends on whether something is a food or is not a food; only after actually performing zerikah can it be called a “food,” but beforehand, it is not considered a food (despite the potential for zerikah), since zerikah requires an action.

• חיבת הקודש renders that which is עומד לשרוף as “food” for tumah

Rav Ashi asked Rav Kahana that just as Rebbe Shimon holds anything which is עומד לזרוק is considered כזרוק, he should hold כל העומד לשרוף נמי כשרוף דמי – anything which stands to be burned is also considered as if it was already burned. If so, why does Rebbe Shimon say (on the previous Daf) that פרה אדומה and נותר both transmit food tumah? Since they both stand to be burned, עפרא בעלמא נינהו – they are like mere dust, and should not be considered food!? Rav Kahana replied: חיבת הקודש מכשרתן – the esteem for hekdesh [items] prepares them for tumah and considers them “food.” Ravina asked that this presumably only applies לאיפסולי דגופיה – for its own disqualification, but is it even effective to consider the hekdesh a ראשון and שני לטומאה to be metamei others? If so, it should resolve Reish Lakish’s question, which was if a צריד – dry piece of a minchah touches tumah counts as a ראשון or שני לטומאה (to be metamei others) through חיבת הקודש, or is only itself disqualified!? Rav Ashi answered that it is definitely counted as a ראשון and שני at least מדרבנן; Reish Lakish inquired if it is so even מדאורייתא (regarding burning what the hekdesh is metamei).

Siman – Cave. When the kohen heard that hisפגול meat was not susceptible toטומאת אוכלין even though the zerikah could have been done, he hid it in a cave because the potential for zerikah did take off the איסור מעילה, right next to some meat from a פרה אדומה which was considered burnt but still מקבל טומאה because of חיבת הקודש.