[4] The adjective herem and the associate verb haram ("devote") come from the Semitic root Ḥ-R-M, with cognates in the Syriac and Arabic languages.
[6] According to Samuel ben Meir, this is the complete transition of an estate or object from hullin (mundane) status to that of kodesh (holy).
In addition, he also categorizes the initiation of devoted goods by an Israelite as an act of respect and honor to the God of Israel.
[11] Raya Mehemna (a conversation between Moses and Elijah found as an addition to the Zohar) describes herem as rectifying and healing the negative emotion of anger the initiator of a devotion of property may possess.
In terms of the beit din choosing an eligible priest, Rabbi Luria opines that the status quo Kohen is sufficient to be the recipient of a devoted item and it to be "mundane" (hullin).