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346
DRINKS.
the
midst
thereof
eftsoons,
even
In
these
present
days,
that
we
may
bless
Thee
in
purity
and
hoHness.
For
Thou
art
good,
and
the
Giver
of
good
to
all.
Blessed
art
Thou,
O
Lord,
for
the
land
and
for
the
fruit
of
the
vine."
This
beautiful
prayer,^
of
which
only
the
roughest
sketch
has
been
given
here,
has
been
said
by
pious
Hebrews
at
every
meal
in
which
wine
has
been
drunk
from
time
immemorial.
But
upon
wine
alone
has
this
honour
been
conferred.
Those
who
drink
Shecar,
or
water,
or
any
other
beverage
except
wine,
say
before
their
draught
thus
.
much
only
:
"
Blessed
art
Thou,
O
Lord
our
God,
universal
King,
by
whose
word
all
things
were
made
;
"
and
after
it,
''
Blessed
art
Thou,
O
Lord
our
God,
universal
King,
the
Creator
of
many
souls,
and
their
needs,
for
all
which
Thou
hast
created,
to
keep
alive
the
soul
of
every
living
thing.
Blessed
art
Thou who
livest
everlastingly."
But
these
two
prayers
have
no
especial
and
neces-
sary
relation
to
drinks.
They
are
also
used
where
aught
is
eaten
which
has
not
grown
originally
and
directly
out
of
the
earth,
as,
for
example,
the
flesh
of
some
beasts,
and
birds,.
and
fishes,
and
cheese,
milk,
butter,
and
honey.
In
the
present
work
particular
attention
has
been
given,
in
the.^ase
of
alcoholic
drinks,
to
wines,
spirits,
liqueurs,
and
beers,
and
in
the
case
of
non-alcoholic,
to
mineral
waters,
tea,
coffee,
and
other
beverages
^
The
form
of
this
thanksgiving
is
very
nearly
akin
to
that
said
on
the
occasion
of
eating
any
of
the
five
kinds
of
cooked
food
from
which
the
challah
is
due.