Zevachim 83B

גמ׳ ראוי לו אין, שאין ראוי לו לא; למעוטי מאי? אמר רב פפא: למעוטי קמצין שלא קידשו בכלי.

Talmud: The Mishnah teaches that the altar sanctifies items that are suited to it, from which the Talmud infers: Items suited to the altar, yes, they are sanctified by it, but items that are not suited to the altar, no, they are not sanctified by it and descend from it even after ascending. The Talmud asks: This inference serves to exclude what? Rav Pappa said: It serves to exclude handfuls of flour that were removed from meal offerings by a priest in order to be burned on the altar, and that were not sanctified by being placed in a service vessel before they ascended upon the altar. Those handfuls did not yet become suited for the altar and therefore should descend.

מתקיף לה רבינא: מאי שנא מדעולא? דאמר עולא: אימורי קדשים קלין שהעלן לפני זריקת דמן ⁠– לא ירדו, נעשו לחמו של מזבח.

Ravina objects to Rav Pappa’s assertion: In what way is this case different from that of Ulla? As Ulla says: Sacrificial portions of offerings of lesser sanctity that one offered up on the altar before the sprinkling of the offering’s blood, and are therefore not yet suited for the altar, should not descend, as they have become the bread of the altar, i.e., they have been sanctified such that they must be burned.

הנך לא מיחסרו מעשה בגופייהו, הני מיחסרו מעשה בגופייהו.

The Talmud responds that there is a difference between the cases: These sacrificial portions described by Ulla do not lack the performance of an action with regard to themselves that will render them fit for the altar; they lack only the sprinkling of the blood, an independent action. By contrast, these handfuls mentioned by Rav Pappa lack the performance of an action with regard to themselves, as they have yet to be sanctified through placement in a service vessel and never became fit for the altar.