General Introduction
הקדמה כללית
The Sages said: Four people must give thanks: seafarers who have returned to dry land, desert travelers who have returned to a settled area, the sick who have recovered, and prisoners who have been released from prison. They based their words on the verses of the psalm of thanksgiving, Tehillim 107 (Berakhot 54b). They instituted a berakha for their thanksgiving: “Barukh ata Hashem Elokeinu Melekh ha-olam, ha-gomel le-ḥayavim tovot she-gemalani kol tov” (“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, Who bestows good things upon the guilty, Who has bestowed every goodness upon me”). That is, although we have sins and flaws on account of which we might be considered “guilty,” nevertheless He, may He be blessed, bestows good things upon us and saves us from dangers. After the berakha, the listeners answer “Amen” and add: “May He [or: God] Who has bestowed every goodness upon you continue to bestow every goodness upon you forever” (SA OḤ 219:1-2).
The routine of life greatly hinders us from recognizing all the good that God created in the world, and so, at times, instead of thanking God, we complain that it is too hot or too cold, too crowded or too empty, and so on. But a person who sailed on a ship, suffered from the waves and vomited his insides, knows, when he returns to dry land, how pleasant and good ordinary life is, and it is fitting that he thank God. At times a person feels burdened by social life, which does not satisfy him and perhaps even weighs on him; but when he wanders in the desert, far from his friends, he understands how precious society is to him, and how comfortable and good it is to live within an orderly society with basic community services, such as water infrastructure, food stores, commerce, and health services. Therefore, when he returns to a settled area, he must give thanks. Similarly, a healthy person does not always know how to properly appreciate his good condition, and only after falling ill does he realize how precious health is; when he recovers, he must give thanks. So too with one who was locked up in prison: many times this is a person who did not recognize the value of orderly life with its restrictive aspects, and who aspired to more than could be achieved in the ordinary way, and committed a crime against his fellows, and was caught and punished. When he is released, he must give thanks and recognize how wonderful ordinary life is in the world of the Holy One, blessed be He, and he must regret not having recognized this before he sinned. Therefore, the text of the berakha says: “Who bestows good things upon the guilty.” Even the other three who recite Birkat Ha-gomel are considered “guilty” to some extent, for they did not previously recognize how fitting it is to thank God for the good in routine life (Olat Re’iya vol. 1, pp. 309-312).