Bridget96>
I'm curious.. do any of you know of - or use - any other pre-meal expressions, aside from Grace?Well, yes.
Here (and in 'most' Jewish homes around the world - or in restaurants or just walking down the street with a
felafel), we say the standard blessings, thus:
Baruch atta Adonai Eloheinu, Melech haolam (Blessed art Thou, O Lord, Our G-d, King of the Universe) ... and then the appropriate food, such as
hamotzei lechem mein ha'aretz (who brings forth bread from the earth) - this is said over bread IF one is having bread with the meal - and it has to be said FIRST before partaking of any portion of the meal, but AFTER washing of hands (a ceremonial washing during which another prayer is said...).
We also have prayers to be said before partaking of the first fruit of the season and so on and so on...
We do say Grace, as well, but that is AFTER the meal, during which we thank G-d for giving us the food we just ate and for just being G-d who created all things, etc. etc. etc.....
Shoshannah
