Before Chatzot (midnight), Chatzot Layla (before midnight).
In Mishnah Bet we spoke about all the invalid items that are not allowed to be removed from the Mizbeach (altar) once they have been placed there. The last Mishnah spoke about parts of the Olah (offering) that should be brought up to the Mizbeach if they are still attached to the flesh of the Olah. Here we’ll talk about a halacha (Jewish law) that applies to all of these items. The Mishnah says: If any of them flew off the top of the Mizbeach and fell to the ground, you do not need to put them back.
Let’s say the fire was very intense, and all of a sudden it burst, and an explosion sort of happened, and parts of the Korban (sacrifice) fell off the Mizbeach. There’s no obligation to put them back, but a person is allowed to. Same thing with a piece of coal that burst off the top of the Mizbeach and fell to the ground. A person does not need to put it back.
If limbs of a valid offering of an Olah, which is supposed to be burned fully on the Mizbeach, burst off the top of the Mizbeach and fell to the ground before midnight, when the mitzvah (commandment) of burning them has not yet been completed and they have to burn until midnight, until Chatzot Layla, then they should be put back on the Mizbeach. If they were not put back on the Mizbeach, for example, or if they were used in any other way that would be inappropriate, a person who used them for his own personal benefit would be violating me’ilah (misuse of sacred property) and would have to pay back the principal of what he used, plus a penalty of one-fifth.
So if somebody benefited from a limb of the Olah, he would have to pay a penalty and is subject to the aveirah (transgression) of me’ilah. If it happened after midnight, and the mitzvah of burning had been completed at that point in time, then they do not need to put the limb of the Olah back, and the aveirah of me’ilah is no longer in play.