כְּלֵי הַקֹּדֶשׁ אֵין לָהֶם אֲחוֹרַיִם וָתוֹךְ, וְאֵין לָהֶם בֵּית צְבִיעָה. וְאֵין מַטְבִּילִים כֵּלִים בְתוֹךְ כֵּלִים לְקֹדֶשׁ. כָּל הַכֵּלִים יוֹרְדִין לִידֵי טֻמְאָתָן בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה, וְאֵינָן עוֹלִים מִידֵי טֻמְאָתָן אֶלָּא בְשִׁנּוּי מַעֲשֶׂה, שֶׁהַמַּעֲשֶׂה מְבַטֵּל מִיַּד הַמַּעֲשֶׂה וּמִיַּד מַחֲשָׁבָה, וּמַחֲשָׁבָה אֵינָהּ מְבַטֶּלֶת לֹא מִיַּד מַעֲשֶׂה וְלֹא מִיַּד מַחֲשָׁבָה:
Sacred vessels do not have [a distinction, with regard to purity status, between their] outsides and insides, nor do they have a [similar distinction for their] holding-place. And one may not immerse vessels within vessels [such that they can be used] for [handling] sacred things [i.e. rather each vessel must be immersed independently in order to achieve the required level of purity]. All vessels may descend to impurity [status] through intentional thought, but they may only rise out of their impurity through a change-effecting action; for an action may annul [the effects of] an action or an intentional thought, but an intentional thought cannot annul [the effects of] either an action nor an intentional thought.
Tosefta Chagigah
There is a greater stringency with consecrated foods than with Terumah: That they immerse utensils [inside other utensils (see GR"A)], cups inside cups, [and] serving platters inside serving platters with respect to [purifying items used for cooking and serving] Terumah, but not with respect to [purifying items for use with] consecrated foods. With respect to consecrated foods, [everything] is placed inside a basket or inside a gorgotni (=גורגותני, a very large basket normally used for straining wine, see Minchat Yitzchak), and he immerses it [all at once]. Abba Shaul says, that is what we used to do with Terumah, but not with consecrated foods. The outer parts (achuraim) and the inner part and handle [of a vessel are considered separate] with regards to Terumah, but not with regards to consecrated foods (Chag. 3:1). Said Rabbi Yosei, this word (achuraim) is the dual form, [and thus we may deduce] that anything that has outer parts and an inner part must also have a handle [that is considered separate for purposes of purity], and anything that lacks outer parts and an inner part does not have a [separate] handle.
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