thigh, were considered to be the best portions and were reserved for the most honored participants in the meal. Guests were always served before family members. The host would also sit with the guests to encourage them to eat and see to all their needs, as related in the story of Abraham, who waited on his visitors while they ate. Sacrificial meals Sacrificial meals were eaten when a portion of a sacrifice was reserved for the priest (kohen) or the ordinary Israelite who brought the offering was permitted to eat a portion with his family at a festive meal. The offerings considered "most holy" were eaten by the males of the priests in the court of the Temple sanctuary (). The meal was considered to be a part of the priest’s duties. Other offerings could be eaten by the priests with their families in any ritually clean place (). The ordinary Israelite had to eat his share within a fixed time, with his family, guests, and any Levites and strangers that he invited. Depending on the type of sacrifice, the animals that were brought as sacrifices could be a lamb, kid, goat, ram, calf, bull or cow; bird offerings were doves and turtledoves (pigeons). Of these, the guilt offering (asham) () and the communal peace offering (shalmei tzibur) () were eaten only by the male priests (kohanim). Other offerings, such as the Firstborn offering (), could be eaten by the priests and other members of their households, while for the personal peace offering (shalmei yachid) () and Thanksgiving offering (), the breast and thigh meat were eaten by the priests and other members of their households and the remainder by ordinary Israelites. The Tithe offering () could be eaten by anyone and the Passover offering () was eaten by all who had purchased a share in the sacrifice. Meal offerings called mincha all consisted primarily of flour and were either completely or partially burned on the altar. Those not entirely burned on the altar were eaten by the priests. Some mincha offerings were fried or baked before being offered. Types of mincha included fine flour (solet) mixed with oil and of which a portion was given to the kohen; flour mixed with oil and fried on a griddle or on a pan; bread called challot mixed with oil and baked in an oven; and wafers (rekikim) smeared with oil baked