Ask The Rabbi

Ask The Rabbi

Blessing on Water for medical purpose

The doctor says I must drink several liters of water daily. I carry a bottle of water all day and drink continuously in order to complete the amount I must drink. What is the law regarding blessings?

A. If you drink plain water, you need to make a blessing only when you are thirsty. When you drink only for your health, but do not feel thirsty, you should not make a blessing.


B. If you drink flavored water, you must make a blessing each time, even if you are not thirsty, because there is an element of enjoyment, and this has many details:



  1. If you remain in one place (your place of learning or work, for example), make only one blessing, at the beginning of the day, even if you went outside for a moment or to the bathroom and you returned to your place. This is not considered a break from your designated place in the context of the blessing, and you are not required to make another blessing.

  2. If you are going from place to place, between offices, or travelling, etc., as long as you are still able to see the place where you made the first blessing and you take another sip, you do not need to make another blessing. If you have moved on and no longer can see the first place where you made the blessing, you need to make another blessing.

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